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Property Management Vocabulary

159 English words for managing, renting and maintaining buildings, each explained in plain English.

This glossary is for property managers, caretakers, letting agents and anyone who deals with tenants in English. It covers the words you need for everyday work: the parts of a building, repairs and maintenance, heating and water, pests, rental contracts, money and the legal side. Where British and American English use different words, both are given.

The original list is also available as a PDF to print or keep on your phone.

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Rooms and parts of a building (24)

basement
A floor of a building that is partly or completely below ground level.
ceiling
The top surface of a room, above your head.
cellar
An underground room, usually used for storage.
closet
A small room or built-in cupboard for storing or hanging clothes. Mainly American English.
corridor
A long, narrow passage inside a building, with doors to rooms or flats.
courtyard
An open space behind or inside a building, often closed in on all four sides.
door frame
The fixed wooden or metal frame around a door opening.
doorbell panel
The panel at the main entrance with the residents' names and a bell for each flat.
elevator
American English for lift: a machine that carries people or goods between floors.
facade
The front or outside face of a building, especially its design.
floor
The surface you walk on inside a room. Also one level of a building: a flat on the third floor.
floor plan
A drawing to scale that shows the rooms on one level of a building.
front building
The part of a property that faces the street. Flats behind it, across a courtyard, are in the rear building.
gutter
A channel along the edge of a roof that carries rainwater away.
intercom
A speaker system that lets you talk to a visitor at the entrance before you let them in.
interior wall
A wall inside a building that separates rooms. Walls that face the weather are exterior walls.
letterbox
A slot in a door, or a box on a wall, where post is delivered.
lift
British English for elevator: a machine that carries people or goods between floors.
nameplate
A small sign with a resident's name, on a door or letterbox, so post reaches the right flat.
roof
The top outer covering of a building, often made of tiles.
stairs
A set of steps for going from one level of a building to another.
stairwell
The part of a building that contains the stairs.
window
An opening in a wall, filled with glass, that lets in light and air.
window sill
The flat ledge at the bottom of a window, usually on the inside.

Kitchen and bathroom (17)

bathtub
A long container that you fill with water and lie in to wash.
cooker hood
A unit above the cooker that takes away steam and cooking smells.
dishwasher
A machine that washes plates, glasses and cutlery.
faucet
American English for tap.
fitted kitchen
A kitchen where the cupboards and appliances are built in as one unit.
to flush
To clean a toilet bowl by sending water through it. The flush is also the handle or button you press.
fully equipped kitchen
A kitchen that comes with all the appliances you need: cooker, fridge, sink and so on.
hob
The flat top of a cooker, where you put pans. American English: stovetop.
induction hob
A hob that heats pans with a magnetic field. It only works with pans that a magnet sticks to.
kitchen appliances
Large electrical machines in a kitchen, such as a fridge, cooker, dishwasher or washing machine.
oven
The closed part of a cooker, used for baking and roasting.
shower
A device that sprays water over you so you can wash standing up.
sink
A basin with taps, for washing dishes in a kitchen or hands in a bathroom.
tap
The device you turn to let water out of a pipe. American English: faucet.
toilet seat
The hinged seat on top of a toilet bowl.
washer-dryer
One machine that both washes and dries clothes.
washing machine
A machine for washing clothes.

Fixtures, fittings and furniture (18)

alarm
A device that makes a loud noise as a warning, for example a smoke alarm or a burglar alarm.
baseboard
American English for skirting board.
carpet
A thick fabric covering for a floor.
cupboard
A piece of furniture or a built-in space with shelves and a door, for storing things.
curtain
A piece of cloth that hangs over a window and can be pulled across to cover it.
cylinder
In a door lock, the part the key goes into. It is replaced when keys are lost.
display case
A glass cabinet for showing objects, often valuable ones.
door handle
The part of a door that you hold and turn or push to open it.
door lock
A device that keeps a door shut until it is opened with a key.
lighting
The lights in a building or room, or the light they give.
parquet flooring
A floor made of small blocks of wood laid in a pattern.
skirting board
A strip of wood along the bottom of a wall, where it meets the floor. American English: baseboard.
smoke alarm
A device that makes a loud noise when it detects smoke.
socket
The point in a wall where you plug in an electrical device. Also called a plug socket (British English) or an outlet (American English).
tile
A thin, hard square of ceramic or stone used to cover walls and floors, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.
wall plug
A small plastic sleeve pushed into a drilled hole so that a screw holds firmly. In the UK often called a Rawlplug.
wallpaper
Printed paper stuck to walls to decorate them.
wardrobe
A tall cupboard for hanging clothes.

Heating, water and electricity (16)

to bleed a radiator
To let trapped air out of a radiator so that it heats properly.
blocked pipe
A pipe that water cannot flow through because something is stuck inside it.
cable TV
Television received through a cable connection, usually paid for by monthly subscription.
drain
A pipe that carries waste water away.
electricity supply
The connection that brings power to a building from the public grid.
fuse
A safety device that cuts the power when too much current flows, to protect people and equipment.
fuse box
The box with the fuses or circuit breakers for a flat. If the power goes off suddenly, check here first.
heating
The system that keeps a building warm.
heating pipe
A pipe that carries hot water to the radiators.
hot and cold running water
Water from the taps, both heated and cold, supplied through pipes.
insulation
Material that stops heat escaping from a building, or noise passing through walls.
leak
Water or gas escaping through a hole or crack where it should not.
pilot light
The small flame that stays lit in a gas boiler and lights the main burner.
seal
A strip of rubber or silicone that stops water or air getting through a joint.
underfloor heating
Pipes or cables under the floor that heat the room from below.
water supply
The pipes that bring water into a building and to each flat.

