How to Send a Legally Binding Complaint Letter to Your Landlord

You've tried to be patient. But it's time to officially send a . And now you're struggling.

There are 43.6 million rent-based households across the country. And you should know that if you're concerned about a situation with your landlord, you're not alone. Sending a complaint letter to a landlord is a common practice that serves an important purpose.

There is a process for filing an official complaint letter with your landlord. You don't want to go about it all wrong and risk not finding a resolution to your problem, or worse yet, get evicted. You need to know your rights as a tenant. You need samples and guidance on how to write and what to include in your complaint letter to the landlord. And after conducting a few Google searches and scanning the advice out there, you know you're in for a tedious project.

Here's what every loyal tenant needs to know about officially submitting a complaint letter to the landlord. And you'll be excited to learn about how DoNotPay has a hassle-free option you'll love.

Situations That Might Warrant a Complaint Letter to Your Landlord

Before you take any first steps to pursue a complaint letter to your landlord, you want to be sure you have grounds to complain in the first place. And your state might outline precise laws about timelines for repairs, communication, and recourse. You can always start browsing those state-based resources.

But, in general, there are a few more common scenarios that definitely warrant a complaint letter to the landlord. Here are just a few that might resonate with your concerns right now.

Failure to make repairs to the property.
Entering the property without your knowledge or permission.
Harassment of any kind.
Unreasonable or unforeseen charges to dispute.
Deposit refund challenges.
Noise complaints.
Neighbor complaints.

Tenant Rights According to Your State and Lease Terms

More specific to repair issues, there are some property concerns that will require more timely responses than others. For example, if your air conditioner is out during peak summer seasons, it's a little more pressing than a non-functioning steam cycle on the dishwasher. Both repairs might warrant a complaint letter to the landlord. But you'll want to prioritize your requests.

Also, it's worth pointing out that different states have different guidelines regarding the timely repairs of certain rental property features. Some may have strict laws about immediate repairs for running water, but not air conditioning units. You'll want to know what laws apply to your specific area when submitting a complaint letter to your landlord.

Check the language in your lease, too. There could be useful terms worth noting in your letter. And there may even be an outline for how to submit a complaint letter to your landlord specifically.

Where to Begin When Writing a Complaint Letter to Your Landlord

It's best to first notify your landlord of your concern. Often, landlords—especially out-of-town property owners—are unaware of condition problems. Or, in some cases, they might not realize the seriousness of the situation until the tenant brings the issue to the landlord's attention. Writing a complaint letter to your landlord might not be necessary just yet.

The Sample Letter

Let's assume you have a cockroach problem. And you're ready to send a complaint letter to your landlord demanding a resolution. Your letter might read like this:

Dear Landlord,

I have discovered roaches in my apartment. This poses a health hazard and is unsanitary. With more cockroaches appearing, it also creates an unpleasant living environment. I have sent an email requesting assistance and left two voicemails regarding this issue over the last ten days. Unfortunately, I have not heard a response to these concerns. Therefore, this letter is my next attempt at resolving this issue.

My apartment number is 503B in the ABC Apartment Village. I signed my lease in July of 2019 and have enclosed a copy for your convenience. I had planned to renew my lease next quarter. However, if I continue to see roaches without communication, I will be moving.

Please schedule an exterminator no later than March 20th. If you fail to provide a remedy or do not respond to this request, I will contact Better Business next.

I can be reached at (555) 555-5555. I hope to hear from you soon.

Collect Your Evidence

Using the sample, you can start drafting your complaint letter to the landlord. And there are other considerations to prove your case, as well. In this case, if you have pests to contend with, pictures of damage or pests themselves can reinforce your evidence and the seriousness of the situation.

The Complaint Letter Checklist

When you sit down to write your complaint letter to the landlord, you'll want to create a checklist. Just be sure that your complaint letter includes:

Details about the issue that you're experiencing
Propose one or more reasonable solutions
Describe potential consequences, like health problems, fire hazards, or burglary risks
Ask for the landlord's response within a specific amount of time (for example, five business days.)

How to Officially Send Your Complaint Letter to a Landlord

With your in hand, your next step is to mail or deliver the notice. Start by mailing or delivering your notice to wherever you pay rent. If your lease lists other addresses or methods of communication, use those as well. Don't forget to sign your complaint letter to the landlord and keep a copy for your own records.

Should you need to escalate your issue to court or withhold rent, you'll need all the proof of communication, mail delivery, and notices. Document everything ongoing to ensure you have the evidence you need to stand your ground.

Tips for Asking Your Landlord for Repairs

Before you escalate the situation, exhaust these tips that might push your landlord to fix your problem.

Be Detailed About Repair Problems (And Document It!)	Keeping documentation about the repairs and your contact with your landlord is more for your own safety and protection in case problems aren't resolved, and you must take them to court. However, being detailed in your repair notice helps the landlord understand the problem entirely so that they can take care of it as soon as possible.
Make Sure the Repair IS Your Landlord's Responsibility First	Damages like a hole in the roof that you put there or an appliance (that you made) are on you to repair before you move. Only repairs due to normal wear and tear in the rental unit are up to the landlord to take care of for you. Try not to send a letter about repairs you must make.
Give Your Landlord Time to Respond	Unless the repair is a case of emergency, give your landlord some time to respond to your notice before taking serious action. More often than not, they will fix the repair — they just need to make time in their busy schedules to do it.

How DoNotPay Can Help You Handle Those Landlord Complaint Letters

If you don't have the means or access to draft a complaint to your landlord, you'll maybe need to find someone who can help. And if you don't consider yourself to be a wordsmith, able to write out your list of landlord grievances, you'll need help, too. Lucky for you, DoNotPay can help guide you through whatever steps to take next. And we'll do it on your behalf with our Landlord Protection products.

Our Landlord Protection product can help you:

Get back your security deposits
Learn about your state's eviction laws and what protections apply in your case
Resolve disputes regarding repairs with your landlord
Resolve conflicts with roommates by filing demand letters or going through small claims court
Break your lease early

If you do need to break the terms of your lease early, regardless of your home state, DoNotPay has you covered in four easy steps:

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.

And that's it! You should hear back from your landlord directly once your demands are sent.

Why You'll Love the DoNotPay Way of Engaging Your Landlord

If you don't have the free time nor the patience to sit down to write a complaint letter to your landlord, you'll love the DoNotPay solution because it's:

Fast—You don't have to spend hours trying to find sample letters and write one.
Easy—You don't have to struggle to refresh your memory about legal guidelines in your state about complaint letters to the landlord.
Successful—You can rest assured knowing we'll make the best case for you and get the resolution you need quickly!

DoNotPay Can Do More Than Just Send Complaint Letters to Your Landlord

Once you see how easy and hassle-free it is to use DoNotPay for a complaint letter to your landlord, you'll want to use the Landlord Protection product for everything rent-related! DoNotPay can help you:

Fight an eviction notice
Sue a landlord
Kick out a roommate

And the best part is, DoNotPay can help you navigate the legalities in any state, from Florida to California!

All of Your Legal or Official Tasks Can Be Easy With DoNotPay

Now you're asking what else DoNotPay can help you do. And the list of the tedious tasks made simple is long. Check out some of the other DoNotPay products to help you with:

Get your landlord's attention the right way by submitting an official complaint letter. And let DoNotPay help make it the easiest request you ever send!