Letter to a new neighbour regarding a missing bin

The task

A new neighbour has moved in next door and has taken your main rubbish bin.

Write a letter to your new neighbour requesting that they return the item. In your letter:

→explain that new bins must be sourced from the local council
→request that the person returns your bin immediately
→inform the person of what further actions you will take should they not return your bin

Write at least 150 words. You do not need to write any addresses. Begin your letter: Dear ...,

Model answer

Band 8 sample letter

Band 8194 words. Names and details are invented; write your own.

Dear Mr. Henderson,

I am writing to you as your neighbour at number 42. Since you moved into the property next door last weekend, I have noticed that my main household rubbish bin has disappeared from the kerbside.

I suspect that you may have inadvertently taken it, as I noticed a bin similar to mine sitting in your driveway this morning. Please be aware that in this district, bins are registered to specific addresses and must be sourced directly from the local council. They provide these containers based on household size, and using a bin assigned to a different property can lead to collection issues for both of us.

Could you please return my bin to my front garden by this evening? It is currently full, and I have a collection scheduled for tomorrow morning.

If the bin is not returned by tonight, I will have no choice but to contact the council to report it as stolen and request a replacement, which would unfortunately involve filing a formal incident report. I would much prefer to resolve this matter amicably between ourselves.

Thank you for your prompt assistance with this.

Best wishes,

Julian Thorne

Write your own and get a band

Answer this prompt in a timed General Training writing test and get a band for task achievement, coherence, vocabulary and grammar, with the sentences to fix.

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Examiner's view

Why this scores well

A Band 8 response clearly addresses all three bullet points with a consistent, polite yet firm semi-formal tone that maintains neighbourly relations. A common Band 6 error is using an overly aggressive or accusatory tone, or failing to explain the specific council policy regarding bin ownership.

→Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.
→Polite and friendly at once: a few contractions are fine, slang is not. Close with Yours sincerely or Kind regards.
→State the purpose in the first two sentences; small talk costs words you need for the bullets.

6 phrases

Useful phrases from the letter

inadvertently
happening by accident or without intending to
kerbside
the area by the side of the road
sourced
to obtain something from a particular source
amicably
in a friendly and peaceable manner
incident report
an official document recording a specific event
prompt
done without delay or immediate action taken

Frequently asked questions

Is this letter formal or informal?+

Semi-formal. Write to someone you know but not closely, such as a manager, landlord or neighbour, using their title and surname.

How many words should an IELTS General Training letter be?+

At least 150 words, and 160 to 200 is the comfortable range. Spend about 20 minutes on it and leave 40 for Task 2, which carries twice the marks.

What does the examiner look for?+

Keep practising

More request letters

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