General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · complaint

Letter to landlord regarding a proposed rent increase

Your landlord is asking to increase the rent.

Write a letter to him. In your letter:

why do you think the rent shouldn't be increased
what you will do if it is increased

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 your recent notice concerning the proposed increase in my monthly rent, effective from next month.

While I understand that property maintenance costs can rise, I do not believe an increase is justified at this time. Over the past two years, I have been a consistent, reliable tenant who has always paid on time and maintained the property in excellent condition. Furthermore, the apartment currently suffers from persistent dampness in the kitchen and the radiator in the bedroom has been faulty for several months. Given that these essential repairs remain outstanding, I feel it is unreasonable to request a higher rental payment until the living standards are fully restored.

Should you insist on proceeding with this rent hike, I will be forced to look for alternative accommodation. I would prefer to remain here, as I enjoy the location, but I cannot justify the additional expense given the current state of the apartment. I hope we can reach a compromise that avoids this outcome.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

James Miller

183 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 logical flow and a consistent, professional tone. The most common mistake for a Band 6 candidate is to sound overly aggressive or emotional, which fails to maintain the appropriate semi-formal register required when communicating with a landlord.

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

justified: having a good reason for an action
consistent: acting in the same way over time
persistent: continuing to exist for a long time
outstanding: not yet paid, resolved, or dealt with
alternative accommodation: a different place to live
compromise: an agreement reached by both sides yielding

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.

Practise IELTS General writing

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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.