Wohnungsübergabe: what to bring to your flat handover
Nine things for your bag, whether you are moving in or moving out, and what each one is for.
Pack your keys, Einzugsprotokoll, a pen and a charged phone. Record every room yourself before you sign anything.
What goes in your bag?
You already have most of these at home. Pack the evening before, and nothing is missing on the day.
- 1
All keys
Including copies and the keys for the cellar, letterbox and bike room. Get the number written into the Übergabeprotokoll.
- 2
Einzugsprotokoll
Your most important paper at move-out. A mark that was already noted at move-in is not yours.
- 3
Lease
For questions like repainting or fittings. What is not validly in the lease, you do not owe.
- 4
Pen
If you see an item differently, write that right next to it before you sign.
- 5
Torch
For the cellar, storage room and dark corners. Your phone light works if the battery is full.
- 6
Download the BildProof app
BildProof helps you scan your whole flat in a few minutes, room by room. That way you do not miss a corner, and you have a full record to protect your Kaution.
- 7
Bank details
In writing, for the Kaution refund. Then there is no back and forth later.
- 8
Vollmacht
Only if someone else goes for you. Without a written Vollmacht (power of attorney), the landlord does not have to accept them.
- 9
A second person
Ideally someone who is not named on the lease. Only they can act as a witness later.
Why this matters
After the return, the landlord has six months to bring claims (§ 548 BGB). If they want to keep part of the Kaution, they have to prove the damage happened during your tenancy. What you recorded yourself on handover day helps you during that time.
General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What should I bring to the Wohnungsübergabe?
Bring all keys, your Einzugsprotokoll (move-in record), the lease, a pen, a torch, your bank details for the Kaution and a charged phone to record every room. If someone else goes for you, they need a written Vollmacht (power of attorney).
Can I take photos at the Wohnungsübergabe?
Yes. You can photograph the flat at the handover, at move-in and at move-out. Photos of every room taken the same day show later what the Übergabeprotokoll (handover record) meant.
Should I bring someone to the Wohnungsübergabe?
Yes, if you can. Ideally someone who is not named on the lease, because only they can act as a witness later.
Also in this topic: Zwischenmiete: documenting the handoverWear or damage: what tenants pay for at move-outMoving out of a rented flat in Germany: the checklistBalcony, cellar, garden: what counts at handoverAll guides: Handover & viewings
Take BildProof with you.
The whole flat, room by room, in a few minutes. At move-out, BildProof compares against your move-in record. €9.99 for one handover, €14.99 for move-in and move-out together.
Take BildProof along