What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5016051?

The tribunal order states: John Sione Robertson must pay Upper Property Management - As Agent For

How much money was awarded in case 5016051?

Garage Remote: $57.50 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $48.00 awarded to landlord; Doors: $345.00 awarded to landlord; Vanity: $57.50 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $115.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5016051?

The primary dispute was Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5016051?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/11326400-Tribunal_Order.pdf.

What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5016051?

The tribunal order states: John Sione Robertson must pay Upper Property Management - As Agent For

How much money was awarded in case 5016051?

Garage Remote: $57.50 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $48.00 awarded to landlord; Doors: $345.00 awarded to landlord; Vanity: $57.50 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $115.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5016051?

The primary dispute was Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5016051?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/11326400-Tribunal_Order.pdf.

21 Flaunty Place, West Harbour, Auckland 0618 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5016051 — Property damage

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5016051 — net $623.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Repairs: Doors	$345.00	Repairs: Doors
Repairs: Vanity	$57.50	Repairs: Vanity
Rubbish removal	$115.00	Rubbish removal
Garage remote	$57.50	Garage remote
Lock/key replacement	$48.00	Lock/key replacement
Net award	$623.00
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$623.00

The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not attend the hearing.

A hearing was held on 21 October 2024. The order from that hearing awarded rent arrears and water rates and the bond was released. The remaining debt was against Mr Robertson as the other tenant had been released from the tenancy due to family violence.

The hearing was adjourned to consider the landlord’s claim for vacated damage and cleaning against Mr Robertson.

At the hearing the landlord produced photographs and invoices in support of his claim for damages.

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 did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.

The tenant did not return the keys and one of the garage remotes.

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: three damaged doors and a damaged bathroom vanity. 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 taken into account 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 taken into account the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan.

The filing fee was reimbursed to the landlord at the earlier hearing.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5016051 — net $623.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Repairs: Doors	$345.00	Repairs: Doors
Repairs: Vanity	$57.50	Repairs: Vanity
Rubbish removal	$115.00	Rubbish removal
Garage remote	$57.50	Garage remote
Lock/key replacement	$48.00	Lock/key replacement
Net award	$623.00
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$623.00

Order

John Sione Robertson must pay Upper Property Management - As Agent For Yu-Hsuan Liou $623.00 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not attend the hearing.
A hearing was held on 21 October 2024. The order from that hearing awarded rent arrears and water rates and the bond was released. The remaining debt was against Mr Robertson as the other tenant had been released from the tenancy due to family violence.
The hearing was adjourned to consider the landlord’s claim for vacated damage and cleaning against Mr Robertson.
At the hearing the landlord produced photographs and invoices in support of his claim for damages.

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 did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.
The tenant did not return the keys and one of the garage remotes.
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: three damaged doors and a damaged bathroom vanity. 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 taken into account 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 taken into account the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan.
The filing fee was reimbursed to the landlord at the earlier hearing.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5016051 — Property damage at 21 Flaunty Place, West Harbour, Auckland 0618

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5016051 — Property damage at 21 Flaunty Place, West Harbour, Auckland 0618

At a glance

Award balance

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

Property management

Frequently asked questions

Award balance

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

Property management

Frequently asked questions