What is SCHUFA: all about your credit rating in Germany and how to keep it high.
Among all the hurdles I had to conquer when moving to Germany, I never thought one of the tallest ones would be a credit rating institution. Yes, the first time I heard of it, I also asked myself: what is SCHUFA? And why does it represent such a challenge for newcomers to Germany?
This post aims at answering all that, based on personal experience and additional research.
What is SCHUFA: a somewhat intrusive credit record
SCHUFA Holding AG is a company acting as a central place where information about you (as a consumer) is sourced from utility suppliers, banks, internet providers & more. The company will track all bills or fines over time. Using this raw data and parsing it through an algorithm of their own, they create and record a credit rating score for all German residents. That’s why people say “SCHUFA”, they mean the record held by the company.
The company is basically rating your ability to pay bills. This record (called SCHUFA Auskunft) will follow you everywhere as consumer in your everyday life, you‘d better keep it clean. Otherwise, consequences could be serious.
SCHUFA receives data from virtually every company in Germany, with around 10 000 cooperating partners in every industry (finance, insurance, Telco, shopping, etc). When you make a contract with one of those, that’s when your record is created. Usually for newcomers, it starts with the bank.
Data collected by SCHUFA
| General information | Financial data | Payment faults |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Existing checking/currents accounts | Bounced checks |
| Birth date | Credit cards | Dunning procedure |
| Birth location | Cell phone contracts | Enforcement notices |
| Current address | Leasing contracts | Private bankruptcies |
| Previous addresses | Data about current/past loans | |
| Credit/mortgage inquiries |
SCHUFA does not retain any information on: marital status, nationality, employer, income, assets or savings accounts. Furthermore, the storage of sensitive data like religion or origin is strictly forbidden, as stated in article 9 of the GDPR.
Impact of SCHUFA on everyday life
Your SCHUFA record will play a role at almost every major step of way in your new life in Germany. Your record will be checked by companies like Deutsche Telekom when opening a phone line or by your bank when you apply for a loan. They will then be able to tell if you have debts or not and if you can be trusted as a customer.
Most crucially for newcomers; landlords will require to see your SCHUFA score to be able to sign the lease. This can be challenging because newcomers often don’t have a SCHUFA score to start with! This often why we tend to move into flat share, sublets or short-term accomodation first.
It can also be a lot more trivial: I was not able to buy my phone as part of my mobile phone contract because my SCHUFA score was non-existent at the time.
That sounds awful, but is it really all that bad?
What is SCHUFA: an efficient way to limit your debts
The cleanest SCHUFA score (called “Basisscore” you get at the beginning is rated at 100%, in theory however. If you don’t pay your bills, this score will decrease accordingly to how much you have been naughty. If it does, it can limit your ability to undertake other contracts which can be frustrating. However, this system is preventing that you become overwhelmed by debts overtime. However, even if you pay all your debts, your score will go down a few percents for some reason. It is completely fine to have score down to 95% for example.
To give you perspective, here are the different “Basisscore” tiers and what they mean. It measure the probability with which you will honor your bills, credits, contracts, etc.
| Score value | Risk assessment – Level of risk |
|---|---|
| > 97,5 % | Very low |
| 95 % – 97,5 % | Low to negligible |
| 90 % – 95 % | Satisfactory to elevated |
| 80 % – 90 % | Fairly elevated |
| 50 % – 80 % | Very elevated |
| < 50 % | Critical |
That’s not all bad you see. Schufa actually stands for : “Schutzorganisation für Allgemeine Kreditsicherung” which roughly translates to “Organisation for general credit safety protection”
How to get a free SCHUFA record
Any German resident has a legal right to review the data contained in their SCHUFA score, as per defined by law (§ 34 Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (BDSG) or in GDPR regulations)#. This is why you can request at least one free copy once a year. SCHUFA calls it “Datenübersicht” (Data overview) or “Datenkopie“. This free record contains all the necessary information for landlords.
This is how you get a free SCHUFA record:
- Browse to SCHUFA’s website and find this page.
- Look for the right column titled “”Datenkopie (nach Art. 15 DS-GVO)“” and click “Jetzt beantragen”.
- The next screen contains several fields to input your personal information. Fill them in. You can also upload a copy of your ID card, passport & Meldebescheinigung (residence registration certificate).
- Once you have submitted a request, you will receive a paper copy by mail after several days.
How to get a SCHUFA record faster
You might need your SCHUFA record faster than what the free method allows. In this case you can turn to another option.
You can order a BonitätsAuskunft record for a 29,95€ fee, directly from SCHUFA’s website on this page.
- Click on “Jetzt bestellen” and follow the screens, requesting your personal information.
- Fill in the payment method/information.
- Download your SCHUFA report right away.
Alternatively, you can also queue at one of the Postbank branches to obtain a printed copy for the same price.
How to improve your score
The table below shows you how long a particular entry stays in your record. Below are some recommendations on how to improve your SCHUFA score.
| Information entry | How long it stays in your record |
|---|---|
| Entries about credits / loans | 3 years after paying it back |
| Credit / loan requests | 12 months after request |
| Entries about your current bank accounts and credit cards | When closing the account |
| Requests from third-party companies | 12 months after request at the latest. |
| Entries about paying your bills late | 3 years or 4 years in case of unresolved disputes or longer sometimes. |
| Entries coming from the Amtsgericht concerning your possible debts | 3 years or sooner if debt has been declared resolved by the Amtsgericht. |
| Customer accounts with third-party companies | 3 years |
- Use the SCHUFA score simulator. It contains tips on how to improve your score. It also explains how their calculation works.
- Limit the amount of bank accounts you have in Germany.
- Don’t go too much or too often in overdraft with the accouts you already have.
- Pay your bills on time. Your creditor does not communicate to SCHUFA late bills right away, but they will eventually impact your score in you don’t resolve them.
- Keep an eye on loans, mortages & credits: late payments can negatively impact your score, paying them on time can impact it positively.
Important notes
- The SCHUFA will hold information about you long after you leave Germany and at a European level too. If you plan to leave unpaid bills behind and then come back to Germany, you might have to think twice before doing it. It could become harsh back fire in the near future.
- This system makes that your personal wealth, your personal property or yearly income doesn’t have any influence on your record ! You could be the richest man in the world but still have the worst record if you didn’t pay your bills. Just bear that in mind.
I hope this introduction to a very German institution cleared things up for you. Feel free to ask questions in the comments.
FAQ
Your SCHUFA record is the German credit score. It contains all the data you generate as a consumer, together with an overall rating.
As a credit rating institution, SCHUFA receives data from its approximately 10,000 cooperation partners, including banks, insurance companies, energy suppliers, leasing and mobile phone companies.
As soon as you have concluded a contract with one of the cooperation partners the consent to the data transmission to SCHUFA is usually given.
You can order a record from the company directly on the following website. It costs 29,95€. (click on Bonitätauskunft on the homepage) : https://www.meineschufa.de/. Some Postbank centers do offer to print one for you on the spot as well for the same fee. No need to be a Postbank customer. This report is the preferred by landlords, because it contains all the details.
However, you are entitled to a few free requests per year that you can also get from the same website here. On this page, click “Jetzt beantragen” on the right “Datenkopie (nach Art. 15 DS-GVO)“ column. Enter your data on the page that follows. You will be able to upload a copy of your passport (“Dokumentupload” > “Kopie des Reisepasses”) and a copy your Meldebescheinigung with it.
This is typical chicken-&-egg situation for many foreigners moving to Germany: landlords ask for a SCHUFA record for you to rent their flat, but you don’t have one since you are not registered (Anmeldung) and can’t open a bank account… because you don’t have a place yet. If you are in this situation, you might want to go for a flat share (WG) and register there until you find your own place. You can also turn to services like Wunderflats, which lets you rent furnished flats without a SCHUFA record.
