There are many different reasons for which a SCHUFA report is required. For the sake of simplicity, we distinguish here between the two most common cases:
Variant 1: The SCHUFA information for the landlord
You can think it's good or bad, but many landlords require a SCHUFA report before renting you the apartment.
This is annoying if you do not get an apartment because of a SCHUFA entry, but on the other hand you have to understand landlords who rent your apartment for retirement and for whom a loss of rent or rent nomads would have devastating consequences. If you want to move, then you need a so-called Bonitaetsauskunft, which you can show the new landlord. With this you prove that everything is in order with you.
There are various services for this, including from SCHUFA itself, but a credit report from Crif-Bürgel also serves this purpose. These credit agencies have made a business out of selling you the data they collect about you anyway for a relatively large amount of money, if you are in need of this document for a landlord.
This is called a monopoly position. As a rule, you have to bite the bullet and order the credit report from SCHUFA. But you can also download it immediately and, if you want, take out a wonderful subscription that allows you to check your SCHUFA data every day.
Variant 2: The information according to DSGVO
The free information according to DSGVO (which we request here for you at SCHUFA) contains all information that is stored about you at SCHUFA.
Can I just show these to my new landlord and save myself paying money to SCHUFA? The answer is not quite simple: Of course you can give the free information to anyone you want to show this data to. That is your decision alone. However, according to DSGVO, this large disclosure includes completely all data that is stored about you.
And then you have to ask yourself: does a new landlord really need to know where I have my accounts and which loans are running? That's why most people believe that this information should not be disclosed under the GDPR. Of course, you can black out everything that you don't want anyone to see. But this then triggers the question: what does he have to hide? Therefore, we also expressly do not recommend passing on the free information according to DSGVO. Ultimately, of course, it is your decision.
The business with the housing shortage
Of course, one may ask the question: if SCHUFA already provides the information according to DSGVO (because it has to by law), why can't this list be made a little more visually appealing and include a certificate on the last page to pass on, showing that everything is in order? That would be nice and in the interest of all consumers.
But you also have to understand that the protective interest of landlords on the one hand and the housing shortage on the other is of course a nice additional business for SCHUFA. Fortunately, this is permitted in a free country. But it is also allowed to have a critical opinion about it.