Asking your landlord for a repair
Explain an ongoing problem, push politely for a firm date and agree on next steps.
The scene
The heating in your apartment has stopped working for the second time this month. You call your landlord, who sounds busy and wants to wait until next week.
- Speaker A
- Landlord
- Speaker B
- You (tenant)
Your goals
- Describe a problem and its impact clearly
- Push for a faster solution without sounding rude
- Agree on a specific plan and confirm it in writing
Key vocabulary
Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.
tenant
a person who pays rent to live in a property
As a tenant, I'm responsible for small repairs.
landlord
the person who owns a property and rents it out
I emailed my landlord about the leak.
to break down
to stop working (machines)
The boiler broke down again last night.
urgent
needing attention immediately
Without heat, this is fairly urgent.
a temporary fix
a solution that works only for a short time
The last repair was only a temporary fix.
to follow up
to contact someone again about the same matter
I'll follow up with an email.
in writing
written down, for example by email, as a record
Could you confirm that in writing?
to sort out
to fix or resolve a problem (informal)
Can we sort this out before the weekend?
Useful phrases
I'm afraid the … has stopped working again.
Introducing a problem politely
I understand you're busy, but …
Acknowledging the other person before pushing back
It's becoming a real problem because …
Explaining the impact
Would it be possible to …?
Making a firm request softly
Could we agree on a time?
Moving the conversation toward a concrete plan
I'll send you an email to confirm.
Getting the agreement on record
Practice studio: speak the dialogue
Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.
Landlord
Hello, this is Mark. What can I do for you?
You (tenant)
Hi Mark, it's Priya from apartment 4B. I'm afraid the heating has stopped working again.
Landlord
Oh, not again. I'm swamped this week. Can it wait until Monday?
You (tenant)
I understand you're busy, but it's getting very cold at night, and I work from home.
Landlord
Right. Have you tried resetting the boiler like last time?
You (tenant)
Yes, I reset it twice this morning. It runs for an hour and then shuts off again.
Landlord
OK, so the last repair didn't really fix it.
You (tenant)
Exactly. It seems like it was only a temporary fix. Would it be possible to get someone here before the weekend?
Landlord
Let me call the plumber. I might be able to get him there on Thursday.
You (tenant)
That would be great. Could we agree on a time window, and I'll confirm it by email?
You speak 5 lines as You (tenant); Landlord is read aloud for you.
Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.
Your turn: speak freely
Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.
1. Describe a repair problem in your home and explain how it affects your daily life.
2. Your landlord suggests waiting a week. Respond politely but explain why that is not acceptable.
3. Summarize the plan you agreed on and say how you will confirm it.
Quick quiz
Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.
0 of 4 answered
Common mistakes
Avoid:
The heating is broken since Monday.Say: The heating has been broken since Monday.
Use the present perfect with 'since' for a situation that started in the past and continues.
Avoid:
You have to repair it immediately.Say: Would it be possible to get it repaired this week?
Direct orders can sound aggressive; a polite request with a clear time frame is more effective.
Avoid:
I will make a follow up.Say: I'll follow up.
'Follow up' (two words) is the verb; 'a follow-up' is the noun.
Tips
- Lead with facts: what stopped working, when, and what you have already tried.
- Explain the impact on you, not just the problem; it makes the request more urgent.
- Always finish with a specific day or time window, then confirm it by email.
Questions about this lesson
How do you complain politely in English?
Start with a soft opener like 'I'm afraid…', state the facts, explain the impact and finish with a request such as 'Would it be possible to…?'
How do you say 'it's not working' in English?
Say 'The heating isn't working' or 'The heating has stopped working.' For machines you can also say 'It broke down.'
What does 'swamped' mean?
'Swamped' is an informal way to say you are extremely busy, as in 'I'm swamped with work this week.'
Finish the lesson
Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.
Next lesson: Checking in at the airport