To keep a good SCHUFA score (above 95%), those are the few recommended things:
Don’t open too many bank accounts in different banks and limit the amount of credit cards you own.
Don’t switch bank account too often.
If possible, try to keep healthy reserve in the accounts you own.
Pay your bills on time.
Check your SCHUFA-score once a year and correct any mistakes you might see.
Not at all. Your current employment situation is not relevant for your SCHUFA score. Making use of unemployment benefits is also not relevant.
However, if through that loss of income, you run into trouble paying your expenses on time, this will be reflected negatively and lower your score.
As it turns out, there are several. SCHUFA remains the most important and influential one but other ones can hold data about you. That is a bit scary i know, and quite unexpected from a country so strict about data privacy. You can find out about them and request a record from each via this website for free.
It’s not possible to use foreign sources to influence your current rating unfortunately.
As a newcomer, it will be automatically created when you have completed your Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt, opened a bank account, and paid a few bills with an internet access provider for example.
Their FAQs on the matter is not giving any magic formula unfortunately. The only thing you can do is try to resolve the cause of that negative entry as soon as possible and keep the rest of your financial related affairs in order. This mainly means paying all your bills and credits in time, and never use your overdraft possibilities if possible.
Negative records are impacting your score up to 3 years after you resolved your unpaid bills case and it can be kept as a “FYI side note” for up to 6 years overall. See a detailed table hereafter.
If you go for the paid version in the form of a subscription, you have access to your data at any time. If you want to order the free version, you can request it a few times per year. There is no clear number on this, only that it should be “appropriate”, as per EU law. I guess 2-3 times a year is all you will need anyway.
First of all, thank you so much for all the helpful information on this website. I have some questions about the SCHUFA. I’m going to move and work in Berlin soon, since I’ve got a job there. Now I have found an apartment from an agency for the first a few months so that I can do the Ameldung and open a bank account as soon as I arrive in Berlin. For sure I will receive my salary and transfer money to pay the rent monthly using the bank account, but the apartment I’ve found is an all-inclusive, that means I won’t take electricity or internent contract by myself. And for the mobile, at the moment I think it’s better for me to stay with a prepaid SIM. So in this case, what do you suggest me to do in order to have some record on my SCHUFA?
Hi Jie. Opening a bank account with enough money on it is already a good first step. If you keep it like this for a few months, it should be enough to build a good record but of course a little more bills is preferable.
Hiya,
Thanks for your great site.
Can you advise whether its ok to apply for a bank account online before registering for the Anmeldung? or will this mess up a Schufa?
Thanks!
Hello Alice. You need a proof of residence to open a bank account so you will need to do the Anmeldung first.
I opened an account with N26 prior to arriving in Berlin. All you need is an address where you can receive mail for your debit card. You will need to do an online appointment with them where you show your passport,.
Good to know. Thanks.
Is it possible to get Schufa with N26 account?
Yes.
does shufa works with almeldung adress or last contract address?
i mean, do I give the address or automatically shufa picks from some common base data?
Hi Maria. I don’t understand the question. Can you elaborate?
Dear Bastien,
Let me first thank you for your great effort in helping people like us and I hope that you will be blessed with this.
My story is simple, I lived in Germany from 2006 until 2009 and I left owing money to telkom, banks etc you name it not huge amounts like 20k.
now I had a reason for that as I was married and my ex wife divorced me therefore my visa was expired and I could not come back to Germany.
Now I am applying for a family reunion for a Minor German which is my daughter that lives in FFM.
My questions are?
1. Is there a possibility that I will be prosecuted in Germany upon my return because of my old debts?
2. Is there a timeframe that credit offences will disappear like for example I am out of Germany since 2009 so after 8 years can the records still be there?
Many thanks for your help.
Mues
Hi Mues. 20K€ is a huge amount and it makes it still worth it for your bank to process your case and come after you. So even after all this time, you might still be in trouble (Just an opinion; please ask an expert on the matter for professional advice). Regarding the time frame for your SCHUFA record, please have a look at the table in the post for your answers.
So I’m registered in Germany, opening a bank account tomorrow. I haven’t got an employment contract yet and nothing on my name. The flat that I stay in right now is already paid for the 3 months that I agreed to stay. Except of getting a phone contract what else can I do to get a positive score for the SCHUFA so it will be accepted by the next landlord? Is for example, transferring money into the German account from my other EU account going to count as a good record?
Hi Roberta, a healthy bank account and regular bills are a good way to make a good SCHUFA score.
Hi, I left Germany about 21 years ago and moved to Asia. I unregistered myself in Germany. At the time I moved, I lived together with my girlfriend, and we had some outstanding bills, under my name, and I am sure my girlfriend of that time did not continue paying it.
Now I intent to move back to Germany. Would old debts from that time be still in the Schufa until now?
Hi Guenter. If you refer to the table, it seems that records don’t hold that long. It should not appear.
Hi there, great summary of information. I studied in Germany in 2010/2011 and had a bank account with Sparkasse. I have been asked by a US employer for a credit report for my time spent in Germany – is this possible? As far as I can tell from reading, no report exists unless you are a registered citizen – is this correct?
Many thanks,
Joe
Hi Joe, yes this is correct. You’d need to have been registered at the Bürgeramt.
So even if I was previously registered (back in 2010/2011) when I studied there, I could not get a Schufa report now for time spent when I was there?
If you were registered, i guess it’s possible.
Hey, awesome article! I opened a bank account in November and applied for the free schufa in April. I got 01 “ohne score”. I’m not in debt but also my account is not linked to any company that takes money regularly. I’m concerned I won’t be able to get an apartment with that result. Do you think if I apply for a schufa now with the 29 Euro option, there’s a chance I will get a different result?
Hi Rose. This is why i wrote that it makes sense to have some bills being paid by this bank account to populate the record. I don’t think it would make a difference no.
Hi, brilliant website thanks a lot. I am about to move to Berlin for work, so after having the Anmeldung, having opened a bank account and got a phone contract, can I go to a postbank and I will get a Schufa right away to present to landlords? Or do I have to wait to pay some bills before having a Schufa record?
Hi Francesca. Yes it’s better to wait a little bit and have some bills already before asking for a SCHUFA record so it shows good data.
Hi there,
Thanks so much for the all the information. It’s incredibly helpful. I just received got a SCHUFA from the nearest Postbank and it turns out my score is 89.4% (although I have never even owned a credit card here – I am with N26 and every single payment and bill is automatically debited from my account, and N26 confirmed that I never had insufficient funds to cover a payment). Am I better off looking for an apartment without it or should I still upload it on ImmoScout?
Thanks again!
Hi Marie. Almost all landlords will ask for it anyway so you don’t have much of choice… but yeah, weird that it’s quite low. It’s normal to never have a perfect score but who knows how all of this works.
Hello, great site.
I opened an N26 bank account before I had an address. Afterwards I found a WG and have done Anmeldung. So I have no phone contracts, bills etc linking my N26 account to Anmeldung address.
If I request a SHUFA now, is there enough information for it to come back OK?
Is it useful to start a phone contract using N26 to get SHUFA “activated”? Or should I open a bank account at DKB using my Anmeldung address?
Thanks a lot.
Hi Tahvo, you can update your postal address in your N26 account and try to have bills going to that account if you can to “populate” to SCHUFA record positively. Opening another bank account might actually impact your score negatively, especially if both accounts are low on reserves.
Hey! I just wanted to ask if the free version can be considered completely enough regarding landlords. As I wasn’t sure if the paid version is gonna include more detailed informations and therefore the only “valid” prove for landlords.
Hi Liz. Yes the free version has the the details for your landlord.
