Can a landlord ask me to see my luggage when moving in?
<p>I am moving into a new home where landlord is living close by.
I paid the rent and when I was about to move in, I came to get the key and the landlord told me that I cannot get it because I did not bring the luggage with me.</p>
<p>The landlord told me that he cannot give me the key because he has to see my luggage. first. To me that sounded like a very weird request, but I had no choice but to accept it. I would not get the keys otherwise.
I do not want to move in the exact day when the rent starts, but a bit later though.</p>
<p>What should I do in this case? This sounds very weird to me. I do want to have good relations with my landlord, but when I experienced this I can't help but get suspicious that I will always have troubles with this landlord. Also is it even legal that my landlord is withholding the keys from me?</p>
<p>All this is happening in Germany, so German laws apply here.</p>

<p>Once your rental contract starts, your landlord must give you access to the rented flat. If he doesn't do so he is in breach of contract. You could sue him, but that would be a bad start for a longer term contractual agreement. It might be less time and effort to look for a new flat. And do you really want to be in a long term contract with someone who breaches contract right from the start based on arbitrary reasons? In any case, you can and you should cut the rent proportionally for every day without access to the flat.</p>

<p>Your landlord has by no means a right to check your luggage. Even if there would be such a regulation in the contract, it would be void, because of invasion of privacy. It looks to me that you are in for some bad times with such a landlord. I can assure you that most landlords are not like this. Another reason to probably look for a new flat. Legally you are right, but what does that help you if your landlord is trouble?</p>

rental-property germany landlord