A German landlord does not know the people who apply for an apartment. Many landlords therefore ask for a Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung, a certificate that the applicant owes no rent. The landlord the tenant is leaving issues it. The property portal ImmoScout24 describes a related document, the Vorvermieterbescheinigung, in this way. It shows dass du frei von Mietschulden bist und zuverlässig deine Miete gezahlt hast, that you owe no rent and have paid your rent reliably. Landlords usually ask for a Schufa credit report and proof of income as well. On 30 September 2009 the Federal Court of Justice ruled that landlords do not have to issue such a certificate to tenants who move out. The magazine of the Berlin tenants’ association wrote that the highest court had called the practice into question. A tenant without the certificate can show receipts or bank statements instead.