Hi Bastien, do you know what is the best credit card to apply when one is starting to build their SCHUFA history? Thanks for providing this website!
Hi Marcelo. Sorry, no insights on this. You are building history by not having debts; there are no credit cards that is forcing you to do this.
Hi Bastien
Brilliant site. My question is about timeframes from start to finish as I need a SCHUFA ASAP. So Tomorrow I have an appointment for my Anmeldung. Then I was hoping to almost immediately apply for a bank account (i.e. online with DKB or n26) and then follow that-up with an immediate telephone contract (I believe I need this so I get a score rather than a blank on my SCHUFA)? Realistically … following this process how long from the Anmeldung do you think it would take for me to obtain a Schufa with a score (suitable for a landlord)?
Thanks
Hi Matt, this takes a few weeks from what i read on forums and groups.
Hi. I went on an internship for 6 months last year and missed about 4 months of my Vodafone Internet payment. I didn’t hear anything from Vodafone until January telling me a debt collection agency will claim the debt. Immediately, I received the letter from the agency, I paid my debts. My issue now is since i missed these 4 months payment, will it habe a huge impact on my SCHUFA score?
Hey Alice. This is to hard to say for me as it works on case-by-case basis. Refer to the table in the article and order a SCHUFA record to see your score’s evolution.
Hi Bastien,
I’m currently in a sublet, have registered and opened a bank account. As I’m subletting, I don’t have any bills in my name, but I am paying the TV licence as required after registering. Do you know if this is enough to ‘kick off’ SCHUFA as the bill element?
Thanks!
Hey Matthew, hard to say for sure but i tend to agree with you. I think it will be enough.
Hi,
have a question right here. My friend has a student loan in Germany , he is a German actually. But now had an accident, and he can’t work. He also have to stay in t he hospital for a while . what will happen to his loan? Will they make any adjustment to it? Will they give him consideration? Hope someone here can answer my questions.. thanks a lot in advance
Hi Kate. Your friend must look into the documents and contracts he signed. There are usually conditions attached to events like this. But it can go both ways; some contracts offer flexibility and some don’t. There are also insurances you can use for those cases (quite common for mortgages for example).
Thank you for the information you have provided !! I’m waiting for my Visa right now, these articles right here are very helpful, for migrants like me.
Hi Bastien,
I lived in Germany 10 years ago and had some late payments with Deutsche Bank that I think might have incurred in a bad Schiff report. I currently live in NYC and will be moving to Germany again in the coming months. Is there a way to check the report from abroad and/or pay any potential debts if needed? Or it is only possible with a Meldesbescheiningung? Thanks in advance.
Hello Hector. Paying back debts would only happen if you got in touch with Deutsche Bank directly. As for the report; i’m afraid you won’t be able to check yet/anymore, because you are not registered and don’t have a bank account in Germany. However, if we are only talking about late payments, there is a good chance that your SCHUFA score would be clean today.
Hey Bastien, I own a Gbr. I need to certify that the company has no debts. Is there such thing as a Gewerbe Schufa? Or, since a Gbr is a ‘person company’, I should just do my personal Schufa? Thanks in advance for any help you can give 😉
Hi Angelo. That’s an interesting question. Looking at this article here, something tells me that you might be right.
Hi Bastian,
I have a situation where I have a credit card given by company for my business trips , and this sure has a impact of Schufa score. Now the policies of company have changed which makes use of company card for personal use impossible.
Now when I apply for a personal credit card , then again my score will go down. How do I manage this situation?
Secondly is score linked to a person? Because I have a mobile contract for my wife linked to my account.
Thanks in advance
Hi Avinash. If the credit card was under your company’s account, it shouldn’t impact your score. A personal credit card request might decrease your score slightly in the beginning, but nothing major. The score is always linked to the contract’s owner; if you don’t pay your bills for your wife’s contract, her score will go down.
Hello,
I paid 29,95 euro in immobilien scout.de and ordered for schufa and got the certificate by post, but when i show this to one of the landlord,he expects something called “basis score” but from where will i get this basis score? Can i get it online ? I just have verification code in the certificate i received.When i try to use that verification code in http://is24.de/bonitaetscheck , i get back the schufa certificate i received. Kindly help.
Hi Nanditha, you can order it directly from the SCHUFA website as mentioned in the post. All steps to take are there too.
hi I left Germany in 2000, and left behind some credit card debt as stupid youngsters do , but it was in DM, i have a possibility of returning for a temporary period for contract work, would the schufa still have records of those debts? if so how would i try and resolve them? considering they were in DM and not euro
Hi Dave. As mentioned in the table in the post, it seems that 16 years would be enough to clear your name as far as SCHUFA is concerned, but that doesn’t mean the companies holding your debts have forgotten about you, even if the chance of that might be quite slim. I guess is also depends on the amount of debt. The real answer is with them i guess.
Hi,
Thanks for putting the info on SCHUFA.
I need a privatkredit upto 100000€. Since the amount is high, I will have to approach two banks as most banks limit to 50000€. I would like to take it over a 10 year period. My credit history has been good with a SCHUFA score of 97%. A 15000€ loan in took before was paid in time. My question is: Presuming that the first bank grants a part of the amount( 50%) on seeing a good SCHUFA score, what will be my chances of getting rest amount (next 50%) by another bank. Will my schufa score go down immediately after the loan is sanctioned by the first bank? Thank you in advance.
Hi Stefan. It’s hard to say because this information belongs to the inner workings of the SCHUFA company. I guess it would be a matter of days or weeks. I wrote a dedicated post on loans in Germany and how to get good rates there if you are interested. Beware when doing a credit request, this can impact negatively on your SCHUFA score, even if you don’t take the credit in the end. Ask credit conditions instead, this has no impact.
Hi,
I studies in Germany in 2007, at the time of my study I used my credit card for paying my tuition fee and for my living, I left the country in 2007 with out paying credit card, internet and mobile bills, now I want to go back to Germany, how my previous defaulter will affect me,
Hi Bazi. This question is always hard to answer. It probably depends on the amount of debts you left behind, and how aggressive/persistent the companies are at pursuing people owing them money. Only you can find out.
I lived in Germany 10 years ago & had a bank account with Commerzbank. When I left the country I had money in my account and used my card in the USA until I could withdraw no more money. I never received anything from the bank that I owed money but am now going back to visit. Can this keep me from entering the country if I overdrew my account?
Hello Khris. If you are entering on tourist visa, i’d say that the chances are very slim that you will be stopped at the border. That’s only an opinion though.
My issue is a bit complex. I don’t have any credit issues, but my cursen who once leaved in UK had a problem with settlement with a phone company.
Recently he was using my account to be receiving a minute job salary. Making the two of us using one account. I check my account and I was told I have a SHUFA.
But I don’t owe anything.´Now I have stop my cursen from running is Salary from my account.
My cursen has open his own account now.My question is
Will the SHUFA on my account automatically go off? How long will it take to go off? If it will not what should I do?
Hi Jerry. I suggest you read the post again. All your answers are there. I am under the impression you are still confused about a SCHUFA record is.
Hello!
I am thinking about moving back to Germany. I previously lived in Freiburg-im-Breisgau 5 years ago and was registered as a British citizen and had a bank account at Sparkasse. I had left Germany without paying my internet bill for three months as well as a newspaper subscription that I received bills for but did not sign-up for. I am nervous now about returning because of the outstanding debt. I was not able to order the SCHUFA score as I am in the U.S.A. Also, I have dual nationality and was registered as a british citizen. If I come back registered as an American citizen is it possible that I will start a different SCHUFA score? I appreciate your help.
Hi Hannah. You can check in the post the table. It indicates how long your debts will affect your SCHUFA score. Your question is tricky. I think only the German administration knows the answer. It is mabye possible to avoid that problem by registering with a different ID (use your US passport?). But i don’t know if it will be enough. Good luck.
