General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · complaint

Letter to former landlord requesting deposit return

You paid a refundable deposit when you rented an apartment a year ago. You left the apartment last month in good condition but the landlord won't return your deposit.

Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:

introduce yourself and say why you are writing
ask for the return of your deposit
inform the landlord of possible action if he/she does not agree to refund the amount

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing regarding my former tenancy at 12 Oakwood Terrace, which ended on 15th October. I am contacting you to formally request the return of my security deposit of £1,200, which has not yet been credited to my bank account.

Following my move-out, I completed a thorough professional cleaning of the property. As confirmed during our final inspection, the apartment was left in excellent condition, showing only normal signs of wear and tear. I have attached the move-out inspection report we both signed, which clearly indicates that the premises were returned in a satisfactory state. Given that it has now been over four weeks since the lease concluded, I would appreciate it if you could process the refund immediately.

I trust we can resolve this matter amicably and promptly. However, should I not receive the full amount by the end of this week, I will have no choice but to escalate this issue to the local tenancy tribunal to recover the funds. I hope this will not be necessary and look forward to receiving confirmation of the transfer shortly.

Yours sincerely,

Julian Thorne

187 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a professional, firm tone that maintains the semi-formal relationship. A common Band 6 error is being overly aggressive or using emotional language, which fails to maintain the appropriate professional distance required for a formal or semi-formal complaint.

Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

Useful phrases from the letter

tenancy: the period during which one rents a property
credited: money added to a specific bank account
wear and tear: damage from normal and expected daily use
satisfactory: meeting the required or expected standard
amicably: in a friendly and peaceable manner
escalate: to increase the intensity of a dispute

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

How long should an IELTS General Training letter be?

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.