Talking to Your Landlord in Spanish: Reporting a Repair
An example conversation to study — read the Spanish line by line, check the English underneath. A page shows you what to say; saying it out loud is what makes it yours.
- You
Hola, Antonio, ¿qué tal? Soy el inquilino del segundo. Le llamo porque tenemos un problema con la caldera.
Hi Antonio, how are you? I'm the tenant on the second floor. I'm calling because we have a problem with the boiler.
- Antonio
Hola, dime. ¿Qué le pasa?
Hi, tell me. What's wrong with it?
- You
No sale agua caliente desde ayer por la noche. Ya la he apagado y encendido, pero nada.
There's been no hot water since last night. I've already turned it off and on, but nothing.
- Antonio
Vaya. ¿Ha mirado si la presión está bien? Hay un indicador debajo.
Hm. Have you checked whether the pressure is okay? There's a gauge underneath.
- You
Sí, la aguja está en la zona verde. Yo creo que es otra cosa.
Yes, the needle is in the green zone. I think it's something else.
- Antonio
Vale, entonces llamo al técnico. ¿Le viene bien mañana por la mañana?
Okay, then I'll call the repairman. Does tomorrow morning work for you?
- You
Por la mañana trabajo, pero a partir de las cinco estoy en casa. ¿Podría ser por la tarde?
In the morning I work, but from five on I'm home. Could it be in the afternoon?
- Antonio
Le pregunto y le confirmo por WhatsApp. Si es urgente, dígamelo.
I'll ask him and confirm by WhatsApp. If it's urgent, tell me.
- You
Urgente no es, pero llevamos dos días sin agua caliente, así que cuanto antes, mejor.
It's not urgent, but we've been without hot water for two days, so the sooner the better.
- Antonio
Entendido. Y si hay que cambiar alguna pieza, corre de mi cuenta, no se preocupe.
Understood. And if any part needs replacing, that's on me, don't worry.
- You
Perfecto, se lo agradezco. Quedo pendiente de su mensaje. ¡Gracias, Antonio!
Perfect, I appreciate it. I'll keep an eye out for your message. Thanks, Antonio!
What's happening in this conversation
The repair call has a fixed logic: identify yourself, describe the problem, say what you already tried, negotiate the visit, and pin down who pays. Saying what you already tried ("ya la he apagado y encendido") is the power move — it skips the obvious suggestions and signals you're a reasonable tenant.
The other detail worth stealing: "cuanto antes, mejor" — pressure without conflict. You're not demanding; you're stating a fact with a smile.
Key phrases to steal
| Spanish | English | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Soy el inquilino del segundo | I'm the tenant on the second floor | Identify yourself first |
| No sale agua caliente | There's no hot water | "No sale/no hay + thing" for supply problems |
| Ya lo he apagado y encendido | I've already turned it off and on | What you tried — say it up front |
| ¿Podría ser por la tarde? | Could it be in the afternoon? | Negotiating the visit politely |
| Cuanto antes, mejor | The sooner the better | Polite pressure |
| ¿Quién corre con los gastos? | Who covers the costs? | The money question, asked cleanly |
| Quedo pendiente de su mensaje | I'll keep an eye out for your message | Professional-sounding sign-off |
Make it yours
- The broken thing: "la calefacción" (heating), "el grifo pierde agua" (the tap is leaking), "la cerradura no funciona" (the lock doesn't work), "hay una humedad en la pared" (there's a damp patch on the wall).
- Following up: "Hola Antonio, ¿pudo hablar con el técnico?" — short, polite, effective.
- If it IS urgent: "es urgente: hay una fuga de agua" (there's a water leak) changes the whole timetable.
Finding the apartment in the first place — visits, contracts, deposits — is its own vocabulary, covered in our guide to Spanish for renting an apartment. And since this repair conversation usually happens by phone, the survival kit in Spanish for phone calls pairs well with it.
A regional note
"Caldera" is Spain's word for the boiler; in Mexico it's "el boiler" (yes, in English) or "el calentador". Landlord is "el casero" in Spain, "el arrendador" or "el dueño" in much of Latin America — and tenant is "inquilino" almost everywhere. "Se ha estropeado" marks you as Spain-trained; "se descompuso" as Latin America-trained. Both are perfectly understood everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I say something is broken in Spanish?
The all-purpose sentence is 'no funciona' (it doesn't work): 'la caldera no funciona', 'el ascensor no funciona'. 'Está roto/rota' (it's broken) works for physically broken things, and 'se ha estropeado' (Spain) / 'se descompuso' (Mexico) for things that stopped working on their own.
What does 'corre de mi cuenta' mean?
'It's on my account' — the landlord is saying they'll pay. Useful in both directions: 'los gastos de la reparación corren de cuenta del propietario' is the phrase you want if there's any discussion about who pays for what.
Should I use tú or usted with my landlord?
Start with usted, as this dialogue does — it sets a respectful, businesslike tone that helps if you ever need to negotiate. Many landlords will switch to tú themselves ('dime'); mirror whatever they use. In writing (WhatsApp), the same rule applies.
You've read it. Now say it out loud.
Conversations like this one happen every week in live classes with native teachers. That's where reading turns into speaking.
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