Hi
Thanks for a detailed description.
I moved from one city to another after getting job. In previous city I studied in university. Before moving in didn’t cancelled my Internet contract. After 1 year I am notified about situation from a rechtanwalt of that Internet company. This rechtanwalt reported my case in court. Fromantic Amos ge right they sent me a heavy fine. Now just have paid it. How long will it take to improve my Schufa score. The total amount including fine is 550 Euros.
Thanks in advance .
Hello Sunny, as mentioned in the table in the article, it can take up to 3 or 4 years but i suppose every case is different. The best way to check is to order a copy of your record once a year to see progress there.
Hi,
will the free Schufa be enough for a landlord to rent an apartment or I have to get the one that costs 29.95 euro? ..if so, do i just need to fill the form with my personal data but leave the “alternative” part and the “bank account data” ? Also do I need to tick “Current Scores” on the same paper?
thank you for your answer!
Hi Giada. Yes, the free copy is enough for your prospective landlord. As mentioned in the post, no need to fill in the “alternative” part.
Hi,
Thank you for the detailed article. It really helps.
I am looking to buy my schufa from meinschufa.de. I have two questions. It would be great if you could answer them
1. If I buy the schufa online from meinschufa.de, will I be able to download the schufa immediately or will it come by post?
2. It says we can demand a reimbursement within 8 weeks. So, can we get back the amount (~30 euros) back.
“Hinweis: Ich kann innerhalb von acht Wochen, beginnend mit dem Belastungsdatum, die Erstattung des belasteten Betrages verlangen. Es gelten dabei die mit meinem Kreditinstitut vereinbarten Bedingungen.”
Thanks and Regards,
Rohith
Hi @rohith, did you find answers to your questions? I also need it quite urgently..
Will debts from other countries come up on my Schufa or is it specific to Germany?
Thanks
Hi Mark. On this page on their website, under “Produktinhalte”, they list the countries in which they have partners. It’s hard to know if those partners are as efficient and widespread as SCHUFA in Germany.
Hi, I had to leave Germany very quickly because of a death in the family, I was a student, but had an outstanding cellphone bill of about 300Euro. 1 How do I pay the money back?
Hi Khwezi. Get in touch with your cellphone provider to resolve the matter. Give them your client reference number if you still have it.
Hi there, my question is one what condition my name goes in the SCHUFA list?
Is it true that I must get three letters from a bailiff, and if I don’t answer none of them then my name goes in the list?
I had problem with ZDF/ARD beitragsservice. No body was willing to talk to me in English although I called several times and I was treated very disrespectfully. It was after I got a letter from a bailiff that someone finally talked to me in English. More interestingly, the bailiff was refusing to talk in English and finally she sent me a letter. But I cannot figure out if it’s about SCHUFA or not. 🙁 Does she has the right to put my name in the list after only one letter? I already told her I’m in contact with Beitragsservice people to pay them….
Hi Sue. It’s likely not going to impact your SCHUFA score if you resolve this situation quickly from now on. However, the only way to know for sure is to order a copy of your record afterwards.
Hi there,
i wonder if anybody can help.
what exactly does SCHUFA records? say for instance you purchased something from a shop, swipe your card for 50Euros, but that that transaction only get debited from your account 10 days later when there isnt enough money on your account. but then they try debit the next month when there is money and it goes through. is this considered a missed payment? and can this go onto your credit record?
Hello there Mun. Those smaller operations have probably little impact on your record. Your answer on what is recorded here here.
Hi
How long is a Schufa report valid for? I received mine 4 months ago but since then I am still looking for my own place. I send it when applying for every flat but I am now wondering if it being 4 months old, it’s making my application look bad. Hoping it’s acceptable as purchasing a report once a month will cost a lot of cash in the long run as it takes so long to find somewhere in Berlin.
Hi Limo. That’s a good question and i think it’s up to each landlord to decide here. I think however it’s safe to say that anything less than 9 months old is pretty good.
If I fill the form for Schufa to request record, where should I put that I requested for free copy?
Where to navigate and what to do is indicated at the end of this article.
I have negative Schufa I think for my credit card but I am now trying to set a new agreement with the credit card bank on the payment options ( to agree that I will still pay monthly until all settled. My credit card is now cancelled). If the bank agreed, do you think they can remove my Schufa entry?
Yes, please look in the article in the table when it will probably be removed.
Hi,
I’m registered and I have just opened a bank account, will they send me a copy of my Schufa?
Hi Alana. No they won’t. You always need to request it manually.
Hey there,
I’ve been in Berlin for 6 years and this is the second time that I’m moving and I will need a new schufa. I have to admit that I’m sloppy to pay my bills like GEZ and had some incidents with late payments of my Krankenkasse while I was a freelancer (I’m employed now). Do you think these incidents could bring schufa score below the acceptable?
Thanks!
Hi Gabriel. Hard to say. The only way to know is to get yourself a copy of your record.
Hello,
[original comment edited by moderator for clarity. Beth and husband were in Germany 10 years ago. They thought they terminated their Telekom mobile contract when moving back home, which Telekom denies]
10 years later, we are set to return to Germany in the early summer of next year. Is 10 years long enough that these debts may not exist on our schufa any longer? Or do we need to be prepared to deal with this before establishing a new home?
I have reviewed the links that you provided for obtaining a copy of our schufa reports, unfortunately we never obtained a Meldebescheinigung while living in Germany. All contract type services either just used our U.S. passport or even our U.S. military ID. What can we do to obtain a schufa report?
Hello Beth. If you never registered in Germany, does that mean you also did not have a bank account here? If not, then together with the time that passed, i don’t think it will be a problem for you since you probably never had SCHUFA record during your time here.
Thank you for answering so quickly. No, neither of us had a German bank account. I really appreciate your input. If we discover anything otherwise, I will update you in case it is helpful for your readers. Thank you again.
Hi i have a schufa record recently cause i did not pay my credit card bill on time .i really dont have any idea about it .i am a student and i need time to pay the money.what is the solution ? can you help me with some information?
Hi Nabila. Try to contact the company that owns the debt to negotiate more time. Otherwise, ask friends or family to lend you money to reimburse it. If nothing else works, there are short-terms loans but i would pick this option as last resort, as i mention it in this post about loans in Germany.
Hiya
I’ve just moved to berlin with my partner in august and we haven’t got a clue on what we need to do to get our own place. Were from London with british passports, and we’re currently renting a sub let apartment, which means the owners will return soon and we’ll need to find our own place.
We recently set up a joint account with a bank, does that mean we already have a Schufa? if so do we need to do anything else to help our chances with getting our own place, and do we still need to register with Anmeldung? sorry completely new to this!
Thank you
Hi Kerry. Yes you need to go through with your Anmeldung as soon as possible, in the current apartment if possible when the owners agree. You can request a SCHUFA record but it will probably show a blank one. Have you had a look at this page for your search?
Hi!
Do we need a SCHUFA? or will a credit score from another country suffice? I’m desperately apartment hunting, I’m going to try and get a bank account on Monday and hopefully a phone plan after that but will it be enough? I have tonnes of credit back in Australia, is there a way to get that recognised?
Thanks so much for your help, this site is incredibly helpful!
Hi there Tegan. It’s good thinking but put yourself in the shoes of your future landlord: being used to SCHUFA records and having a lot of people applying who have this, why bother understanding a record from another system in another language than your own? It never hurts to try however. 🙂 Good luck!
Thanks for the reply!
With the Anmeldung, do we still need it if were not applying for a German visa? We’re planning to stay for 1-2 years tops
Thanks
Hi,
Thank you for the useful post. I ordered Schufa online about 2 weeks ago but I have not received any document from them apart from the bill. Will the Schufa be sent directly to my postal address or do they also send it by email?
