Landlord won't give the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung
The situation
Your landlord or sublessor stalls or refuses to sign the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung — and without it, no Anmeldung, no tax ID, no residence permit. Common with informal sublets, Airbnb-style arrangements and overcrowded flats.
The way out
Know your position — the law is on your side:
- Landlords are legally obligated to issue it (§19 Bundesmeldegesetz) and can be fined for refusing. Sublessors count too: whoever you pay rent to can and must issue it — main tenant subletting to you included.
- Send a written request (email is fine): "I am legally required to register within two weeks and ask you to provide the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung per §19 BMG." That sentence resolves most cases instantly.
- Still refusing? Tell the Bürgeramt at your (attempted) registration — the office can pursue the landlord, and they've seen it all before. Bring your rental contract and payment proof as evidence you genuinely live there.
- Red flag check: a landlord who refuses often isn't allowed to rent to you at all (unauthorised sublet, tax evasion). Involve the office rather than covering for them — it's your legal status on the line, not theirs.
Prevention for next time: confirm the Wohnungsgeberbestätigung BEFORE paying anything — it's a standard question serious landlords expect.
General information, not legal advice. If your case has deadlines or legal stakes, free migration counselling (Migrationsberatung) exists in every city — use it.