Lesson & Activities - PART 1 - Tenant & Landlord Disputes - 14 Common Tenant Complaints

Learn English with NETOL
Oct 26
7 min read

Updated: Nov 5

LESSON & ACTIVITIES

PART 1

Tenant & Landlord Disputes

14 Common Tenant Complaints

PART 1

***Go to PART 2 once you complete this lesson and the activities.

Speaking Activity - Conversation Questions

Instructions:

Listen to and read the conversation questions.
Practice your speaking by answering each question out loud.
See some possible answers to the conversation questions by clicking the side arrows next to each question.

Conversation Questions

OLD Conversation Questions - Tenant & Landlord Disputes: 14 Common Tenant ComplaintsLearn English with NETOL

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1. What does complaining mean?

Complaining means saying that you are not happy about something. It can be about a problem or something that is not fair.

2. How do you think people feel when they complain?

People usually feel upset, angry, or frustrated when they complain. They want something to change.

3. Have you ever complained about anything? If yes, what did you complain about?

Yes, I have. I complained about cold food at a restaurant. I asked the server to warm it up.

4. Can you name a few different ways that people make complaints?

Yes. People can complain by talking to someone in person, writing an email, or calling customer service.

5. What is the difference between a tenant and a landlord?

A tenant is a person who rents a place to live. A landlord is the person who owns the place and rents it to the tenant.

6. What do you think is one common complaint that a tenant might have?

One common complaint that a tenant might have is that something is broken, like the heater or the toilet.

Writing Activity - Pre-Reading Vocabulary

Instructions:

Get a pencil and paper.
Copy the words from below.
Look up the definitions of the words online.
Get to know the definitions of each word

Important Words - Tenant & Landlord Disputes: 14 Common Tenant Complaints

Important Words - Tenant & Landlord Disputes: 14 Common Tenant ComplaintsLearn English with NETOL

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tenant
landlord
dispute
complaint
concern
rent
neglected
common areas
issues
unsupervised
unpleasant
pests
invasion
repair

Reading Activity - Tenant & Landlord Disputes: 14 Common Tenant Complaints

Instructions:

Read the following passage about Tenant & Landlord Disputes.
Thereafter, listen to the audio - Tenant & Landlord Disputes: 14 Common Tenant Complaints.

Note: Reading out loud when learning a new language is important because it helps you practice your pronunciation. When you speak the words, you can hear how they sound, and this will improve your speaking skills.

Tenant & Landlord Disputes: 14 Common Tenant Complaints

A tenant is someone who rents a home from a landlord. The landlord is the person who owns or is in charge of the property. Sometimes, tenants have complaints about their living conditions. Landlords are responsible for addressing and resolving their tenants' complaints.

At times, tenants and landlords have disputes. These disputes are also called disagreements. In a tenant-landlord dispute, the tenant wants the landlord to fix something, but the landlord may not agree to do it, or may take a long time to resolve it.

In this lesson, you will learn about different methods for making complaints, various types of homes that people rent, 14 common tenant complaints, and functional conversational phrases that tenants can use when they are complaining or disputing a problem.

8 Methods for Making Complaints

*Before reading about the 8 different methods for making complaints, look at each picture from above, and try to figure out what each method of complaint is.

Complaining is important because it can help us make things better. People can complain in many different ways. Here are 8 different ways in which people can complain:

Talking in person (face-to-face)
When people talk in person about a problem, they use clear words directly.
Composing an email of complaint
People write an email of complaint when they need to explain a problem.
Writing a letter of complaint
In a letter of complaint, people use respectful and clear language to describe their complaint.
Sending a text message
With a text message, people can quickly share an issue.
Speaking on the phone
Speaking on the phone lets people explain their concern directly.
Filling out an online complaint form
When filling out an online complaint form, people answer specific questions about their issue.
Using social media
By using social media, people can post complaints about their issues in short messages.
Leaving a review on a website
Leaving a review lets people write about their own experience on a website.

Types of Homes That People Rent

*Before reading about the different types of homes that people rent, look at each picture from above, and try to figure out what the name of each type of home is.

