What was Tenancy Tribunal case 4874761 about?

The tribunal order states: Emma Thorne owes [the landlord] $920.44, calculated as shown in table below.

How much money was awarded in case 4874761?

Filing Fee: $20.44 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $750.00 awarded to landlord; (Remove Paint From Deck And Driveway: $150.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 4874761?

The primary dispute was Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 4874761?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/10340478-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 4874761 about?

The tribunal order states: Emma Thorne owes [the landlord] $920.44, calculated as shown in table below.

How much money was awarded in case 4874761?

Filing Fee: $20.44 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $750.00 awarded to landlord; (Remove Paint From Deck And Driveway: $150.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 4874761?

The primary dispute was Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 4874761?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/10340478-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 4874761 — Property damage

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 4874761. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Lawns and Garden work	$750.00	Lawns and Garden work
Repairs:(remove paint from deck and driveway	$150.00	Repairs:(remove paint from deck and driveway
Filing fee reimbursement	$20.44	Filing fee reimbursement

Emma Thorne owes [the landlord] $920.44, calculated as shown in table below.

The Bond Centre is to pay the reminder of the bond of $920.44 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [the landlord] immediately to offset the debt owed.

The Bond Centre has paid part of the bond of $1,559.56 ([Bond number suppressed]) to Emma Thorne on 6 May 2024, as per the landlord’s 2 May 2024 written instructions.

Emma Thorne must pay [the landlord] $20.44 immediately, being the remainder of the debt.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not.

I am satisfied that the tenant had received proper notice of the hearing time, date and place and chose not to attend.

The landlord has applied for compensation, refund of the reminder of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, return all keys and security devices, and leave all chattels provided for their benefit. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.

The tenant did not leave the yard reasonably clean and tidy, and the landlord had to engage a contractor to weed the gardens, mow the lawns, weed the pavers and dispose of the green garden waste.

The amounts ordered are proved.

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

A landlord must prove that damage to the premises occurred during the tenancy and is more than fair wear and tear. If this is established, to avoid liability, the tenant must prove they did not carelessly or intentionally cause or permit the damage. Tenants are liable for the actions of people at the premises with their permission. See sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B RTA.

Where the damage is careless, and occurs after 27 August 2019, section 49B RTA applies. If the landlord becomes aware of the damage after 27 August, the damage is presumed to have occurred after that date unless the tenant proves otherwise.

Where the damage is caused carelessly, and is covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to the lesser of the insurance excess or four weeks' rent (or four weeks' market rent in the case of a tenant paying income-related rent). See section 49B(3)(a) RTA.

Where the damage is careless and is not covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to four weeks' rent (or market rent). See section 49B(3)(b) RTA. Where insurance money is irrecoverable because of the tenant's conduct, the property is treated as if it is not insured against the damage. See section 49B(3A)(a) RTA.

Tenants are liable for the cost of repairing damage that is intentional or which results from any activity at the premises that is an imprisonable offence. This applies to anything the tenant does and anything done by a person they are responsible for. See section 49B(1) RTA.

Damage is intentional where a person intends to cause damage and takes the necessary steps to achieve that purpose. Damage is also intentional where a person does something, or allows a situation to continue, knowing that damage is a certainty. See Guo v Korck [2019] NZHC 1541.

The following damage was caused during the tenancy: a. Paint spilt on the deck; and b. paint spilt on the driveway.

The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.

The amounts ordered are proved.

I have considered betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have considered the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan. Reimbursement of the filing fee

Because [the landlord] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 4874761. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Lawns and Garden work	$750.00	Lawns and Garden work
Repairs:(remove paint from deck and driveway	$150.00	Repairs:(remove paint from deck and driveway
Filing fee reimbursement	$20.44	Filing fee reimbursement

Order

Emma Thorne owes [the landlord] $920.44, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the reminder of the bond of $920.44 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [the landlord] immediately to offset the debt owed.
The Bond Centre has paid part of the bond of $1,559.56 ([Bond number suppressed]) to Emma Thorne on 6 May 2024, as per the landlord’s 2 May 2024 written instructions.
Emma Thorne must pay [the landlord] $20.44 immediately, being the remainder of the debt.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not.
I am satisfied that the tenant had received proper notice of the hearing time, date and place and chose not to attend.
The landlord has applied for compensation, refund of the reminder of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, return all keys and security devices, and leave all chattels provided for their benefit. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.
The tenant did not leave the yard reasonably clean and tidy, and the landlord had to engage a contractor to weed the gardens, mow the lawns, weed the pavers and dispose of the green garden waste.
The amounts ordered are proved.

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

A landlord must prove that damage to the premises occurred during the tenancy and is more than fair wear and tear. If this is established, to avoid liability, the tenant must prove they did not carelessly or intentionally cause or permit the damage. Tenants are liable for the actions of people at the premises with their permission. See sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B RTA.
Where the damage is careless, and occurs after 27 August 2019, section 49B RTA applies. If the landlord becomes aware of the damage after 27 August, the damage is presumed to have occurred after that date unless the tenant proves otherwise.
Where the damage is caused carelessly, and is covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to the lesser of the insurance excess or four weeks' rent (or four weeks' market rent in the case of a tenant paying income-related rent). See section 49B(3)(a) RTA.
Where the damage is careless and is not covered by the landlord's insurance, the tenant's liability is limited to four weeks' rent (or market rent). See section 49B(3)(b) RTA. Where insurance money is irrecoverable because of the tenant's conduct, the property is treated as if it is not insured against the damage. See section 49B(3A)(a) RTA.
Tenants are liable for the cost of repairing damage that is intentional or which results from any activity at the premises that is an imprisonable offence. This applies to anything the tenant does and anything done by a person they are responsible for. See section 49B(1) RTA.
Damage is intentional where a person intends to cause damage and takes the necessary steps to achieve that purpose. Damage is also intentional where a person does something, or allows a situation to continue, knowing that damage is a certainty. See Guo v Korck [2019] NZHC 1541.
The following damage was caused during the tenancy: a. Paint spilt on the deck; and b. paint spilt on the driveway.
The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.
The amounts ordered are proved.
I have considered betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have considered the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan. Reimbursement of the filing fee
Because [the landlord] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.

Tenancy Tribunal case 4874761 — Property damage

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 4874761 — Property damage

At a glance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions