Published tribunal order
Tenancy Tribunal case 5146608 — Rent arrears at Unit/Flat 17, 51 Adams Terrace, Aro Valley, Wellington
Decided 15 Apr 2025 · Published 15 Apr 2025 · Application 5146608
- Rent arrears
Order
- [The tenant/s] to pay [The landlord/s] 4,199.00 immediately, being arrears of $6,499.00 (to 23 March 2025) less the bond of $2,300.00.
- Bond Centre to pay the full bond to [The landlord/s], immediately.
Reasons
- At the hearing, the Tenant claimed to have emails showing she asked the Landlord to replace a broken bedroom door lock. She fell into arrears in December and stopped paying rent later that month. The Tenant says her boarder stopped paying rent, refused to leave, and she could not prevent his access due to the broken lock. As a result, she was unable to find a new boarder and ceased paying rent. She claimed she should not be required to pay the full rent because the Landlord contributed to their own loss.
- I gave the parties seven (7) days to file submissions and further evidence, before I determined the matter finally, on the papers.
- The Landlord complied with my directions. The Tenant did not comply. These directions were made for her benefit.
- I have proceeded to finalise the matter.
- The Landlord has provided an up-to-date rent summary which proves the amount of rent owed. I find, on the evidence before me, from the Landlord and the property manager, that the Tenant strung along the Landlord and tried to keep the tenancy open for associates who required bail addresses. The Tenant had left the property but represented that she had not abandoned the tenancy.
- The Tenant has not provided her bank records and I find the Landlord’s summary is, on balance, a reliable record of the Tenant’s payment and the rent arrears, which I award to the Landlord. Corrigendum
- I have updated the rent arrears to record arrears up to 23 March 2025, which is the point up to which the Tenant purported to secure the premises for her own occupancy, or the occupancy of her associates.