You will get it by post. I am surprised that it takes such a long time though. Maybe you should call them or send them an email to know what’s going on?
I am married in Germany but I never got registered because I work in USA and was worried about the taxes here. The current apartment is rented by my husband who is a German citizen. I want to move bymyself in a smaller apartment but have diffculty because of all the paperwork and not working here is a big minus. I have a bank account for 9 years here, with regular income from my work place in the States, but have not paid any living expenses from it because this was taken care of by my husband. Any ideas if not being registered but having a bank account will allow me to obtain a Schufa ?
Hi there Kris. Quite an unusual situation that lasted for an unusual amount of time! I’d say that you would receive a blank SCHUFA record (no score) since you haven’t paid any bills at all and you are not registered here.
Please I did a contract phone using schufa,in an online shop called smartphone-dealz.com,I really don’t understand the contract.what do I do?
This website seems to let you buy smartphones on credit without a positive (or non-existent) SCHUFA score. I guess they must make you pay a premium price for this service. What’s there not to understand?
Hello! I have ordered my SCHUFA through ImmobilienScout24, I paid EUR 29.95, I only received by e-mail the “SCHUFA-BonitätsChecks” but now they are asking me a Schufa including scooring!!!! what is that? Do I have to pay more or what? I’m completely lost with this, and I am going to live in the street VERY SOON. Thanks for any information.
Did the documents not include a part mentioning your “Schufa Basisscore”? It is usually the last thing on the document.
https://www.immobilienscout24.de/expose/90465800?referrer=RESULT_LIST_LISTING&navigationServiceUrl=%2FSuche%2Fcontroller%2FexposeNavigation%2Fnavigate.go%3FsearchUrl%3D%2FSuche%2FS-2%2FWohnung-Miete%2FBerlin%2FBerlin%2FCharlottenburg-Charlottenburg%2F2%2C00-%2F-%2FEURO–700%2C00%26exposeId%3D90465800&navigationHasPrev=true&navigationHasNext=true&navigationBarType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=6943a34a-2886-38f0-b444-2d75cd99475c
Hello. I am moving to Berlin to study, but I’m also moving out for the first time. In other words I’ve never paid any bills myself, nor have I had any bank accounts or rented anything ever. I’m guessing my SCHUFA will be pretty blank, but I guess I need it to rent a room (so that I can register at the bürgeramt). Would the score of a blank SCHUFA be closer to 100 or 0?
p.s. thanks for an awesome site.
I don’t remember the exact words but it will say something like “there isn’t any data for this person” and you won’t have a score just yet.
I’m really sorry I’ve pasted the wrong information in the Reply!!!! . It only says: ” Mit dem Verifizierungscode XXXXXXXXXX können Sie die Echtheit dieses Zertifikats innerhalb von 60 Tagen ab Ausstellungsdatum online unter http://is24.de/bonitaetscheck überprüfen.
Für die Prüfung der Bonität ist die Aktualität der Informationen wichtig.
Achten Sie daher auf das Ausstellungsdatum des SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck. “
It only says: ” Mit dem Verifizierungscode XXXXXXXXXX können Sie die Echtheit dieses Zertifikats
innerhalb von 60 Tagen ab Ausstellungsdatum online unter http://is24.de/bonitaetscheck überprüfen.
Für die Prüfung der Bonität ist die Aktualität der Informationen wichtig.
Achten Sie daher auf das Ausstellungsdatum des SCHUFA-BonitätsCheck. “
Hello!
I just arrived in Berlin a week ago and am having trouble, like many others working out the bureaucratic system here. I am renting a sublet in Wedding for two months and have been told by the person I am renting from that she doesn’t want me to do the Anmeldung in her flat/why would I want to when I’m only staying for two months. I assume this is because she would not want her landlady finding out that I am subletting from her even though she officialy did tell her landlady that I would be staying. I don’t quite understand.
On your Anmeldung info page you say that a letter from a friend or the person you are staying with should be enough to register. I assume this is still not the case now? So many people have said that I need a landlord/landlady to sign papers and that that was a new law brought in this year?
I guess this will now mean that I have to find a new flat before I can do my Anmeldung? I’m just aware that I don’t want to be waiting for two months to do my Anmeldung and find a job. Do you know any way around this at all? Also I am half German and have German citizenship. German being my second language but not fluently. Is there any benefit of this for the Anmeldung at all? My head is spinning a bit!
One last question, can I get a shufa record without my Anmeldung? I would maybe need shufa for a new place so I would hope I wouldn’t need an Anmeldung as I wouldn’t have anywhere to live!
Any help is much appreciated and sorry if these are super basic questions but I did not expect such complicated loop holes!
Thank you.
Looooong comment. Don’t hesitate to send me an email for such a long request. ;). In this anmeldung article, i do mention that you need a confirmation from the landlord as well as word from your main tenant (or contract). Best case scenario would have been to make really clear to her that you need to register but i guess that’s too late now. You are in a typical evil circle of bureaucracy that i also mention in this article; you need a SCHUFA record to obtain a flat, but as long as you can’t register somewhere and open a bank account, there is no way for you to obtain one. German citizenship doesn’t help much is my opinion unless you can register at a relative’s place. Try WGs or sublets that will allow you to register or if you have a bit more money, try Wunderflats. You can access flats with no SCHUFA records. Good luck.
Hi , I order my schufa by net and pay, when and how I get the answer? By post or mail.. Thank you..
If you ordered via the MeinSCHUFA website, you receive it by post. If you ordered through ImmoScout, it’s via email.
Thanks
Hi, I have been order for a credit card but they denied me. They are saying I have a schufa issue. As far I know I have never been left any bills unpaid. I just registered for the house in Berlin for one month. But house owner used to pay the bills. It is so confusing and disappointing to me.
Now how can I check and clear my schufa issue easily. Expecting a fruitful suggestion.
It also happened to me even though my SCHUFA record had a good score. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of time, maybe one month of history is not enough for your bank. If you think there has been a mistake on your record, you need to order a copy of and check for false entries.
hi plz tell me my score in 91.02%. how can i get back 100% ?
To my knowledge, an 100% score is impossible to achieve. A score between 90% and 95% is “satisfying up to increased risks” in the eyes of the SCHUFA.
Hi guys, I’d really appreciate some advise. I had a flat rented with another person in Berlin and we were both in the contract. It happened that I had to leave the country and this person agreed on assuming the two remaining months of the notice. So I did my de-registration from Berlin on December and formalized via email the responsibility for the flat being his for the 2 remaining months, which he agreed. On Frebruary, after the flat was given back I emailed him asking if it was all ok and he said so. Now, 6 months later, I went to the real estate company and discovered this person never paid the December and January rent, plus bills. The debt is over 2000 euros and he blocked me from any contact medium. I am concerned about my Schufa, should I assume this debt by myself? Is there any legal action that can be taken considering I have the email he agreed on this and the fact that I was not even registered in Berlin anymore?
Just opinion, see a specialist for lawful advices: I think that being unregistered in Germany doesn’t hold any legal grounds and it doesn’t protect you from legal actions. The fact that you have a written proof that he agreed to paying the 2 months alone might help to convince the real estate company that you behaved in good faith. However, i think you are probably still tied to them by the tenancy contract and might not care about that. See what the contract says. It probably says that in case of unpaid bills, one of you has to cover for the other. Please see someone more qualified about this.
Hi, I’ve just started working full time in Berlin, just opened a Number 26 account but I don’t currently have a permanent address, just staying with friends whilst apartment hunting. What address should I put on my Schufa application? My friends place? the address of my work? Something else? Thanks!