There are many different types of homes that people rent. Here are 4 types of homes that people choose to rent:

A single detached house
A single detached house is a home that stands alone and is not connected to any other house. This type of home is perfect for families who want privacy. It has its own yard and walls that don’t touch any other house. You can walk all around it!
A semi-detached house
A semi-detached house is a home that is joined to another house on one side. Imagine two houses that share one wall in the middle. Each side is a separate home, but they are connected like twins. It’s great for neighbours who want to live close together.
A townhouse
A townhouse is a home that is part of a row of houses joined together. Townhouses are built in a line, and each one shares walls with the houses next to it. They are usually smaller than detached houses and are common in cities.
An apartment building
An apartment building is a tall building with many homes inside, called apartments. Each apartment is one home in a big building. People live in separate units, but they share things like hallways, elevators, and sometimes laundry rooms.

14 Common Tenant Complaints

*Before reading about the 14 common tenant complaints, look at each picture from above, and try to figure out what each complaint is.

When tenants have problems in their rented homes, they often need to tell their landlord about what is wrong. Complaining is a way to ask for help with fixing issues. There are 14 common tenant complaints.

Neglected Landscape
Dirty Common Areas
Parking Issues
Noisy Neighbours
Unsupervised Children
Unpleasant Smells
Issues With Animals
Pest Infestations
Inadequate Heating Or Cooling
Maintenance Delays
Damage To Common Areas
Safety Concerns
Privacy Invasion
Difficulty Reaching The Landlord

14 Common Tenant ComplaintsLearn English with NETOL

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Conversational Vocabulary To Use When Making A Complaint

When tenants have issues, problems, or concerns in their homes, they need to use phrases that explain what is wrong. There are a few common phrases that tenants can use to complain and ask for help politely. Below is a list of common phrases that tenants might use when complaining about different kinds of issues. Each phrase is simple and clear, making it easier for landlords to understand their tenants' concerns.

"I have a complaint."
"There is an issue."
"I have a problem."
"I am worried."
"This is urgent."
"I need help with this problem."
"Please look into this situation."
"Investigate this problem further."
"Please check this out."
"This needs to be repaired."
"I need help with this situation."
"Please let me know when this can be fixed."
"I am not happy with this situation."
"This situation is not good."
"This problem is ongoing."
"This problem needs to be repaired."
"This needs to be resolved as soon as possible."
"This is unacceptable, and the situation must be resolved."
"I feel worried / disappointed / irritated / upset / disgusted / unsafe / angry / outraged / scared / agitated / anxious / concerned / frustrated / bothered."

Conversational Vocabulary To Use When Making A ComplainLearn English with NETOL

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Requesting Timely Repairs from Your Landlord

It is very important for a tenant to ask a landlord to repair something by a certain date or time because it helps both parties know what to expect. When a repair is scheduled by a specific time, the tenant can plan their day and have the problem repaired at a convenient time. Also, when the landlord schedules a repair date and time, it ensures that complaints and issues are resolved, and it keeps the building well-maintained.

Here are a few different ways a tenant can ask for a repair to be done by a certain date or time:

"Please fix it as soon as possible."
"Please attend to this matter right away."
"Could you repair it by the end of today?"
"I request that the repair be completed by 5 PM today."
"Can you resolve this issue by this afternoon?"
"I need the repair to be finished by this evening."
"Please see to it before noon tomorrow."
"I require that the repair be done by the following day."
"Kindly have it repaired within 24 hours."
"Please address this issue by Friday of this week."
"Please ensure the repair is done by the end of the week."
"Can you take care of it by next month?"
"Can you make sure it is fixed by the agreed date?"
"It is important that the repair is done by the agreed time."
"I ask that you fix the issue by the time we agreed on."

Requesting Timely Repairs from Your LandlordLearn English with NETOL

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Final Thoughts About Tenant and Landlord Disputes and Common Tenant Complaints

In conclusion, tenant and landlord disputes are important problems that need quick solutions because the problems can affect people's daily living conditions. Tenants should know the common complaints that can arise about living conditions, and they must also learn simple phrases to use when they complain to their landlord. Tenants should also know vocabulary that can help them with requesting timely repairs from their landlords. Furthermore, it is necessary for landlords to listen to their tenants' complaints and fix issues quickly, properly, and respectfully.