How to ask a landlord for a repair in writing
Ask a landlord for a repair in writing by email, letter or the tenant portal: describe the problem, where it is, when it started and how it affects you, attach dated photos, and ask for a repair by a reasonable date. Keep a copy and follow up in writing if nothing happens. For urgent problems such as no heat, no water or a leak, call first and then confirm in writing.
Why it matters: A written request creates the record that wins disputes.
Steps
- Take dated photos or a short video of the problem.
- Write the request: what is wrong, where, when it started and how it affects you.
- Ask for the repair by a specific, reasonable date and offer access times.
- Send it by the method your lease names, such as the portal or email, and keep a copy.
- For urgent issues like no heat, no water, a gas smell or a major leak, call immediately and then follow up in writing.
- If nothing happens by the date, send a polite written follow-up that refers to the first request.
- Log every contact with date, time and what was said.
Stop and call a professional if
- the repair affects health or safety and the landlord does not respond: contact your local housing code office or a tenant rights organization
- you are thinking about withholding rent or repairing and deducting: get legal advice for your state first
Questions to ask the professional
- What does my state require the landlord to fix, and how quickly?
- What steps must I take before any rent remedy is allowed?
Common mistakes
- Only mentioning it in passing when you see the landlord.
- Withholding rent without legal advice, which can lead to eviction in many states.
- Doing a repair yourself and deducting it without checking your state's rules.
Outside the US or in another state: Repair duties, deadlines and tenant remedies are set by each state and many cities.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to ask a landlord for a repair in writing
What to say
Ask a landlord for a repair in writing by email, letter or the tenant portal: describe the problem, where it is, when it started and how it affects you, attach dated photos, and ask for a repair by a reasonable date. Keep a copy and follow up in writing if nothing happens. For urgent problems such as no heat, no water or a leak, call first and then confirm in writing.
What to show
- Take dated photos or a short video of the problem.
- Write the request: what is wrong, where, when it started and how it affects you.
- Ask for the repair by a specific, reasonable date and offer access times.
- Send it by the method your lease names, such as the portal or email, and keep a copy.
- For urgent issues like no heat, no water, a gas smell or a major leak, call immediately and then follow up in writing.
- If nothing happens by the date, send a polite written follow-up that refers to the first request.
- Log every contact with date, time and what was said.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if the repair affects health or safety and the landlord does not respond: contact your local housing code office or a tenant rights organization.
Check question
Why put a repair request in writing?
Answer: It creates a dated record. A dated record shows when the landlord was told.
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Related skills
Sources
- US state tenant and landlord handbooks, general guidance, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .