Free template + guide

Repair request letter after a home inspection

Your inspection turned up problems, and now you have just a few days to respond. The letter you send decides whether the seller writes you a check or shrugs it off. Here's the exact letter to copy — free — plus how to fill it in and what to ask for.

Repair request letter

[Date]

To: [Seller's name, or "the Sellers"], c/o [Listing agent's name]
Re: Inspection response — [property address]

Dear [Seller / Agent name],

Thank you — we've completed the inspection of [property address] and remain committed to closing on schedule. The report did turn up several items we need to resolve before we move forward.

Rather than have repairs coordinated before closing, we're requesting a seller credit of [$ total] at closing, so the work can be completed after possession by licensed contractors of our choosing. That figure is based on the inspector's findings and typical repair costs for each item:

  1. [Issue] — [what the inspector found, and why it matters]. Estimated [$ range].
  2. [Issue] — [what the inspector found, and why it matters]. Estimated [$ range].
  3. [Issue] — [what the inspector found, and why it matters]. Estimated [$ range].

The relevant inspection pages are attached for your reference. We've kept this list to documented safety and functional defects and left ordinary cosmetic wear off it.

We'd like to keep things moving and would appreciate a response by [date — usually 2–3 days out]. We're confident we can find terms that work for both sides and get to the closing table.

Sincerely,
[Buyer name(s)]
[Phone / email]
via [Agent name], [Brokerage]

Copy it, fill in every [bracket], and send it to your agent to pass along. Think of it as the plain-English request that comes before the formal repair addendum your agent prepares.

How to fill it in

Address, date, and names up top, so it reads as a real document — not a text message.
Ask for a credit, not a to-do list. A dollar figure at closing is cleaner for everyone — more on that below.
List only what matters, each with a number next to it. Safety and major-system items first; leave the cosmetic nitpicks off.
Attach the inspection pages for the items you list, so the seller sees it's documented, not invented.
Give a short deadline — usually 2–3 days — and send it through your agent, not directly to the seller.

Ask for a credit, not repairs

You can ask the seller to fix things, or to hand you a credit at closing so you fix them yourself. In almost every case, take the credit.

Seller-arranged repairs get done the cheapest way possible, by whoever they can book fastest, right before they stop owning the place. A closing credit puts you in control: your contractor, your standard, after you have the keys. It also skips the back-and-forth over whether the work was done "well enough."

What to ask for — and what to skip

The fastest way to get a no is a long list of everything. Sellers expect a used house to have wear. What moves them is a short, credible list of real problems.

Lead with these

Safety hazards — exposed wiring, no GFCI protection, gas issues, trip-and-fall risks.
Major systems failing or near end of life — roof, HVAC, furnace, water heater.
Water — active leaks, poor drainage or grading, moisture and mold.
Structural — foundation, framing, anything load-bearing.

Leave these off

Cosmetic wear — paint, caulk, scuffs, dated finishes.
Small, cheap fixes you'd do anyway.
Anything you already knew about and priced into your offer.
"Nice to have" upgrades that weren't defects.

Put a number on every item

Here's the part most buyers get wrong: they ask without numbers. "The roof looks old" is easy to wave off. "Roof flashing is deteriorated with active leak risk — about $1,800 to fix" is not. An itemized, priced request is what turns an inspection into a credit.

Pricing every finding yourself means Googling contractor rates line by line, under a deadline. That's exactly the part RepairCap does for you.

Skip the guesswork on the numbers

Upload your inspection report and RepairCap triages every issue — Safety, Major, or Minor — puts a realistic dollar figure on each, and hands you this same letter already filled in. $39, one time. Results in minutes.

Price my repairs — $39

Repair request letter FAQ

Should I ask for repairs or a credit?

A credit, almost always. A closing credit lets you hire your own contractor, on your own schedule, after you own the home — instead of trusting repairs the seller rushed through on the way out the door. It also avoids arguing over whether the work was done properly.

How many things should I ask for?

Fewer than you think. A tight list of documented safety and major-system problems lands far better than an exhaustive list that includes every scuff and squeak. Sellers say yes to reasonable; they dig in against everything.

Do I send the letter myself or through my agent?

Through your agent. They pass it to the listing agent and, once you agree on terms, turn it into the formal repair addendum or amendment that actually changes your contract. This letter is the plain-English request that starts that conversation.

What if the seller says no?

Counter. A no to the full amount is usually an opening, not the end — you can accept a smaller credit, ask them to handle just the safety items, or meet in the middle. Having a real number on each item is what gives you room to negotiate instead of walking.

Is a repair request letter the same as a repair addendum?

Not quite. The letter is your informal request — it explains what you want and why. The addendum (or amendment) is the formal contract document your agent prepares once both sides agree. You send the letter first; the addendum makes it official.