If you have done your Anmeldung with either of those address, yes. Otherwise, wait until you have a more permanent one.
Hello
I have a small question.. I was working in Dubai before I move to Germany and I lost my work there before I finish some credit payments, when I went to the bank in germany to open an account they said to me that my name is listed in SCHUFA because of somega reasons they don’t really know … is it possible to put my name in SCHUFA because of some missing payments outside Germany
SCHUFA AG is working with other institutions outside of Germany and can receive information from them in some EU countries. (see here for example). However, i find hard to believe information is exchanged with Dubai. Were you not able to open a bank account because of that?
Yes I couldn’t open an account because of that
Dear,
I wanted to check regarding the SCHUFA and residence permit correlation. Namely, i have a permanent working contract and my residence permit is expiring in few months. I have not been very accurate with paying my bills and i still have some that i need to see how to resolve. Could this impact the prolongation of my residence permit?
Thanks!
I’m afraid i can only give you an opinion on visa related matters. They are really on case-by-case basis. I think that unless it’s written in the requirements for a residence permit, a sufficient SCHUFA score is not taken into account. I believe that sufficient means and a stable situation is what they look at (bank account & work contract). Also consider the amount of unpaid bills, if they are relatively minor, it should be fine.
Hi, if I have an unpaid bank debt since 2010, does it still show in my schufa report? If yes, how long does it take until it dissappears given no solution has been agreed with the bank?
As mentioned in the article; yes it does probably show but the only way to be sure is to request your record with them.
Hi 🙂
As someone who s still outside of the Germany, but planning on moving as soon as i get my working visa approved in the next three weeks, what are my chances on renting an apartment? I found out that almost every owner demands Schufa, and I, due to situation still being outside of the country, not working at the moment I m asking for the apartment, dont have it 🙁 I dont know how to resolve this, is Airbnb my best chance in the first couple of weeks? also, for getting schufa i need to be registered, for registration i need an apartment, that i cant get without schufa … I m a bit lost, halp 😀
Yes, you might need to start with a hostel/couch surfing/AirBnB in the first couple of weeks. Then it’s usually easier to find a WG first to get all administration things settled, schufa included. Once you have a better “profile” for landlords, you will have better chances for your own apartment. Alternatively, solutions like Wunderflats rent furnished flats and don’t require SCHUFA, but it’s more expensive.
Hi,
Thanks for this info! SO GREAT!
I have a question, do SCHUFA also take GEZ/ZDF into account in their tracking?
The GEZ/ZDF was still a “grey” area back then and I still have some bills (hilarously big ones) coming to my registered address even my WG already paid for GEZ/ZDF.
If SCHUFA also take GEZ/ZDF into account then I might have a bad SCHUFA rating 🙁
It probably does. Don’t forget that you can let GEZ know that your household already pays for it. It should then clear your case in their database. If you aren’t sure if it affected your SCHUFA score, maybe order a free Auskunft to check?
Yes, my flatmates told me that we’ve paid already for the flat. So, I’m going to try to clear this GEZ thing.
Btw, how long does it take to receive the Free SCHUFA and the paid SCHUFA? I’m currently on the Flat hunt now and would like to have a SCHUFA as soon as possible.
Cheers mate you’ve made my day!
Ah sorry just read the other comments, the paper result could take 10 days and if I look at immobilienscout24, it says only in 3 minutes 😀
Hi. Hoping you can help us. How do we get a Schufa without a German ID card? The verification process online requires and I’d card and we have only uk passports. Many thanks in advance. Anna
IDs from other countries are also accepted if you use the free option (order by post) with your Meldebescheinigung. Maybe it’s an online only requirement? If you need it right away, don’t forget that you can go to any Postbank and ask for it there (paid option). Alternative online solution is through ImmobilienScout24. Go to their homepage and scroll down to see the Schufa Auskunft option in the footer (Under Umziehen).
Hello
Hope things are going well with you.
I’ve got a Schufa record and I can see all history such as credit card application, credit check by other parties for monthly installment payment.
Am now wondering it’d affect my credit score?
Additionally in conclusion (Schufa-Basisscore), it says ‘ Ein Basisscore wurde nicht berechnet. What does that mean? Is it bad or negative?
Just FYI, I moved to Germany a month ago.
Thank you for your answer in advance.
It means that they don’t have enough history to calculate your credit score. It’s not negative neither positive.
Do you know how long it takes to receive the paper once you’ve paid? And where it is sent? We are currently in Canada and need the form here as soon as possible. Canadian credit checks can be done and the credit is seen immediately online, is there anything similar in Germany?
It can take up to 10 days for people located in Germany, so i guess it will be a bit longer than that for you in Canada. If you click to ImmobilienScout24 here, and scroll down their homepage to “Rund um die Immobilie > Umziehen > Schufa Auskunft”, you can obtain something online right away..
Hi there .. If i have a negative entry in schufa .. Ow long does it take to have a clean score again?
You answer is in their FAQ. It takes 3 years for a negative entry to be “cleared” from the day your credit/debts case was resolved but the incident/history this entry created is still visible as a note in your record for a maximum of 6 years. Have a look for more details.
Hello,
Two days ago I ordered a Schufa report from the site . I expected to receive an e-mail or some kind of confirmation…but I got nothing. Should I try one more time or that is normal?
Thanks
I think it is but maybe get in touch with their customer support to be sure it went through.
Hello friends! I have a question 🙂 . I live in Germany for 7 months, I have a bank acc in Post Bank, AoK health insurrance, I pay all of my taxes and I have a job for a 4 months. My question is: is this regular income from my job effect my SHUFA in a possitive? I ask because I have a plan to apply for a little loan to buy a computer, If the bank see that I have an adress registration and job is it possible to be aprove for this loan?
Best wishes! 🙂
As i understand the Schufa scoring system, income doesn’t have an impact, only paid/unpaid bills. If you have paid all your internet, electricity, phone bills in time, then you schufa score should be good enough.
Hello and thank you for this article.
When a new comer arrives, how much time does it take to “build” the schufa record?
(Because, as far as I can see, some Banks refuses account opening for lack of Schufa inormation.)
Thank you very much.
I can’t give you a precise answer on this. Probably several weeks.
I am wondering.
i`ve just arrived in Feb in berlin. i came from brazil
got a 2 years student visa, paid 40k for a uni course, got my address registered, got insurance, got bank account
today i`ve tried to do a mobile phone plan, and it was denied by SCHUFA according to the woman at the vodafone shop! what does that means?? do i have a bad credit grade?
Yes, this can sometimes happen. I mentioned it here on the page dedicated to mobile phone plans in Germany already. I assume that you wanted to have a phone together with the phone plan? Then Vodafone is making a credit for the phone that you pay back every month, this is where it stuck with your Schufa record probably. Maybe just have the SIM card for now and buy a cheap phone elsewhere like on AsGoodasNew for example. Is this your situation?
Hallo,
I have a question, does Schufa record also the credits of companies?
Thanks
What do you mean by this?
Hi.
I have two questions about the free method that you have mentioned in your post. I downloaded the PDF version of the form and now my questions are:
1- In “Other information” part in the paper form, should I check the “Current scores” or not?
2- Don’t I need to fill “Bank account data” part if I want to take a free copy of the Schufa?
best,
1- yes
2- no
Hey I have a question
I need criminal record I was lived in germeny as Ayslum seeker so I get the Mobile contracts i was pay money the every month unfortunately I left the country because of my Mother was very Sick So now I want to get my criminal record, can you tell me if I get criminal record is it problems in my records let me know I’m waiting for your answer thank you
Hi Fasih. I’m not sure if understood correctly. I think you are talking about your credit record and not your criminal record. I can only help with the credit record. :).
In your case, if you paid your mobile contract every month, even after leaving the country, your record should be fine. If you stopped paying, it will probably show on it.
