How to request repairs from your landlord and get them done

When you request repairs from your landlord, a clear report helps the owner or property manager decide what to do and call the right pro sooner. They still have to assess the problem and respond. A vague call on a Friday evening often means another round of questions next week, while the faucet keeps dripping.

Why repair requests stall

Most delays have ordinary causes. The owner got your message but couldn't tell how serious it was. The plumber needed a photo of the pipe and nobody asked for one. You agreed on a visit by phone, and nobody remembered the time. A week later you explain the whole thing again, to someone new.

You can't speed up someone else's inbox. You can send enough information for them to assess the problem and arrange the next step.

Before you write: check your lease

Leases usually say who handles what. Small upkeep, like replacing light bulbs or batteries in a smoke detector, is often the tenant's job. Problems with plumbing, heating, electrical systems, the roof or included appliances usually fall to the owner. Damage caused by a tenant or a guest is a different case again.

Take two minutes to check:

• Who to contact. The owner directly, a property manager or a building manager.
• How the lease asks you to report repairs. Some name an email address, a portal or a phone number.
• Anything about emergencies. An after-hours number, or a plumber you're allowed to call yourself.

Rules on repairs, deadlines and what tenants may do when repairs don't happen vary by country, state and city. Check the rules where you live before you take any step beyond asking.

What to include in your request

Write it so that someone who has never seen your home can understand the problem and decide what to do. Include:

• What's wrong, in plain words: "The kitchen faucet drips constantly, even when fully closed."
• Where exactly: the room and the spot ("under the bathroom sink, at the back").
• Since when, and whether it's getting worse.
• What you've already tried, if anything: "I tightened the handle; it didn't help."
• Photos or a short video. A 10-second video of a noise or a leak saves a lot of explaining.
• When someone can come in, and anything they should know: pets, a gate code, parking.
• How to reach you: phone number and the best times.

Here's an example you can adapt:

Hi Ana, the kitchen faucet in Apt 4B has been dripping since Monday, even when it's fully closed, and it's getting faster. I've attached a photo and a short video. I'm home after 5 PM on weekdays and all day Saturday. If a weekday morning is easier, a pro can come in between 9 AM and 12 PM with the spare key from the building manager, as long as you confirm the day first. My number is (312) 555-0142. Thanks!

Keep one problem per message when you can. Two unrelated problems in one long message often means one of them gets forgotten.

Send it in writing

A written request gives both sides a record: what you reported, when, and with which photos. Use the channel your lease names. If there isn't one, an email or a text message works, as long as you keep a copy.

If you mentioned the problem in person or on a call, follow up with a short written message the same day: "As we discussed this morning, the bathroom fan stopped working. Photos attached."

Emergencies come first. If you smell gas, leave the home and call the gas company's emergency line or emergency services. For a major leak, no heat in freezing weather or a door that won't lock, call the owner or the emergency number right away, then send a written message so the report has a date and time.

Make the visit easy

Once someone schedules a visit, a few small things help the pro finish in one trip:

• Confirm the date and time window in writing.
• Clear the area: empty the cabinet under the sink, move furniture away from the wall.
• Put pets in another room.
• If you won't be home, agree in writing on how the pro gets in.

Many places require the owner to give notice before entering your home, except in emergencies. Your lease and local rules say how much notice applies to you.

If you don't hear back

The owner may not have seen your message yet. Give it a reasonable time for the kind of problem, then follow up in the same thread:

1. A short reminder. "Following up on the dripping faucet I reported on Monday. Could you let me know when someone can come?"
2. A second written follow-up with the dates of your earlier messages and a polite request for a date.
3. A call, followed by a written summary of what you agreed.

Before you withhold rent, deduct repair costs or arrange a repair yourself, check the rules and the required steps where you live with a local tenant advice service or legal aid provider. Some places allow these steps only after written notice and a waiting period; in others, withholding rent can put your tenancy at risk. If the problem affects your health or safety and nothing happens, the same services can tell you what options you have.

After the repair

When the pro finishes, check that the problem is solved in normal use: run the water, flush the toilet twice. After an electrical repair, only use the switch or outlet the way you normally would, and only if the pro says it's safe; never open panels or covers. Then reply in writing: "The faucet was fixed today, thanks." If it isn't fixed, say so right away, with a new photo.

Keep your requests, photos and replies together in one folder or note. At move-out, that record shows which problems you reported and when, which helps tell normal wear from damage. Our move-in inspection checklist explains how to start that record on your first day.

How RentalThread will make it easier

With RentalThread, you'll report a problem from your phone with photos or a video. AI will turn your message into a clear request, and you'll review it before it's sent. You'll see who's coming and when, and the whole repair will stay in one thread you can scroll back through: the request, the visit, the fix. Your rent receipts, your lease and past repairs will sit in the same place.

Owners and managers will see the same thread, so nobody has to ask for the photos twice. More on what's planned for tenants.