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Housing · English

Rent, deposit, contract, utilities

A1 · 26 wordsA2 · 30 wordsB1 · 25 wordsB2 · 11 words

A1

apartment buildingnoun

The apartment building has a gym on the first floor.

bungalownoun

My grandparents live in a bungalow with no stairs.

co-livingnoun

Co-living spaces offer private rooms alongside shared kitchens and lounges.

cottagenoun

They rented a cottage in the countryside for the summer.

doorbellnoun

She rang the doorbell twice but nobody answered.

dormitorynoun

First-year students are housed in university dormitories.

en suiteadjective

The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom.

first floornoun

The office is on the first floor, up one flight of stairs.

furnishedadjective

Is the apartment furnished?

ground floornoun

The ground floor apartment has a private patio.

house sharenoun

House shares are popular among students and young professionals.

housing estatenoun

The housing estate was built in the 1970s and is now being refurbished.

letting agentnoun

The letting agent manages the property on behalf of the landlord.

mansionnoun

The old mansion was converted into luxury apartments.

move inverb

They plan to move in on the first of the month.

move outverb

The previous tenants moved out last week.

penthousenoun

The penthouse on the top floor has a panoramic terrace.

public housingnoun

She grew up in public housing.

real estatenoun

Real estate prices in the city rose sharply last year.

real estate agentnoun

The real estate agent arranged three showings for them.

shared ownershipnoun

Shared ownership schemes help first-time buyers afford a home.

showingnoun

We scheduled a showing for Saturday morning.

spare roomnoun

They let out the spare room to a lodger.

studio apartmentnoun

He lives in a studio apartment near the university.

tenantnoun

The tenant is responsible for minor repairs.

unfurnishedadjective

They preferred an unfurnished apartment.

A2 · Premium

buildings insurancenoun

Buildings insurance is usually required by mortgage lenders.

chainnoun

The sale fell through when someone broke the property chain.

contents insurancenoun

Contents insurance covers your belongings against theft and damage.

dampadjective

The damp walls need treating before you can redecorate.

evictverb

The landlord moved to evict the tenant for non-payment of rent.

floor plannoun

Study the floor plan carefully before deciding which room to take.

gazumpingnoun

Gazumping is when a seller accepts a higher offer after already agreeing to sell.

ground rentnoun

Ground rent is paid annually to the freeholder of the land.

home loannoun

He took out a twenty-year home loan to buy the house.

housing benefitnoun

Low-income families can apply for housing benefit to help with rent.

housing cooperativenoun

The housing cooperative is run by its members.

inventorynoun

An inventory is completed at the start and end of a tenancy.

loft conversionnoun

A loft conversion added an extra bedroom to the house.

meter readingnoun

Take a meter reading when you move in and when you leave.

moldnoun

Mold appeared on the bathroom walls due to poor ventilation.

negative equitynoun

Falling house prices left many owners in negative equity.

notice periodnoun

The lease requires one month’s notice before leaving.

overcrowdingnoun

Overcrowding in the building caused safety concerns.

planning applicationnoun

They submitted a planning application for a rear extension.

property taxnoun

Property tax funds local schools and services.

rent-to-buynoun

The rent-to-buy scheme lets tenants save while renting.

repossessionnoun

After months of missed payments the bank began repossession proceedings.

service chargenoun

The service charge covers maintenance of the communal areas.

squatternoun

Squatters occupied the empty building for six months.

stamp dutynoun

Stamp duty is paid to the government when you buy a property.

structural surveynoun

A full structural survey revealed cracks in the foundation.

sublettingnoun

The contract prohibited subletting without prior written consent.

surveyornoun

The surveyor found damp in the cellar during the inspection.

tinyadjective

Her first office was tiny.

void periodnoun

Landlords lose rental income during void periods between tenants.

B1 · Premium

bridging loannoun

A bridging loan covered the gap between selling one property and buying another.

brownfield sitenoun

Building on brownfield sites is preferred over developing green countryside.

buy-to-letnoun

Buy-to-let investors purchase properties specifically to rent them out.

closing costsnoun

Closing costs add a significant amount to buying a home.

community land trustnoun

A community land trust removes land from the speculative market to keep homes affordable.

completionnoun

On the day of completion, the buyer receives the keys to the new home.

derelictadjective

The derelict factory stood empty for fifteen years before redevelopment.

eminent domainnoun

The city used eminent domain to acquire land for the road.

energy performance certificatenoun

All homes for sale or rent must have an energy performance certificate.

exchange of contractsnoun

At exchange of contracts, both parties are legally committed to the sale.

homeownershipnoun

Homeownership rates have fallen sharply among younger generations.

housing crisisnoun

The housing crisis has made it impossible for many key workers to afford a home.

housing densitynoun

High housing density is typical of city centers.

housing marketnoun

The housing market slowed down as interest rates rose.

housing stocknoun

The aging housing stock requires significant investment to upgrade.

infill developmentnoun

Infill development fills unused gaps in the urban fabric with new homes.

market rentnoun

Market rent in the city center is unaffordable for most key workers.

mortgageenoun

If payments stop, the mortgagee can begin repossession proceedings.

planning authoritynoun

The planning authority rejected the application on heritage grounds.

planning gainnoun

The developer offered a planning gain in the form of affordable homes.

rent arrearsnoun

Tenants in rent arrears risk losing their home.

rent controlnoun

Rent control laws limit how much landlords can charge or raise the rent.

rent-to-ownnoun

Rent-to-own lets tenants buy the home over time.

tenurenoun

Secure tenure gives tenants the right to remain in their home.

title deednoun

The attorney checked the title deed before closing.

B2 · Premium

build to rentnoun

Build to rent developments are professionally managed and designed specifically for long-term renting.

co-ownershipnoun

Co-ownership schemes allow buyers to purchase a share of a property.

fixed-term leasenoun

A twelve-month fixed-term lease gives both parties security.

ground leasenoun

The building was constructed on a ground lease of 999 years.

guarantornoun

The landlord asked for a guarantor because the tenant had no credit history.

key workernoun

Key workers such as nurses and teachers are often priced out of the city.

micro apartmentnoun

Micro apartments of under 300 square feet appear in expensive cities.

month-to-month leasenoun

After the fixed term, it became a month-to-month lease.

serviced apartmentnoun

Serviced apartments are popular with business travelers staying for weeks at a time.

starter homenoun

A starter home is an entry-level property for first-time buyers.

urban regenerationnoun

Urban regeneration projects have transformed deprived inner-city areas.

Frequently asked

How many English words does the “Housing” topic cover?

92 words, each with a translation and an example sentence: A1 — 26, A2 — 30, B1 — 25, B2 — 11.

Which “Housing” words should I learn first?

With the A1 list: apartment building, bungalow, co-living, cottage, doorbell, dormitory, en suite, first floor, furnished, ground floor. The full level is on this page.

Is the whole “Housing” topic free?

Reading the whole topic is free and needs no account. Practice is free at A1; A2, B1 and B2 need a Premium subscription.

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