Repairs, maintenance and building work (16)

construction defects
Faults in a building caused by poor design or poor work when it was built.
cosmetic repairs
Small decorating jobs, such as painting walls or filling small holes, that keep a flat looking good. Many rental contracts make the tenant responsible for them.
drying equipment
Fans and dehumidifiers used after a leak to dry walls and floors and stop mould growing.
filler
A paste used to fill holes and cracks in walls before painting.
gardening
Looking after the outdoor areas of a property: lawns, plants, hedges.
grout
The paste that fills the gaps between tiles.
house cleaning
Regular cleaning of the shared parts of a building, such as the stairwell and entrance.
in working order
Working properly. All appliances must be in working order at handover.
inspection report
A written report on the condition of a building or flat.
limescale
The hard white layer that hard water leaves on taps, showers and kettles.
maintenance service
The service you call when something in a building needs fixing or regular checking.
plaster
A smooth layer spread over interior walls and ceilings before they are painted.
refurbishment
Work to bring a building or flat back to good condition.
renovation
Work to repair and improve a building, often making it more modern.
repair service
A company you call to fix a fault in a flat or building.
schedule
A plan that shows when each job will happen.

Pests and problems (9)

bee
A flying insect that can sting and makes honey.
mould
A furry black or green growth on damp walls and ceilings. American English: mold.
noise pollution
Noise that is loud or constant enough to cause stress or harm health.
ongoing disturbance
A problem, such as noise, that continues and is not solved quickly.
pest control
A company that removes insects, rats or mice from a building.
rat infestation
A large number of rats living in a building.
smells
Unpleasant odours, for example from drains or rubbish.
wasp
A yellow and black flying insect that stings.
water damage
Damage caused by leaking pipes, floods or rain coming in.

Renting, contracts and money (34)

agreement
A decision or contract that two or more people accept.
brokerage
The business of bringing buyers and sellers, or landlords and tenants, together. Also the fee for this.
claim
A demand for money, for example a landlord asking a tenant to pay for damage.
commercial property
Property used for business, such as offices, shops and warehouses, rather than homes.
communal living
A way of living where several people share a home and its costs.
default
Failing to pay rent or a loan on time.
deposit
Money a tenant pays at the start of a tenancy as security. It is paid back at the end, minus the cost of any damage.
dunning
Sending repeated reminders to demand payment of a debt.
early termination
Ending a rental contract before the agreed date. Also called premature termination.
fee
Money paid for a service.
guarantor
A person who agrees to pay a tenant's rent if the tenant cannot.
handover report
A document that records the condition of a flat and the meter readings when the keys change hands. Also called a handover certificate.
housing allowance
Money from the state to help people pay their rent.
instalment contract
An agreement to pay an amount in several parts, for example a deposit paid over three months.
interest rate
The percentage a lender charges for lending money.
keeping of animals
The rules in a rental contract about pets.
lessor
The owner who rents out a property under a lease. The person who rents it is the lessee.
loan
Money you borrow and must pay back, usually with interest.
mortgage
A loan to buy a home or other property, with the property as security.
negotiation
Discussing the terms of a deal until both sides agree.
neighbourhood
The area around a place, and the people who live there. American English: neighborhood.
notice period
The time you must give in advance before ending a contract.
operating costs
The day-to-day costs of running a building, such as cleaning, waste collection and insurance. Often passed on to tenants as service charges. Also called operational costs.
payment by instalments
Paying a sum in smaller parts over time.
proof of rent payment
A letter from a previous landlord confirming that the rent was always paid.
property taxes
Taxes paid by the owner of land or buildings.
real estate commission
The fee paid to an agent who arranges a sale or rental, usually a percentage of the price.
to rent
To pay to use a property, or to let someone use your property for money. British English also uses to let.
rent increase
A rise in the rent.
rent reduction
Paying less rent while a serious problem in the flat is not fixed. A tenant who asks for this makes a rent reduction claim.
self-disclosure form
A form where someone applying for a flat gives details of their income, job and rental history.
to sublet
To rent your flat, or part of it, to someone else while you are still the tenant.
suitable tenant
A person who is a good fit to take over a flat.
viewing appointment
An agreed time to look round a flat before deciding to rent it.

People, services and waste (13)

accountant
A person whose job is to prepare and check financial records.
bookkeeper
A person who keeps a company's day-to-day financial records.
bulky waste
Large items, such as furniture or fridges, that cannot go in normal bins.
carer
A person who looks after someone who cannot fully look after themselves.
caretaker
A person employed to look after a building and do small repairs. American English: janitor.
construction manager
A person who plans and supervises building work on site.
garbage
American English for rubbish.
janitor
American English for caretaker.
job centre
A government office that helps people find work and pays unemployment benefits.
property developer
A person or company that buys land or buildings, builds or renovates, and then sells or rents them out.
rubbish
Things you throw away. American English: garbage or trash.
rubbish disposal
The way waste is collected and taken away from a property.
service company
A company that does work for a property owner, such as cleaning, gardening or maintenance.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does the property management glossary cover?
159 English terms for managing, renting and maintaining buildings, grouped by topic: rooms and parts of a building, kitchen and bathroom, fixtures and fittings, heating and water, repairs, pests, renting and money, legal words, and people and services.
Does it use British or American English?
Mainly British English. Where American English uses a different word, such as elevator for lift, faucet for tap or janitor for caretaker, both are listed.
Can I download the glossary as a PDF?
Yes. The original vocabulary list is available as a free PDF from the link at the top of the page, so you can print it or keep it on your phone.
Where can I practise these words?
The free Property Management exercise has a reading text about a property manager's day, a vocabulary task and a short reply to a tenant, at B1 to B2 level. It needs no sign-up.