(Advice: Leaving the country is enough to be able to stop a contract with a mobile provider)
Hi,
I live in Berlin for six months. Now I am looking for apartment and I must have Schufa. I have anything that is need to get it. My question is, because I don’t speak German very well, is there an option, when you order Schufa online, that I can get in on my mail?
Thank You.
Kind Regards,
Ozren
Yes, if you click on the link in the article and click on the English flag, you order it via an English form and receive it by mail. Not email –> mail.
Hi myself and my partner have moved to Berlin, we want our own flat, we need a schufa, first Shufa is free right?
Q1. Joining up its free but then do we have to pay the twenty something euro fee down the line? or do we write to them stating we want to cancel our contract straight after we get our completed schufa back ?
Q2. Coming from the UK and Canada we will be using our national bank accounts for our credit checks is this correct?
Curveball Question, can you have a guarantor from north America for a flat in Berlin/Germany?
thanks for responding
No need to subscribe to their service. You are entitled to a free report a year by filling up the form. Schufa company has access to a lot of records outside of Germany, impossible to know what data they have access to. You will likely get a blank schufa report back. For buying a flat in Germany, check this step-by-step guide i did.
Hello,
Please, the link for the English download (free order) does not work.
The document that is downloaded upon clicking on it cannot be opened or accessed.
Can you help.
Thank you.
It works fine on my computer. Maybe something wrong with your PDF reader ?
Hi,
a question: I’ll be going to Germany in summer, but how can I get Schufa if I don’t live yet in Germany (don’t have paid or unpaid bills yet) and to get a proper apartment I’ll need this credit record? It looks to me like a dead end – you cannot have Schufa if you don’t live in Germany but you cannot live in Germany if you don’t have Schufa. Can you help me with this?
Thank’s in advance
You are right. It’s a bit of egg & chicken situation. Usually, subrenting or going for flat share is a way around.
How is that for a solution? In a WG you also need a contract and therefore a SCHUFA-Auskunft!
Let’s say I was studying in Germany for a year, living at dorm. Now, another year has passed. Can I use my over a year old Abmeldebescheinigung for the SCHUFA?
Although it has become more common, far from all WGs ask for a SCHUFA record. Maybe other people reading this comment can let us know if they are asked that every time. It would be interesting for have more data on this. As for your question: We know that SCHUFA is keeping your records for a few years so i’d give it a try yes. Did you have then a local bank account? Did you close it when leaving?
Hi. I have some questions about cancellation of my online ordered Schufa! The day after filling online form, I read your post completely and I understood that I can take one free copy of my Schufa instead of paying 24.95 euros!! So I decide to cancel my online ordering. how can I do that? does the cancellation process has cost? Somebody told me that within 14 days after filling the online form I have right to cancel my order. is that correct? If yes, how can I do that?
The second question, if I cancel my online order and try to apply for hard copy procedure (filling a PDF form and sending this filled form + a hard copy of my passport and hard copy of my registration certificate to Schufa address), how long does it take to receive my Schufa record?
best,
Just get in touch with the support team to cancel the order. It takes anywhere between 1 to 3 weeks to receive the paper.
For how long is the Schufa paper valid? Does it have any expiration date?
And my second question, I have taken student loan and I am paying back my installments monthly (according to my contract, the company is taking its money from my bank account as installment) , now my question is that this loan is recorded as a debt? or does it have any effect in my Schufa?
THX
A loan is a loan so if you pay it back in a timely manner, it’s not considered as a debt. It doesn’t have an expiry date per say, but it’s like for income statements; landlords wants to see the most recent one. Probably under 12 months.
Aha! Thanks 🙂
[…] What is Schufa : your credit record […]
I got a job starting 1st April in Berlin and a few promising apartments to rent.
I opened a number26 german account and the card was delivered to my friend’s address in Berlin.
So I have an bank account but not a registered German address. I’m an EU citizen.
Can I actually apply for schufa without a German address or just use my friend’s address?
I don’t there is any Schufa record on you in this case. You need to be registered in Germany.
well I called Schufa today and they found me an English speaking guy. No need to have a German address but a German bank account is necessary. So they’ll post my schufa to Hungary in 10 days.
Ok thanks for the extra details Eva. If Number26 doesn’t require an Anmeldungsbestätigung to open an account, then no need to be registered indeed.
Hello, thanks for your precious posts and informations.
I were curious if at the end Eva received her Schufa at her Hungarian address.
I am in a very similar situation now and I could solve a problem with this information…
Thank you.
Have a nice day.
Hi, I have the following problem: I stay with rent and when I first signed the contract with the landlord (a immobiliar company) I forgot to send the direct debit for the electricity company. Meanwhile I tried to apply for a loan but was rejected. Now I know why, cause I have unpaid bills. I have to mention that neither the landlord or the electricity company sent me any bills. I will pay the bills asap but my question is will it affect my Schufa? Will I still be able to take a loan? Thanks!
The best way to answer that is to obtain a SCHUFA record and see if your score has decreased a lot.
I guess what I’m trying to say is can I fix the problem by simply paying what I owe or I will be seen as a debtor regardless.
Thank you for the previous answer, I already ordered a Schufa record.
Hello,
My boyfriend and I don’t have any debts whatsoever here in Germany. However, there were times when we paid the phones a few days later. Does that count for a bad record or do you you think we should be fine since we don’t owe anything to anybody?
Thank you for your help!
I think since it’s a minor offense, you should be fine. However don’t take my word for it and check it for yourself with by ordering a free record.
Hey there! I just moved in Berlin in the beginning of January where I opened a German Bank account. Prior to that, I had been moving every 6-months ish around in the US. Since I am looking for renting a flat, I applied for a schufa. I finally got my schufa report with the statement “Es liegen keine gespeicherten informationen zu ihrer person vor”. Is that a good or a bad thing? Can they simply not find any track of me? Thanks !!
It means “There is no saved information/data about this person”. It’s in itself not a bad thing but not positive either to convince German landlords as they prefer to see a track record. But i guess a blank Auskunft is better than none at all.
Thank you for your quick answer! Is it something normal that no reccord in found because I just opened a bank account, or does it mean they aren’t able to identify me properly?
It’s normal. No worries.
Hi sorry to trouble you but I am really struggling with this. My husband has a job starting at the beginning of April and we will be staying in his woks accommodation for 2-4 weeks. I understand that we need a residence permit then to open a bank account, but how long after we open an account can we get a schufa? We need to get our own accommodation within the first 3 weeks. Do we need to get mobile contracts etc? As we won’t be paying electric or gas bills at our temporary accommodation. I am trying to understand all of this before we go!. Is it worth getting an online bank account with number26 or commerzbank soon so we have a good month before we arrive? Sorry but I am struggling with the moving process.
No problem Layne. In theory, you can ask for a Schufa record right away after opening your bank account and having sorted your Anmeldung at the Bürgeramt. What you will get back is probably a blank/clean record, although i can’t tell you for sure. If you aren’t sure about banks you might want to have a look at this, i always recommend DKB to my friends because it’s cheaper, but Commerzbank is a possibility too. Open an account as soon as you can i’d say.
As I have noticed, DKB and Number26 cannot be opened in the uk so we need to wait until we have our Berlin address. All this to rent an apartment. I haven’t even started with preschools car tax or insurance or anything else yet. This is just the first hurdle. Yikes!!!
Good luck !
Hi, just made request for free shufa and took 3,95 post service. Have somebody idea how long it will take before I actually get it? Thanks
Anywhere between 5-10 business days in general.
Hi!
Very interesting, thanks!
One question tough: on the first link to get it for 24EUR, it says there is a monthly fee of 3.95EUR. What is it?
Thank you!
