Moving-in day – handover, keys & defects

At the handover, check the keys, room and inventory carefully. Document existing defects and report them through the designated route; the standard agreement gives a deadline of 14 days after the tenancy starts.

Announce and arrange your arrival in good time

Agree your precise arrival date and the time window for the key handover with residence management at least two weeks in advance wherever possible. This lead time is particularly important during holiday periods. A message on moving-in day or only a few hours beforehand is too late if keys, access or support must be arranged. An earlier deadline in your offer takes precedence.

confirmed date, time window and handover location,
identification and other handover documents required by your offer,
a telephone number where you can be reached for last-minute questions,
local information about deliveries, parking and access.

Procedures, office hours, key locations, Welcome tutors and welcome activities differ between residences. Rely on your own offer and current local information.

Residence management is the binding contact for your appointment and key handover. There is no general, separate caretaker service in the residences. By prior arrangement, a Welcome tutor may carry out the key handover, for example if you arrive in the evening. Tutors may also contact international students in particular before arrival and support them directly on site on moving-in day. Current residence-specific contacts and the general address [email protected] are listed on the official Welcome tutor programme page.

Check which room, letterbox and communal keys, chip cards or transponders you receive. Record missing or non-functioning access devices in the handover record and clarify how to report a later loss or lockout. With electronic or digital locking systems, you may occasionally need to load or refresh the access authorisation on the key or transponder at a designated station. Follow the local information for your system.

The current house rules govern living together and may be supplemented by local rules of use. ¹⁾

Check cleanliness, visible damage and whether fixed equipment works. Depending on the type of accommodation, this may include lighting, sockets, heating, water connections, furniture, windows and doors.

Record anything unusual in writing and with photographs. Photograph only your own room, inventory and the specific defect; do not include other people, personal documents or somebody else’s private space.

14 days in the standard tenancy agreement

The standard tenancy agreement, dated February 2026, requires visible defects to be reported within 14 days after the tenancy starts. Your individual agreement may contain a different rule. ²⁾

For ordinary defects, use the tenant portal or the route named in your agreement. Refer to the handover record in your report and upload useful photographs only where this is safe and respects data protection.

For running water or another urgent building problem, use the local on-call contact. If people are in immediate danger, call 112; for an immediate police emergency, call 110.

Find the house rules, local telephone list and noticeboards.
Open the tenant portal and local internet information.
Briefly tell flatmates that you are moving in and discuss shared areas.
Use corridors and escape routes for carrying belongings only as briefly as necessary and keep them clear.