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House Hunting

Reporting Maintenance Issues

After moving in, the tenant discovers a maintenance issue (e.g., a leaking faucet, broken AC) and contacts the landlord or property management to report it and request a repair.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
tenant (Female)
Hi Mr. Harrison, I hope you're having a good day. I'm calling about a maintenance issue at the apartment on Elm Street.
2
landlord (Male)
Hello, Emma. Yes, I'm doing well, thank you. What seems to be the problem?
3
tenant (Female)
Well, the faucet in the kitchen sink has started leaking pretty consistently overnight, and the AC unit in the living room isn't blowing cold air at all. It just seems to be circulating warm air.
4
landlord (Male)
Oh, I see. That sounds like a hassle. Did the AC just stop working, or has it been acting up for a while?
5
tenant (Female)
The AC was fine yesterday, but this morning it just wasn't cooling. And the leak from the faucet seems to have gotten worse since last night.
6
landlord (Male)
Alright, I'll send our maintenance technician, Mark, over to take a look. How does tomorrow afternoon, say between 1 PM and 3 PM, sound for you?
7
tenant (Female)
That works perfectly. I'll be home then. Should I expect him to call before he arrives?
8
landlord (Male)
Yes, he'll give you a call about 30 minutes before he heads over. He's usually pretty good about fixing things on the first visit. Thanks for letting me know.
9
tenant (Female)
Great, thanks so much, Mr. Harrison. I appreciate your quick response.
10
landlord (Male)
You're welcome, Emma. We'll get this sorted out for you. Have a good rest of your day.

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

maintenance

The work of keeping buildings or equipment in good condition by fixing problems, like repairing a leak.

faucet

A device in a sink that controls the flow of water; it's like a tap in British English.

leaking

When water or liquid slowly comes out from a crack or hole, often needing repair.

AC unit

Short for air conditioner unit, a machine that cools the air in a room.

hassle

An annoying or inconvenient situation that causes trouble, like a broken appliance.

acting up

When a machine or device starts not working properly or behaving strangely.

technician

A skilled person who repairs equipment or systems, like a repair worker.

sorted out

To fix or resolve a problem completely, often used in casual conversations.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

I'm calling about a maintenance issue at the apartment on Elm Street.

This is a polite way to start a phone call reporting a problem; use it to clearly state the purpose. 'Maintenance issue' is a common phrase for repair needs.

What seems to be the problem?

A helpful question to ask for details about an issue; 'seems to be' softens the question, making it polite and indirect.

The faucet in the kitchen sink has started leaking pretty consistently overnight.

Describes a specific problem with details like time and frequency; useful for explaining issues clearly. 'Pretty consistently' means regularly or often.

That sounds like a hassle.

Shows empathy for the person's trouble; 'sounds like' expresses an opinion based on description. Use this to build rapport in conversations.

I'll send our maintenance technician over to take a look.

Offers a solution by promising action; 'take a look' is informal for 'examine.' This sentence reassures the other person.

How does tomorrow afternoon, say between 1 PM and 3 PM, sound for you?

Suggests a time slot politely; 'say' means 'for example,' and 'sound for you' asks for agreement. Useful for scheduling appointments.

Thanks for letting me know.

Expresses appreciation for sharing information; common in customer service. Use it to end positively.

We'll get this sorted out for you.

Promises to fix the problem; 'get something sorted out' is a phrasal verb meaning to resolve. It gives assurance in service situations.