When the Jobcenter or Sozialamt Can Cover Your Deposit, as an Interest-Free Loan
If your family receives Bürgergeld or Sozialhilfe and a new lease's deposit is genuinely out of reach, you don't have to find that money yourself, German law gives you a real claim against the responsible authority to cover it. For Bürgergeld recipients, Section 22 Paragraph 6 of the Sozialgesetzbuch II (SGB II) requires the Jobcenter to recognize deposit costs once you have its prior written assurance (Zusicherung), and a nearly identical provision, Section 35a Paragraph 2 SGB XII, covers Sozialhilfe recipients through the Sozialamt instead. Both routes provide the money as an interest-free loan (Darlehen), not a grant, and Section 42a SGB II sets the standard repayment rate at 5 percent of your relevant Regelbedarf (standard benefit rate) deducted automatically each month starting the month after the loan is paid out. The single detail that trips families up most is timing, that written Zusicherung has to be requested and granted before you sign the new lease, applying after the fact can mean losing the claim entirely.
The Official Rule
A family that’s already stretching a Munich move across furniture, a first Kita fee, and sometimes two overlapping months of rent doesn’t always have a spare deposit sitting in a savings account, and German social law has a specific, named answer for that gap rather than leaving families to figure it out on their own.
For Bürgergeld recipients, the claim sits directly in the statute. Section 22 Paragraph 6 SGB II states that deposit expenses can be recognized as a covered need once you have prior written assurance (Zusicherung) from the competent local authority, and specifies that the amount should be provided as a Darlehen, an interest-free loan, not a grant.
For families on Sozialhilfe instead of Bürgergeld, a parallel provision covers the same ground. Section 35a Paragraph 2 SGB XII uses almost identical language: housing acquisition costs, deposits, and moving costs can be assumed with prior consent, and deposits specifically should be provided as a loan. Which of the two provisions actually applies to your family depends entirely on which benefit track your household is on, not on anything else about your situation.
- Raise it early Tell your caseworker you're seriously considering a specific apartment, before you commit to signing anything.
- Request the Zusicherung Both routes require this written prior approval before the deposit becomes a recognized need, applying afterward risks the claim being refused.
- Sign the lease once approval is granted The deposit itself is then paid out directly as a loan.
- Repayment starts the following month A standard 5 percent of your Regelbedarf is deducted automatically each month until the loan is repaid.
The repayment mechanism itself is set at a fixed, modest rate. Section 42a SGB II establishes that loans like this are repaid through an internal offsetting against ongoing benefit payments, at 5 percent of the relevant standard rate per month, beginning the month after the loan is actually disbursed. It’s a slow, predictable repayment rather than a lump-sum demand.
In Munich, the practical entry point depends on which office is actually responsible for your household’s benefit. The City of Munich’s own service page on housing security routes Sozialhilfe cases through your district’s Sozialbürgerhaus, the same district-based system that handles municipal debt counseling, while Bürgergeld cases go through Jobcenter München directly. If you’re not sure which track applies, your existing caseworker, if you already have one, is the fastest way to confirm it.
What Real People Say
Practical guides aimed at benefit recipients moving apartments consistently return to the same warning: people who signed a new lease first and only asked about deposit coverage afterward describe running into resistance or outright refusal, since the system is built around the prior Zusicherung, not reimbursing a decision already made. The families who report a smooth process describe raising the deposit question as soon as they were seriously viewing a specific apartment, rather than waiting until an offer was already accepted.
Step by Step
- Identify which benefit track your household is on, Bürgergeld routes through the Jobcenter, Sozialhilfe through the Sozialamt via your district’s Sozialbürgerhaus.
- Raise the deposit question with your caseworker as soon as you’re seriously considering an apartment, before committing to it.
- Request the written Zusicherung before signing the lease, this prior approval is a legal precondition, not paperwork you can catch up on later.
- Sign the lease only once approval is confirmed, then the deposit is paid out as an interest-free loan.
- Expect automatic repayment of 5 percent of your standard rate each month, starting the month after disbursement, for as long as you remain in benefit receipt.
Compliance Note
This page explains the general legal structure for deposit assumption under German social law, but it is not legal or financial advice, and individual caseworker decisions can vary. For your specific situation, confirm the current process directly with Jobcenter München or your district’s Sozialbürgerhaus.
FAQ & Common Pitfalls
Which office do I actually apply to, the Jobcenter or the Sozialamt?
It depends on which benefit your household receives. If you're a Bürgergeld recipient, generally meaning at least one household member is considered able to work, your claim runs through Jobcenter München under Section 22 Paragraph 6 SGB II. If your household receives Sozialhilfe instead, typically because everyone in the household is not expected to work due to age or disability, the equivalent claim runs through the Sozialamt, reached via your district's Sozialbürgerhaus, under Section 35a Paragraph 2 SGB XII. Both provisions are written in nearly identical terms, the office just depends on which benefit track your family is actually on.
Do I really have to ask before signing the new lease?
Yes, and this is the detail that catches the most families off guard. Both Section 22 SGB II and Section 35a SGB XII require a prior Zusicherung, a written assurance from the responsible authority, before the deposit obligation is recognized as a covered need. Signing a lease first and asking for reimbursement afterward puts your claim at real risk of being rejected, since the law is built around prior approval, not retroactive coverage. Raise the deposit question with your caseworker as soon as you're seriously looking at a specific apartment, ideally before you commit to it.
How does the repayment actually work, and does it ever stop?
Once the loan is paid out, Section 42a SGB II sets the standard repayment mechanism at 5 percent of your relevant Regelbedarf, deducted automatically from your ongoing benefit payments starting the month after disbursement, this happens through an internal offsetting (Aufrechnung) rather than you making a separate transfer. It continues for as long as you remain in benefit receipt and until the loan is fully repaid. If your household stops receiving benefits before the loan is repaid, a separate repayment arrangement with the authority becomes necessary.