IELTS Semi-formal Letter: Letter to landlord regarding early lease termination

The task

You need to break your lease agreement early due to unforeseen circumstances.

Write a letter to your landlord. In your letter:

→inform the landlord that you will be leaving the property
→explain the unforeseen circumstances forcing the move
→propose a way to handle the remaining weeks of the lease and the deposit

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear Sir or Madam,

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8194 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to formally notify you that I must vacate my apartment at 12B Willow Terrace on 30 October, which is unfortunately one month before my current lease agreement expires.

This decision is due to a sudden and unexpected change in my professional circumstances. My company has just informed me that I am being transferred to the Manchester branch effective immediately. As I am required to relocate for this new role, it is no longer feasible for me to maintain my residency here.

I understand that my departure is premature, and I would like to suggest a solution to minimise any inconvenience. I am more than happy to assist in advertising the property and facilitating viewings for prospective tenants to ensure the apartment is re-let as soon as possible. Regarding my security deposit, if a new tenant is secured to move in by 1 November, I kindly request a full refund. Otherwise, I am prepared to forfeit the portion of the deposit covering the final month’s rent to compensate for the vacancy.

Thank you for your understanding during this transition. I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Arthur Penhaligon

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

Write a letter, get a band free →

Examiner's view

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a professional, solution-oriented tone and sophisticated vocabulary. A common Band 6 mistake is failing to propose a concrete solution for the deposit, which results in an incomplete response to the prompt's instructions.

→Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
→Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
→State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

vacate
to leave a building or room permanently
feasible
possible and practical to do easily
premature
happening before the proper or expected time
prospective
people who are expected to become something
forfeit
to lose something as a penalty
transition
the process of changing from one state

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

How many words should an IELTS General Training letter be?+

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

What does the examiner look for?+

Keep practising

More request letters

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