General Training Writing Task 1 · semi-formal · request

Letter to Landlord Regarding Proposed Rent Increase

Your landlord wants to increase your house rent.

Write a letter to him to explain your situation. In your letter:

in your letter, you should tell:
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 Sir/Madam,

Band 8 sample letter

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing regarding your recent notification about the proposed rent increase for my apartment starting next month. While I have enjoyed living here for the past two years, I was quite surprised by the sudden adjustment.

I believe the current rent should be maintained because I have consistently been a reliable tenant, ensuring all payments are made well before the deadline. Furthermore, there have been no significant improvements to the property or the amenities provided during my tenure. Given that the local market rates for similar units in this neighbourhood have remained stable, an increase of this magnitude seems unjustified.

If the rent is raised, I will be forced to reconsider my tenancy. Unfortunately, my current budget does not allow for this additional expenditure, and I would have no choice but to start searching for more affordable accommodation elsewhere. I would prefer to avoid the disruption of moving, but this increase would make it financially unsustainable for me to remain.

I hope we can reach an amicable agreement that allows me to continue residing here. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Thompson

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

Why this scores well

This letter achieves Band 8 by addressing all bullet points with a clear, logical structure and a consistently professional yet firm tone. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to link the potential move to financial constraints, or using overly aggressive language that makes the writer seem uncooperative.

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

notification: a formal announcement or message regarding something
tenure: the period of time someone holds a property
unjustified: not shown to be reasonable or fair
expenditure: the action of spending funds on something
unsustainable: not able to be maintained at a level
amicable: having a spirit of friendliness without disagreement

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.