This tool covers the most common landlord-tenant disputes: requesting repairs the landlord has failed to carry out, disputing an unfair deposit deduction, challenging an unlawful Section 21 eviction notice, reporting problems with a letting agent, and notifying a landlord of your intention to leave. Both tenants and landlords can use the tool — landlords can generate formal notices and responses to tenant complaints.

A Section 21 notice is a "no fault" eviction notice served under the Housing Act 1988. It requires you to leave at the end of your fixed term or with two months' notice in a periodic tenancy. However, a Section 21 is invalid if your landlord has not protected your deposit in a government-approved scheme, has not provided you with a gas safety certificate or EPC, has not given you the government's How to Rent guide, or if the property is an unlicensed HMO. LetterDeck can help you draft a letter setting out why you believe the notice is invalid.

If your landlord has not returned your deposit within 10 days of agreeing the amount, or you dispute their deductions, you can raise a dispute with the tenancy deposit scheme (TDS, DPS, or MyDeposits) that holds your deposit. This is free and binding. LetterDeck can help you write a formal letter to your landlord before you escalate, which is often sufficient to prompt a resolution.

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords must keep the structure and exterior of the property in repair, and maintain heating, hot water, gas, electricity, and sanitation installations. They must address repairs within a reasonable time once notified — typically 14 days for urgent issues and 28 days for non-urgent ones. LetterDeck's repair request letter formally notifies your landlord in writing, which is the first step in any enforcement action.