What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5156535 about?

The tribunal order states: Jamila Dunn must pay [The landlord/s] $584.94 immediately, calculated as

How much money was awarded in case 5156535?

Cleaning: $1,399.99 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to landlord; Pest Control: $349.00 awarded to landlord; Plumber call out to remove play doug…: $225.40 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $499.99 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $563.56 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5156535?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5156535?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/11730904-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5156535 about?

The tribunal order states: Jamila Dunn must pay [The landlord/s] $584.94 immediately, calculated as

How much money was awarded in case 5156535?

Cleaning: $1,399.99 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to landlord; Pest Control: $349.00 awarded to landlord; Plumber call out to remove play doug…: $225.40 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $499.99 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $563.56 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5156535?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5156535?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/11730904-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5156535 — Cleanliness

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New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5156535 — Cleanliness | TenantCheck

Claims & awards

What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5156535 — net $584.94 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates: December to 30 March 2025	$563.56	5. The landlord has applied for water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
Cleaning	$1,399.99	Cleaning
Rubbish removal: Skip bin	$499.99	Rubbish removal: Skip bin
Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish	$200.00	Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish
Pest control (fleas	$349.00	Pest control (fleas
Repairs: Plumber call out to remove play dough blocked drain in bathroom	$225.40	Repairs: Plumber call out to remove play dough blocked drain in bathroom
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$584.94
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$584.94

Claims and awards for application 5156535 — net $584.94 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Water rates: December to 30 March 2025

Amount: $563.56
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: 5. The landlord has applied for water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

Cleaning

Amount: $1,399.99
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Cleaning

Rubbish removal: Skip bin

Amount: $499.99
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rubbish removal: Skip bin

Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish

Amount: $200.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish

Pest control (fleas

Amount: $349.00
Awarded to: Landlord

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Cleanliness Filing Fee Pest Control Property damage Rubbish Removal Water Rates

Order

Jamila Dunn must pay [The landlord/s] $584.94 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,680.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlord] immediately.

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 water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for water rates?

The tenancy ended on 30 March 2025. The landlord provided water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at 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 premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all internal/external rubbish, despite being given adequate time to do so. The house was also infested with fleas.
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.
During the tenancy, the landlord had to get a plumber to unblock the bathroom drains due to play dough having caused the blockage. This is cost was incurred due to the careless acts of the tenant/her children. The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.
The amounts ordered are proved. Reimbursement of filing fee
Because [the applicant] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee. Name suppression
The landlord applies for non-publication of its name and identifying details.
The Tribunal must, on the application of a party that has wholly or substantially succeeded in proceedings, order that the party’s name or identifying particulars not be published, unless the Tribunal considers that publication is in the public interest or is justified because of the party’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.
The landlord has substantially succeeded in its proceedings. I do not consider publication is in the public interest or justified because of the landlord’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.
Non-publication is ordered.

Claims & awards

What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5156535 — net $584.94 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates: December to 30 March 2025	$563.56	5. The landlord has applied for water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
Cleaning	$1,399.99	Cleaning
Rubbish removal: Skip bin	$499.99	Rubbish removal: Skip bin
Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish	$200.00	Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish
Pest control (fleas	$349.00	Pest control (fleas
Repairs: Plumber call out to remove play dough blocked drain in bathroom	$225.40	Repairs: Plumber call out to remove play dough blocked drain in bathroom
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$584.94
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$584.94

Claims and awards for application 5156535 — net $584.94 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Water rates: December to 30 March 2025

Amount: $563.56
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: 5. The landlord has applied for water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

Cleaning

Amount: $1,399.99
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Cleaning

Rubbish removal: Skip bin

Amount: $499.99
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rubbish removal: Skip bin

Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish

Amount: $200.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rubbish removal: Labour for removal of internal and external rubbish

Pest control (fleas

Amount: $349.00
Awarded to: Landlord

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Cleanliness Filing Fee Pest Control Property damage Rubbish Removal Water Rates

Order

Jamila Dunn must pay [The landlord/s] $584.94 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,680.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlord] immediately.

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 water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for water rates?

The tenancy ended on 30 March 2025. The landlord provided water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at 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 premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all internal/external rubbish, despite being given adequate time to do so. The house was also infested with fleas.
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.
During the tenancy, the landlord had to get a plumber to unblock the bathroom drains due to play dough having caused the blockage. This is cost was incurred due to the careless acts of the tenant/her children. The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.
The amounts ordered are proved. Reimbursement of filing fee
Because [the applicant] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee. Name suppression
The landlord applies for non-publication of its name and identifying details.
The Tribunal must, on the application of a party that has wholly or substantially succeeded in proceedings, order that the party’s name or identifying particulars not be published, unless the Tribunal considers that publication is in the public interest or is justified because of the party’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.
The landlord has substantially succeeded in its proceedings. I do not consider publication is in the public interest or justified because of the landlord’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.
Non-publication is ordered.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5156535 — Cleanliness

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5156535 — Cleanliness

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for water rates?

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

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for water rates?

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