Documenting Discrimination as a Tenant in Germany

As a tenant in Germany you may experience disadvantage because of your origin; good documentation helps protect your rights. This article explains which pieces of evidence are useful (photos, messages, witnesses), how to record incidents promptly and which official forms or authorities you should contact. We outline clear steps for collecting documents, deadlines for complaints and how to prepare a lawsuit at the local court if necessary. The guide avoids legal jargon, names relevant sections of the BGB and shows which courts and forms are important in tenancy law so you can act confidently and effectively. At the end you will find an FAQ, a step-by-step guide for filing complaints and links to official federal and court forms.

What to document?

• Photos of damage, letters or incidents, with date and time.
• Saved messages: emails, SMS, chat messages between tenant and landlord.
• Witnesses: names, contact details and a short note of what they observed.
• Receipts for payments, deposit statements and rejected applications.
• Official letters and forms you received or sent.

How to secure and manage evidence

Use a clear folder structure (digital and physical). Keep originals separate from copies and note date, time and circumstances for each incident. Create a simple log with one entry per incident.

• Record the date and time of each incident immediately and keep this information permanently.
• Save payment receipts and bank statements as PDFs or photos.
• Send repair requests in writing and document responses and appointment dates.
• Keep all official letters separately, with a short note why the letter is relevant.

Forms and authorities

If you want to report discrimination because of origin, you can contact the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency; they offer advice and contact forms for affected persons.^[3] For legal action and civil court claims the rules of the Code of Civil Procedure apply; complaints are filed at the competent local court (Amtsgericht).^[2] The key civil law duties and rights in tenancy are found in the German Civil Code (BGB), notably in the provisions on the rental relationship (§§ 535–580a).^[1]

How-To

1. Immediately record the incident and take photographic evidence.
2. Secure evidence: export messages and get witness statements in writing.
3. Submit a form or complaint to the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency and keep confirmation.
4. If necessary: prepare a lawsuit at the local court and arrange your evidence chronologically.

Key takeaways

• Documentation is your strongest evidence and should be kept in chronological order.
• Use official bodies such as the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency for advice.
• For court action the local court (Amtsgericht) is usually the first contact.

Help and support / resources

• Contact: Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency
• Laws: BGB & ZPO (gesetze-im-internet.de)
• Courts: Information on local courts (justiz.de)

1. [1] German Civil Code (BGB) §§535–580a – gesetze-im-internet.de
2. [2] Code of Civil Procedure (ZPO) – gesetze-im-internet.de
3. [3] Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency – antidiskriminierungsstelle.de