Renting an apartment in Germany: the expat guide
Flat-hunting in Germany is brutal – dozens to hundreds of people apply for every good listing, and almost everything happens in German. This guide walks you through the whole path: where to search, the application letter landlords actually read, SCHUFA, Anmeldung and the documents you need. And there's a free tool that writes your German application letter for you.
The one thing that trips up almost every expat
German landlords expect a short, personal message in German that refers to their specific apartment. A copy-pasted English text (or an obvious machine translation) gets skipped – and writing a natural German letter for every listing, fast, is exactly what you can't do yet if German isn't your first language.
Don't speak German? The tool writes the letter for you.
WohnungsBewerber is a free Chrome extension. Open any listing on the big German portals and it reads the details (rooms, m², rent, location, features) and writes a personal application letter in correct German – the exact thing a German landlord wants to receive. You review it, adjust anything, and click send yourself. Nothing is ever sent automatically.
The path into an apartment, step by step
Renting in Germany is a sequence. Here's the map – start anywhere:
The application & letter
What a German rental application contains, how to write the letter, and how to be first in the inbox.
Read the guide → Step 2 · TrustSCHUFA for foreigners
What SCHUFA is, what to do when you have no German credit history yet, and the alternatives that work.
Read the guide → Free · ToolsTemplates & calculators
Application letter generator, tenant self-disclosure, rent calculator and more. German output – exactly what you'll submit.
Open the tools →City guides are on the way.
Where Germans look for apartments
Ignore the English expat Facebook groups for a moment – most real listings are on five German portals. WohnungsBewerber works on all of them:
- ImmoScout24 – the biggest portal, most professional landlords and agencies.
- WG-Gesucht – the go-to for shared flats (WG rooms) and often private landlords; friendliest for newcomers.
- Kleinanzeigen (formerly eBay Kleinanzeigen) – lots of private listings, move fast, watch for scams.
- Immowelt & Immonet – strong regional coverage, agencies and housing companies.
German rental words you'll meet immediately
Kaltmiete vs. Warmmiete
Kaltmiete is the base rent for the flat. Warmmiete adds Nebenkosten (utilities/service charges like heating, water, building upkeep). Always compare Warmmiete – that's closer to what you actually pay.
Kaution (deposit)
The security deposit, capped by law at three months' Kaltmiete. You get it back after you move out if there's no damage or unpaid rent.
Anmeldung & Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
Anmeldung is registering your address at the local office – required within two weeks of moving in, and needed for a bank account, tax ID and more. Your landlord must give you a Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (landlord confirmation) for it.
SCHUFA
Germany's main credit bureau. Landlords often ask for a SCHUFA report to check you pay reliably. New arrivals usually have no record yet – here's what to do about that.
Mieterselbstauskunft
A tenant self-disclosure form – a standard questionnaire (job, income, household) landlords ask you to fill in. There's a free template.
Apply in seconds, in German – for free
WohnungsBewerber reads the listing, writes your personal German application letter and pre-fills the contact form on ImmoScout24, WG-Gesucht, Kleinanzeigen, Immowelt and Immonet. You check everything and send it yourself. No account, nothing leaves your browser.
Add to Chrome – free Free · No sign-up · Data stays local · You send it yourselfFrequently asked questions
Can I apply for apartments in Germany in English?
You can, but you'll get far fewer replies. Most landlords are German and expect a short, personal message in German. The safest approach is a proper German application letter – which is exactly what WohnungsBewerber writes for you, so you don't have to speak German to send a convincing application.
Do I need a SCHUFA if I just moved to Germany?
Many landlords ask for one, but if you've just arrived you likely have no SCHUFA record yet – that's empty, not negative. You can offer other security instead (income proof, a guarantor, a higher deposit). See our SCHUFA for foreigners guide.
Is WohnungsBewerber free, and is it safe?
Yes, it's completely free with no account. Everything stays local in your browser – no tracking, no data sharing. It never sends anything automatically: it only prepares the letter and form, and you click send yourself, which keeps your portal account safe.
Which portals does it work on?
ImmoScout24, WG-Gesucht, Kleinanzeigen, Immowelt and Immonet. Open a listing on any of them and the extension detects the page automatically.