That’s for their subscription offer, which you don’t need to buy to get your certificate. Simply go for SCHUFA-bonitätauskunft.
Hi
I’m living and working in Germany for 1 and a half year. Now I’ll have to rent an apartment. I haven’t left anything unpaid. Does that mean I have a perfect Schufa and is 1.5 year enough? I was living at a friends place until now.
Think about all the bills that are in your name in Germany. If nothing is unpaid, then it should be fine. Don’t forget you can ask for a record for free to check.
I am an Australian that has an unpaid bill from when I lived in London from than 9 years ago, will this affect my German Schufa?
Good question. I guess you would be really unlucky if it did but there is always a chance. Do they have a equivalent of Schufa ratings over there ? If no, i guess you’d have good chances that you won’t impacted.
Hello, I lived in Berlin for one year as part as a study exchange program, I had a German bank account and an anmeldungbescheinigung however I cancelled them both when I returned home after my studies ended. I then came back to Berlin a year later and have been back here for over 6 months now however I have yet to register at the burgeramt as up until now I have only been staying in temporary accommodation where it was not possible to register. Now my boyfriend and I are hoping to get our own flat together. He has a Schufa but I do not, I was wondering if that will be a problem for our applications for flats? I assumed that I cannot get a Schufa until I have an anmeldungbescheinigung, is that correct? This is a problem as I can’t get an anmeldung until I get a flat and I can’t get a Schufa without an anmeldung and I can’t get a flat without a Schufa…vicious circle of German bureaucracy!!
I suppose one schufa-auskunft is enough if you have one flat together. I just hope your boyfriend’s rating is good enough. As for your case, you will probably “re-open” your schufa rating from back then if you register with the same ID (not sure but probable). They don’t erase files when you leave the country.
Do you have an idea how long it approximately takes to get the free schufa after sending in the form?
I’m fairly surprised to see how much personal information germans are expected to (and willing to!) fork over to get an apartment. For people otherwise very concerned with their privacy…
Haha, isn’t it ironic. It took up to 2 weeks for me once but that’s just my case.
Hellooo, more questions about schufa…plizzzz help..
Well…I realise that situation in Germany is complitly differnet that in my country.., Croatia..
My problem is next..I asked in couple of banks for loan..in my bank..where I first asked..they approve the loan..but I canceled the credit..because I found on check.de.. many better offers..so i send couple of them..and they didn’t approve my request..so i decide to go back to my bank..but I found out..that my schufa is not negativ..but I have a bad rating….?!?! what now..?! for how long I will have a bad rating..
Thanks for answer..
Hi Mark, is it possible that you just arrived in Germany? Maybe your record history with the Schufa is not long enough to have a good rating ?
I’m trying to find out..if does applications for the loan that are on my schufa..right now…can be removed..and for how long they will be there..it is very strange that I can not take a loan..because I have good salary..and not a negative schufa..
I don’t know..I’m in Germany since last year..and they approve my request for the loan..
Hi,
I am currently looking for a flat to rent in Berlin but I find it impossible without a proof of Schufa check. Is there a way to apply for Schufa for my current bank account, which is not a German bank but a Swedish one – as it is through that bank all of my bills etc are being paid through? I have applied for a German bank account and could presumably to a Schufa credit record on that account however it will be more or less empty for a while and to me, that wouldn’t look very good on paper either…
Thanks,
Camilla
Your schufa doesn’t get populated with the “data” provided by your bank account statement i believe but rather with your bills made by German service providers. I don’t know any means to get a SCHUFA record if you don’t have subscribed to any of those. Have you tried asking for paper back home from your previous landlord ?
What about if a SCHUFA entry was made in 2008 and since then it hasn’t been paid? I have been out of the country for three years and was wondering what happens to the debt then? Will it still be on my SCHUFA report?
We have just moved over from Australia and are struggling to rent a house as we have no address and can’t apply for SCHUFA to give to prospective land lords. Is there another way around this apart from say starting a contract with a mobile phone?
It can be difficult for foreigners with no track record in Germany to rent their own flat right away. Have a look at this article there where i give a few tips.
In your case, i would suggest the same solutions i gave in the comments of this article :
Hi,
I’m filling out a SCHUFA form to get it for free. There is a part where I have to fill out my bank details but along with a box to check stating I accept to pay the 25 euros.
But since I want one for free, should I still fill out my bank details but without checking the box ?
Thanks a lot for your help!
Are you sure that’s the correct form ?
Hie,
I am in germany from couple of years. Due to delay in some debts my name is in negative schufa and now I repayed evrything 4 months back. I want to open a new bank account in german bank, for that they are checking for schufa entry and still it is showing negative.
So can you please tell me how to get out of this and what I have to do exactly. I am having all the papers which I had repaid my debts.
Thanks.
Here it says that in case of small debts, it is possible to do something about it. http://www.banktip.de/rubrik2/20425/schufa-eintrag-loeschen.html
Otherwise, maybe try to reach out to the organisation you owed debts to before and ask them to remove the negative “Eintrag” they communicated to SCHUFA back then. Those are suggestions only and don’t replace the advice of a professional.
Hi. I have been working in Berlin since June last year and still have not managed to open a German bank account. I am getting killed by charges form my UK bank and need to sort this out. I need to get a Schufa but when I try to buy one on-line they ask for payment from a German bank account! Anyone else been caught in this circle? any tips on what to do. Thanks.
Germany and its love for bureaucracy… The bank is asking for a Schufa record to open your bank account ? For a Giro konto, all you should need is an anmeldungbescheinigung and your passport.
Thanks for your reply. I’ll certainly try them.
Hi!
I live in Germany for a while with my husband. I have registered my residence when I arrived, but since I don’t work, I did not open my own bank account nor did I sign any contracts/loans…
Is it possible that Schufa does not have any record on me at all?
Thanks.
Does the schufa only collect information about your financial state in Germany or in the whole of the European union and/or the rest of the world?
Hi, I need to get Shufa, but was just wondering about a few things.
Because I’m an EU Citizen for some things I am registered with my ID card,and for other my passport, does it make a difference which one I give them ?
They have different numbers.
The only “debts” I can think of, are 1 from BVG because I got caught without my semester ticket,but they insisted on getting my details, I never received any letter so I never bothered to pay anything.
The other was a dispute with ama zon .de, after I created a German account and made a purchase they automatically signed me up for some premium service, and charged me 25 euros for it, I called them, complained about it so they cancel this premium BS. So I booked my money back. 1 week later they deposit 25 euros, and later billed me for 35 because I had booked that initial payment back… I sent them their 25 euros back, but refused to pay any penalty fees for booking my money back, couldn’t reason with them so they gave this case to some debt collectors firm.. at this point I just ignored all their emails because I felt I was being extorted.
Would any of this things get me a negative Shufa score ??
Thanks !
Hi Clement. I can unfortunately only give you an educated guess on this one as it is difficult to have insights in the company’s grading system. I would assume that for small debts (e.g under 100€), your score will not likely be affected, unless the offenses are repeated. The best thing to do is to ask for a record, as described in the post, and see for yourself.
I am requesting my SCHUFA score today. How long does it take for them to revert?
I am in Stuttgart
Some say they got it in 3 days and others say they have not received it since months.
I have also thought of registering online
Hi there, I’m moving to Berlin in a few days.
My particular case is that I found a room in a flatshare for a month while I find something long term. Recently I found a friend who will rent a flat (april 2014) and he asked me for Schufa to give it to the landlord. My question is, arriving late february, after getting a german bank account on early March and doing the Schufa stuff, would give me what my friend has requested to rent the flat?
Should I need more time? I understand I can get a mobile contract but it would be like one month before giving the Schufa to the landlord. Would that help me to get a flat?
Thanks a lot.
M.