General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · complaint

Letter to landlord regarding ongoing apartment maintenance issues

You have been living in an apartment for the last three years. A few problems have emerged in your apartment since the last repair.

Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter:

give details of the last repair work
what the problems are now
how you would like the landlord to solve these problems

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 to bring to your attention several maintenance issues that have developed in my apartment over the past few weeks. Having lived here for three years, I have always appreciated your promptness in addressing property concerns.

Regarding the last repair work conducted in November, a contractor visited to address a persistent leak under the kitchen sink. While the initial pipe replacement seemed effective at the time, the seal has unfortunately begun to fail again, causing dampness in the cabinetry.

Furthermore, two new problems have emerged. Firstly, the living room radiator has stopped heating up entirely, which is particularly concerning given the drop in temperature. Secondly, the extractor fan in the bathroom is making a loud grinding noise and has ceased to ventilate the room effectively, leading to excessive condensation on the walls.

Could you please arrange for a qualified plumber and an electrician to assess these faults as soon as possible? I am happy to provide access to the apartment during the workday if you leave a spare key with the concierge. I look forward to hearing from you regarding a suitable time for these repairs.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Pringle

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

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response maintains a consistent, polite semi-formal tone while addressing all three bullet points with specific, logical details. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to link the new problems to the previous repair history or providing vague solutions that lack a clear request for action.

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

persistent: continuing to exist over a long period
cabinetry: the cupboards and furniture fitted in kitchens
concerns: matters that require attention or cause worry
condensation: water droplets formed on cold surfaces from steam
qualified: having the necessary skills or professional training
concierge: the person who looks after a building entrance

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.