English speaking lesson · Home & Living
Renting an apartment
You're touring an apartment you're considering renting, with the landlord showing you around. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
An apartment viewing · you talk to the landlord / agent
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Ask the key questions about rent, what's included, and the lease, then decide whether to apply. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Welcome! Thanks for coming to see the place — feel free to look around. What would you like to know?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the landlord / agent.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Ask about the rent
Say hello, and ask about the rent.
“This looks nice! How much is the rent?”
- 02
Ask what's included
Listen to the rent, then ask what's included.
“Good to know — is anything included, like the kitchen appliances?”
- 03
Ask about the lease
Listen to what's included, then ask about the lease terms.
“Great — how long is the lease?”
- 04
Check the details
Check all the details are right for you.
“Yes, that all sounds good — thanks.”
- 05
Decide to apply
Say if you'd like to apply, and find out the next step.
“Yes, I'd like to apply! What's the next step?”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the landlord / agent.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- rent
- money paid regularly to live somewhere
- “How much is the rent?”
- apartment
- a home within a larger building
- “I really like this apartment.”
- month
- a period of about thirty days
- “How much is it a month?”
- kitchen
- the room where you cook
- “The kitchen looks great.”
- bedroom
- the room where you sleep
- “Is there one bedroom or two?”
- parking
- a place to leave a car
- “Is there parking included?”
- deposit
- money paid upfront, returned later
- “How much is the deposit?”
- lease
- a rental agreement
- “How long is the lease?”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “Could I see it again, please?”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks for showing me around.”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- utilities
- services like water, gas, and electricity
- “Are utilities included in the rent?”
- included
- counted as part of something
- “Is parking included?”
- furnished
- already fitted with furniture
- “Is the apartment furnished?”
- application
- a formal request, usually with a form
- “How do I start the application?”
- tenant
- a person who rents a place to live
- “What are the tenant's responsibilities?”
- landlord
- the person who owns and rents out the place
- “Is the landlord easy to reach?”
- notice
- advance warning before something happens
- “How much notice do I need to give?”
- viewing
- a visit to look at a property
- “Thanks for arranging the viewing.”
- available
- free to be rented or used
- “When is it available from?”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for something
- “I really appreciate you explaining that.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- tenancy
- the period and terms of renting
- “What's the standard tenancy length here?”
- clause
- a specific section of a contract
- “Is there a clause about pets?”
- renewal
- extending an agreement past its end date
- “How does renewal usually work?”
- sublet
- renting out your rented place to someone else
- “Would I be able to sublet it?”
- amenities
- useful or enjoyable features of a place
- “What amenities come with the building?”
- inspection
- an official check of the property's condition
- “How often is the inspection done?”
- guarantor
- someone who agrees to cover the rent if needed
- “Would I need a guarantor?”
- arrears
- rent that is overdue and unpaid
- “What happens if I fall into arrears?”
- negotiate
- to discuss and try to reach agreed terms
- “Is there any room to negotiate the rent?”
- prorated
- adjusted proportionally for partial periods
- “Is the first month's rent prorated?”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- turnkey
- ready to move into immediately
- “It's a fully turnkey apartment.”
- vacate
- to leave a property empty
- “When would I need to vacate if I left?”
- habitable
- fit and safe to live in
- “The whole place is perfectly habitable.”
- footprint
- the amount of floor space a place takes up
- “It's got a decent footprint for the price.”
- fixture
- something permanently attached, like a light fitting
- “Is every fixture included in the rent?”
- stopgap
- a temporary solution until something better comes along
- “It'd be a good stopgap for now.”
- leasehold
- ownership of a property for a fixed period
- “Is this a leasehold or a rental?”
- negotiable
- open to discussion and change
- “Is the move-in date negotiable?”
- dilapidation
- wear and damage a tenant must cover
- “What's the policy on dilapidation?”
- covenant
- a formal promise written into the lease
- “Is there a covenant about noise?”
More Home & Living lessons
- Reporting a repair
- Calling a plumber
- Getting internet installed
- Moving day
- Furniture delivery
- Meeting a neighbour
- Talking to the building manager
- Setting up utilities
- Home insurance