What it is and why it exists
The Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation) is a written statement that your landlord — or the person subletting a room to you — must provide when you move in. It proves to the registration office that you actually live at the address you are registering. Without it, the Anmeldung cannot be completed.
The legal basis is §19 Bundesmeldegesetz (BMG). The law lists exactly what information the document must include. A landlord who refuses to issue it or issues it with missing fields is in breach of the law — and you have a right to request it in writing.
The 6 required fields
§19 BMG sets out six pieces of information that must appear in the document:
- Move-in date — the date on which you began living at the address
- Address of the dwelling — full street address, including apartment number if applicable
- Name of the housing provider (Wohnungsgeber) — the landlord, main tenant, or subletter
- Name of the person moving in — your full legal name as it appears in your passport
- Landlord's address — if different from the rental address
- Landlord's signature — handwritten; a typed name alone is not sufficient
There is no official government form. The landlord can write this on plain paper, generate it from a template, or use any format that contains all six fields signed by hand. Most landlords use a standard single-page template you can find on Bürgeramt websites or provide yourself.
How to get it from your landlord
Request it in writing at the same time you sign the lease or exchange keys. Many landlords provide it automatically. If yours does not, send a short message referencing §19 BMG and listing what you need.
If the landlord delays or is unresponsive: send a formal written request by email and set a clear deadline of 7 days. Keep the email. The law obliges landlords to provide the document — failure to do so can result in a fine for the landlord.
If you are subletting from another tenant (common in WG situations): the main tenant, not the property owner, signs as Wohnungsgeber. They are equally obliged under §19 BMG.
What to do if the landlord refuses
A refusal is rare but not unknown, especially in informal sublet arrangements:
- Write formally, cite §19 BMG — many landlords comply once they see the legal reference
- Contact your local Mieterverein (tenant association) — they can advise on enforcement, usually within a short consultation
- Report to the Bürgeramt — the registration office can note the refusal and in some cases facilitate contact with the Ordnungsamt
Without the document, your Anmeldung appointment will fail. This delays your tax ID, banking setup, and employment formalities. Do not skip this step.
Digital vs. paper
In most cities, the original signed document must be presented at the Anmeldung — either in person or uploaded via the online portal if your city supports digital Anmeldung.
Some cities accept a scanned copy or photo for online registration. The source document always needs a physical handwritten signature. A purely electronic version is not legally valid under current BMG rules.
Keep the signed original permanently in your housing documents folder. When you move to a new address in Germany, you will need a new one.
What a valid confirmation looks like
A minimal valid confirmation contains:
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung gemäß §19 BMG
Ich, [Landlord Name], [Landlord Address], bestätige hiermit, dass [Your Full Name] am [Move-in Date] in die Wohnung [Full Address incl. apartment number] eingezogen ist.
Ort, Datum: _______________ Unterschrift Wohnungsgeber: _______________
Any format containing the six required fields with a handwritten signature is sufficient. No official stamp is required.
Common issues at the Anmeldung desk
- Missing apartment number — if your building has multiple flats, the apartment number must appear
- Landlord name illegible — full name must be readable, not just a signature
- Date wrong or missing — the move-in date must match; you can register up to 14 days after moving in (BMG §17)
- Landlord address is the same as the rental address — allowed if landlord lives in the same building; label both addresses clearly