Talking to a Landlord

Rahul notices water leaking from the bathroom ceiling of his rented flat, so he calls his landlord to report the issue and also discuss renewing the rental agreement.

Meanings in Rahul, Landlord

Key words and phrases

leakagewater escaping from a pipe or ceilingThere's a water leakage in the bathroom ceiling.

plumbera person who repairs pipes and water systemsI need to call a plumber to fix the leak.

repairto fix something that is broken or damagedCan you repair the leaking tap this week?

maintenancethe upkeep and repair of a propertyBasic maintenance is the landlord's responsibility.

renewto extend an agreement for a further periodI'd like to renew the agreement for another year.

agreementa document stating the terms between landlord and tenantOur rental agreement expires next month.

noticeadvance information given before an actionThe landlord gave us a month's notice about the rent hike.

rent hikean increase in the monthly rentThere's a small rent hike this year, about five percent.

inconveniencetrouble or difficulty caused to someoneSorry for the inconvenience caused by the leakage.

inspectto examine something carefullyCan you come and inspect the ceiling today?

fixto repair a problemI hope they can fix it by the weekend.

ceilingthe inner upper surface of a roomThere's a damp patch on the ceiling.

damageharm caused to something, reducing its value or conditionThe leakage has caused some damage to the wall.

tenanta person who rents and lives in a propertyAs a tenant, I should report any repair issues.

landlorda person who owns and rents out propertyI called my landlord about the leaking ceiling.

extendto make an agreement last longerCan we extend the lease by six months?

termsthe conditions of an agreementLet's discuss the terms of the new agreement.

deposita sum of money paid in advance as securityWill the deposit remain the same after renewal?

urgentneeding immediate attentionThis leakage is urgent, please send someone soon.

water tanka container used to store water for a buildingThe water tank on the terrace might be overflowing.

Useful sentences

Ask Hello, is this a good time to talk?
Answer Yes, go ahead, Rahul. What's the matter?
Ask There's a water leakage from the bathroom ceiling.
Answer Oh no, I'll send a plumber to inspect it tomorrow.
Ask Could it be fixed a bit sooner? It's quite urgent.
Answer Sure, I'll ask him to come this evening instead.
Ask Who will bear the cost of the repair?
Answer Don't worry, this kind of maintenance is my responsibility.
Ask Also, I wanted to ask about renewing the agreement.
Answer Yes, it's expiring next month. Do you want to renew it?
Ask Will there be a rent hike this time?
Answer A small increase of about five percent, that's all.
Ask Will the deposit amount stay the same?
Answer Yes, the deposit won't change on renewal.
Ask Can we sign the new agreement next week?
Answer Sure, I'll get the papers ready by then.
Ask Sorry for the inconvenience caused by the leakage.
Answer No problem, thank you for informing me right away.
Ask Should I keep the terms of the agreement the same?
Answer Yes, everything else remains the same except the rent.

Dialogue

RahulHello, sir. Is this a good time to talk?

LandlordYes, go ahead, Rahul. What's the matter?

RahulThere's a water leakage from the bathroom ceiling. It's quite urgent.

LandlordOh no, I'll send a plumber to inspect it this evening.

RahulThank you. Who will bear the cost of the repair?

LandlordDon't worry, this kind of maintenance is my responsibility.

RahulI also wanted to ask about renewing our agreement.

LandlordRight, it's expiring next month. There will be a small rent hike of five percent.

RahulThat's fine. Will the deposit stay the same?

LandlordYes, the deposit won't change. I'll get the papers ready by next week.

Common mistakes

Saying "water is leaking from ceiling" instead of "there's a water leakage from the ceiling" — missing the article and natural phrasing.
Saying "house owner" instead of "landlord" in formal conversation — landlord is the standard term.
Saying "increase the agreement" instead of "renew the agreement" when referring to extending the rental period.
Saying "give notice period" instead of "give notice" — notice period refers to the duration, not the act of informing.
Confusing "repair" and "maintenance" — repair fixes a specific problem, maintenance covers regular upkeep.
Saying "send plumber" instead of "send a plumber" — don't drop the article before a countable noun.

Quick quiz

1. What does "leakage" mean?

2. Complete: "I'd like to ___ the agreement for another year."

3. What is a "rent hike"?

4. A person who repairs pipes and water systems is called a ___.

5. What does "inspect" mean?

6. Complete: "Sorry for the ___ caused by the leakage."

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