How to Write a Repair Request Letter to Your Landlord
How to write a repair request letter to your landlord: what to include, how to send it, what to keep as proof, and where to get help if repairs don't happen.
- Best for
- Tenants · Roommates · Tenant advocates
- When to use
- As soon as a repair problem affects your home, and before any dispute escalates.
On this page
Key Takeaways
- Check your lease for how repair requests should be sent, and follow it.
- Describe the problem, its location and when it started; attach dated photos.
- Ask for the repair by a reasonable date and keep proof that you sent it.
- Get local advice before withholding rent or repairing and deducting.
General information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and can change; check the official sources linked in this guide.
When something in your rental home breaks, such as no heat, a leak, a broken lock or pests, a phone call is a fine first step. But a written request gives you something more useful: a dated record of what you reported and when. If the problem drags on or becomes a dispute, that record matters.
Before you write: check your lease and local rules
Your lease may say how the landlord wants repair requests made (for example, an online portal, email or a specific address). Follow that method if there is one, and keep a copy.
Tenant and landlord rights depend on state and often city or county law. Rules about required repairs, response times, notices and what a tenant may do if repairs are not made differ from place to place. USAGov's tenant rights page is a starting point for finding your state's information and how to file a complaint against a landlord.
What to include in the letter
- Date of the letter, and your name, address and unit number.
- The problem, described plainly: what is wrong, where it is, and when it started or when you noticed it.
- How it affects you, for example, “The bathroom ceiling leaks when the upstairs shower runs, and water is dripping onto the light fixture.”
- Earlier reports, if any: when and how you told the landlord before.
- What you are asking for: the repair, and a reasonable date by which you hope it will be done or scheduled.
- Access: when you are available to let a repair person in.
- Attachments: a list of photos or videos, each with the date taken.
Sample wording
“I am writing to request a repair at [address, unit]. Since [date], [describe the problem and its location]. I first reported this by [phone/email/portal] on [date]. Please arrange for this to be repaired by [date]. I am available to provide access on [days/times]. Photos dated [dates] are attached. Thank you.”
Our free repair request letter worksheet (Word and PDF) has these sections laid out so you can fill them in.
How to send it so you can prove it
- Email or portal: save a copy or screenshot showing the date sent.
- Mail: a mailing method with tracking or proof of delivery gives you a record. Some leases or local rules specify how notices must be delivered, so check yours.
- Hand delivery: ask for the copy to be signed or dated as received, and keep your own copy.
After you send it
- Write down every reply, visit and phone call, with dates.
- Take new dated photos if the problem gets worse or after a repair attempt.
- Keep receipts if you had to spend money because of the problem (for example, a space heater or a hotel night).
The free evidence checklist and log helps you keep all of this in one place.
If repairs still are not made
Options such as reporting the problem to a local housing or code enforcement office, mediation, or court depend on where you live. Some actions that tenants hear about, such as withholding rent or paying for repairs and deducting the cost, are allowed only in some places and only under specific conditions; doing them incorrectly can put you at risk of eviction. Get local advice before taking these steps. A legal aid office or tenant organization can explain your options. See where to find free legal help.
Sources: USAGov, Tenant rights and how to file a complaint against a landlord; USAGov, Find affordable legal aid. Tenant law varies by state and locality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to ask for repairs in writing?
Rules vary by state, city and lease. Even when a phone call is allowed, a written request gives you a dated record of what you reported and when.
Can I stop paying rent until repairs are made?
Only some places allow this, and only under specific conditions. Doing it incorrectly can put you at risk of eviction, so get local advice from a legal aid office or tenant organization first.
How should I send the letter?
Use the method your lease requires if there is one, and choose a way you can prove, such as saved email, an online portal, or mail with tracking.