Repairs & Maintenance
Use these phrases when you need to report a maintenance issue in your rented home, ask your landlord for repairs, and coordinate the plumber or electrician.
Key Phrases
Se ha roto el grifo de la cocina y pierde mucha agua.
casualThe kitchen tap broke and it is leaking a lot of water.
Use the present perfect to talk about recent events that affect the present.
Hola, te escribo para avisarte que la calefacción no funciona desde ayer.
neutralHi, I am writing to let you know the heating hasn't been working since yesterday.
A standard message to a landlord you have a friendly, established relationship with.
Me pongo en contacto con usted porque tenemos un problema con la cerradura de la entrada.
politeI am contacting you because we have a problem with the front door lock.
Very formal; use this if you deal with a property agency rather than a direct landlord.
Es un problema grande, hace mucho frío y no podemos estar así en la casa.
casualIt is a big problem, it is very cold and we cannot be like this in the house.
Good for emphasizing urgency and discomfort to a landlord you know well.
Es necesario que alguien lo mire pronto, porque no podemos usar el baño.
neutralIt is necessary that someone looks at it soon, because we cannot use the bathroom.
Uses the present subjunctive ('mire') after an impersonal expression of necessity.
¿Puedes mandar a alguien para que lo arregle esta misma semana?
casualCan you send someone to fix it this very week?
The conjunction 'para que' (so that) always triggers the subjunctive ('arregle').
Por favor, necesitamos que vengan a repararlo cuanto antes, si es posible.
neutralPlease, we need them to come fix it as soon as possible, if possible.
'Cuanto antes' is a highly common phrase meaning 'as soon as possible'.
¿Podría llamar a un técnico para que venga a revisarlo hoy mismo?
politeCould you call a technician so they can come check it today?
Uses the conditional ('podría') to make the request sound more polite and less demanding.
Quería saber para cuándo crees que el problema estará solucionado, más o menos.
casualI wanted to know by when you think the problem will be solved, more or less.
A direct but very natural spoken way to ask for an estimated timeline.
¿Me podría confirmar qué día vendrá el fontanero a solucionar la avería?
neutralCould you confirm which day the plumber will come to fix the breakdown?
'Fontanero' is used in Spain; in parts of Latin America, you will hear 'plomero'.
Estaré en casa toda la mañana, así que el técnico puede pasar cuando quiera.
casualI will be home all morning, so the technician can drop by whenever they want.
'Cuando quiera' (whenever they want) uses the subjunctive for future uncertainty.
Por favor, avíseme un rato antes de que vengan para asegurar que haya alguien en casa.
politePlease let me know a while before they come to ensure there is someone at home.
A formal request using the subjunctive twice ('vengan', 'haya').
Oye, sigo esperando al electricista que me dijiste y nadie me ha llamado todavía.
casualHey, I am still waiting for the electrician you told me about and nobody has called me yet.
'Sigo esperando' (I keep waiting) is a very natural way to follow up on a delay.
Te vuelvo a escribir porque el técnico que me comentaste todavía no ha pasado por aquí.
neutralI am writing you again because the technician you mentioned still hasn't come by here.
A polite but firm way to remind the landlord if they or the technician forgot.
¿Me puedes confirmar si este tipo de avería lo cubre el seguro del piso?
neutralCan you confirm if the apartment's insurance covers this kind of breakdown?
'Piso' is commonly used for apartment in Spain, while 'apartamento' or 'departamento' is used elsewhere.
Si prefieres, puedo comprar la pieza que falta yo mismo y luego lo descuentas del alquiler.
casualIf you prefer, I can buy the missing part myself and then you deduct it from the rent.
A common proposal if the landlord is slow to act, allowing you to fix it sooner.