IELTS Essay Bank · GT Task 1 letters · Request letter
Letter to a Landlord About Repairs: Band 7 Sample Letter
191 words · Topic: Cities & transport ·
The question
You have been renting a flat for several months, and a number of things in it now need to be repaired. Your landlord, whom you know personally, has asked tenants to report any problems in writing. Write a letter to your landlord.
In your letter:
- thank the landlord for asking tenants to report problems
- describe the repairs that need to be carried out
- suggest a convenient time for the work to be done
Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.
Begin your letter as follows: Dear Mr Bradley,
Band 7 sample letter
Highlighted = useful vocabularyDear Mr Bradley,
Thank you for your message asking tenants to report any problems in writing. I really appreciate that you take our concerns seriously, and it makes much easier to raise small issues before they become bigger ones.
I have been living in Flat 4 since March and generally I am very happy with it, but there are a few things that needs attention. The most urgent is the kitchen tap, which has been dripping constantly for about two weeks; I have tried to tighten it myself, but it keeps leaking and is wasting a lot of water. In addition, the bedroom window does not close properly, so the room gets very cold at night and I am worried it will get worse in winter. Finally, one of the bathroom tiles is cracked.
As for the timing, I work from home on Wednesdays and Thursdays, so any time on those days would be ideal. If the repairman need to come at the weekend, Saturday morning before twelve is also fine for me.
Thanks again for your help, and please let me know which day suit you best.
Best wishes,
Priya
Word count: 191
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The same question is ready on its practice page, with a Band 8–9 model answer to compare.
Why this is Band 7: criterion by criterion
Task Achievement
Band 7All three bullet points are covered and the purpose is clear. The tone is consistently semi-formal, which suits a landlord the writer knows personally: it is polite and warm ("I really appreciate…", "Thanks again for your help") without becoming either stiff or chatty. The repairs are described with useful detail — how long the tap has been dripping, and why the window matters before winter — and the timing is practical, with a back-up option. The cracked tile, however, is mentioned in a single short sentence with no explanation of why it needs fixing, so the second bullet could be more fully extended; this is the gap between Band 7 and Band 8.
Coherence and Cohesion
Band 7The letter is logically organised, with one paragraph for each bullet point and a brief closing line. The repairs are presented in order of urgency ("The most urgent is…"), which gives the middle paragraph a clear internal structure, and "As for the timing" moves smoothly into the final bullet. There is some over-use of list-style connectors ("In addition", "Finally") in the middle paragraph, but referencing is clear throughout ("those days", "it keeps leaking"). This is a secure Band 7.
Lexical Resource
Band 7Vocabulary is sufficient for flexibility and precision, with natural collocations such as "take our concerns seriously", "dripping constantly" and "does not close properly". The writer shows awareness of the semi-formal register, choosing "Thanks again" and "Best wishes" rather than either very formal or very casual alternatives. The range is a little limited in places ("become bigger ones", "get worse") but there are no spelling or word-form errors, so Lexical Resource is rated Band 7.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Band 6This criterion is lower than the others. The writer uses a good mix of structures — a present perfect continuous ("has been dripping"), a non-defining relative clause, a semi-colon and a conditional ("If the repairman need to come…") — but subject–verb agreement errors recur: "things that needs" (need), "the repairman need" (needs) and "which day suit you" (suits). There is also a missing object in "it makes much easier to raise small issues" (it makes it much easier). These errors never block meaning, but because they appear in several sentences, grammar fits Band 6 rather than Band 7's "frequent error-free sentences".
Useful vocabulary and collocations
- take our concerns seriously
- a warm, natural way to thank someone for listening; ideal for the first bullet.
- dripping constantly
- a precise description of a leaking tap; shows the problem is ongoing.
- does not close properly
- a clear, neutral way to describe a faulty window or door.
- As for the timing
- a smooth semi-formal transition that introduces a new point without sounding mechanical.
- would be ideal
- a polite way to state a preference while leaving the landlord room to choose.
How this letter could reach Band 8
- 1Extend the third repair: explain the risk (for example, that water could get behind the cracked tile and damage the wall) so every repair has a reason attached.
- 2Check subject–verb agreement in every relative clause and after singular nouns — things that need, the repairman needs, which day suits you — this alone would lift grammar to Band 7.
- 3Replace "In addition" and "Finally" with linking that reflects priority (Less urgent, but still worth fixing, is…), so the paragraph reads less like a list.
This is an original sample letter written by IELTS-Bank to illustrate Band 7 against the public IELTS Writing band descriptors. The band scores are our assessment, not an official IELTS result. IELTS-Bank is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia, or Cambridge University Press & Assessment. "IELTS" is a registered trademark of its respective owners and is used here for descriptive purposes only.