Published tribunal order
Tenancy Tribunal case 4952954 — Rent arrears at 113 Victoria Avenue, Hokowhitu, Palmerston North 4410
Decided 4 Feb 2025 · Published 4 Feb 2025 · Application 4952954
- Rent arrears
Party names are redacted in the official published order.
Order
- An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord’s name and identifying details.
- Shyla Edmonds and Arapeta Hautapu must pay [The landlord/s] $293.25 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
- Shyla Edmonds is to pay [The Landlord/s] a further $186.51 immediately.
Reasons
- This order ought to be read together with the Tribunal’s Order dated 26 November 2024. The hearing on that date was adjourned to allow service of documents to Mr Hautapu.
- The landlord and Mr Hautapu attended today’s video conference. I ranfg the number provided for Ms Edmonds twice and both times my call went to voicemail. The hearing proceeded in her absence.
- The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
How much is owed for rent?
- The tenancy ended on 23 July 2024. The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy - $1228.57.
- As discussed at today’s hearing both tenants are jointly and severally liable for this amount because these arrears were incurred after Mr Hautapu began his tenancy at the beginning of April 2024.
Did the tenants 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 photographs show that the tenants did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.
- While Mr Hautapu stated that he had done his share of the cleaning and rubbish removal, as a tenant at the end of the tenancy he is jointly and separately liable to pay the established cost of cleaning and rubbish removal.
- The amount ordered is proved. Broken window
- I accept the evidence indicating that Ms Edmonds personally agreed to pay the cost of repairing the broken window which occurred during her tenancy.
- I am therefore ordering her to pay this cost alone, rather than have Mr Hautapu share the cost as a co-tenant.
- The amount ordered is proved. Filing fee reimbursement
- Both tenants are jointly and severally liable to reimburse the filing fee to the landlord because the landlord was wholly successful in the claim brought against them. C ter Haar 04 February 2025