Calling the Landlord/Agent
A prospective tenant calls a landlord or real estate agent to inquire about a specific property, ask questions about the lease terms, and schedule a viewing.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
apartment
A place to live, like a flat with rooms for rent. In the US, it's common to say 'apartment' instead of 'flat'. Use it when asking about housing: 'I'm looking for an apartment.'
available
Something that is ready to be used or rented. In renting, ask 'Is it still available?' to check if a place is free.
lease
A legal agreement for renting a place, like a contract. It's often for a set time, such as one year. Say 'lease terms' to ask about the rules.
rent
The money paid to live in a place. It can be a noun (the rent is $1800) or verb (to rent an apartment). Useful for asking costs.
included
Something that is part of a package or price, like utilities in rent. Ask 'What's included in the rent?' to know what you don't pay extra for.
pets
Animals kept at home, like dogs or cats. In renting, check if 'pets are allowed' because many places have rules about them.
deposit
Money paid upfront as security, returned if no damage. In renting, there's often a security deposit; ask about extra ones like pet deposit.
viewing
A visit to see a property before renting. Schedule a 'viewing' by saying 'Can we schedule a viewing?' to see the place in person.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hi, I'm calling about the apartment for rent on Elm Street. Is it still available?
This is a polite way to start a call inquiring about a property. 'I'm calling about' introduces the topic, and 'Is it still available?' is a yes/no question to check status. Useful for beginning rental inquiries; practice the rising intonation for questions.
Could you tell me a bit more about the lease terms? What's the minimum lease period, and what's included in the rent?
This uses 'Could you' for polite requests. It asks for details on rules and costs. 'A bit more about' means additional information. Great for intermediate learners to ask about contracts; note the use of 'and' to connect questions.
The rent of $1800 per month includes water and trash removal. Tenants are responsible for electricity, gas, and internet.
This explains what's covered in the price. 'Includes' lists what's part of the rent; 'are responsible for' means what the renter must pay. Useful for describing rental agreements; 'per month' specifies the payment frequency.
Are pets allowed, and if so, is there an additional pet deposit or monthly fee?
A conditional question: 'if so' means 'if yes'. It checks rules and extra costs. Perfect for asking about pet policies; use 'allowed' for permissions, and note the structure for follow-up details.
Would it be possible to schedule a viewing sometime this week? I'm available on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning.
Polite request with 'Would it be possible to' for scheduling. 'Sometime this week' gives flexibility, and 'I'm available' states your time. Essential for arranging visits; 'or' connects options.
How about Wednesday at 3 PM? Would that work for you?
This suggests a time and checks agreement. 'How about' proposes an idea; 'Would that work' asks if it's okay. Common in scheduling; it's indirect and polite for negotiations.
Could you please send me a confirmation email with the address? My email is [email protected].
A request with 'Could you please' for extra politeness. 'Confirmation email' means proof of the appointment. Useful for getting details in writing; always provide your contact info clearly.
Thank you so much! Goodbye.
A warm ending to a conversation. 'Thank you so much' shows strong gratitude; 'Goodbye' closes the call. Standard polite closure; use 'so much' to emphasize thanks in service situations.