Is a Check-In Necessary?

Yes, a check-in is necessary for legal purposes. In principle, the landlord or the appointed management company is obligated to perform a check-in, pre-check-out, and check-out inspection. At the check-in, the accommodation is shown to the tenant and all relevant information about the property is explained. This is the official moment to record the condition of the accommodation before the tenant moves in.

During the check-in:

• The current state of the property is objectively documented (e.g. whether everything is present, working, and free of issues).
• If any problems are identified, the responsible party will aim to resolve them immediately, or otherwise as soon as reasonably possible.
• Keys to the accommodation are handed over to the tenant.

Important rules during the check-in:

• Only the tenant is allowed to be present. Any friends, family members, or other persons must wait outside so the agent can complete the inspection without disturbance.
• The tenant signs to acknowledge receipt of the report.
• If you wish to add remarks or observations, you may submit these within 48 hours after the check-in to the landlord and/or property manager, supported by text and photos if needed. It is not possible to dispute or discuss the findings on the spot, as the check is an objective registration and the agent follows a strict schedule.
• Where available, remarks can also be submitted via the tenant portal (if your landlord or property manager provides one).

Please note: it is not permitted to enter the accommodation without a check-in inspection. In exceptional cases, if the landlord explicitly waives the requirement, the check-in may be skipped — but as a rule, the process is mandatory whenever required by the landlord or management company.