It is regulated by law from 2015 that anybody who is taking up a rental living place in Germany and wants to register in the local citizen’s office must present a valid Wohnunggeberbestätigung / proof of residence form signed by the landlord.
What is Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung or proof of residence is a form that refers to a confirmation of residence provided by the landlord or property owner to the tenant. This document is required by German law and must be submitted to the local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) when a person moves into a new residence.
The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung confirms the tenant's right to reside at a particular address and contains important information such as the name and address of the landlord, the name of the tenant, the date of the move-in, and the address of the rental property. The confirmation must be signed by the landlord or their authorized representative, and it must be provided to the tenant at the time of move-in or shortly thereafter.
The purpose of the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung is to prevent fraudulent registration and to ensure that all residents are properly registered at their place of residence. Failure to provide this document or providing false information can result in fines or other legal consequences.
How to get Wohnungsgeberbestätigung?
Your landlord must provide you with the proof of residence while signing the contract or soon after you move in.
The landlord could be fined for up to 1000€ if not ready to provide the proof of residence.
The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung certificate is a form that can generally be downloaded from your local citizen’s office’s website. Either you or your landlord or your rental agency can fill it and can be signed by your landlord or the rental agency.
Once you get the signed form, you can take it along with other supporting documents for your appointment at the Bürgerbüro to register. Only then you receive the registration certificate.
If you are living in Munich, you may use this template shared by muenchen.de.
