What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5251140 about?

The tribunal order states: An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal

How much money was awarded in case 5251140?

Property Damage: $1,500.00 awarded to tenant; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to tenant

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5251140?

The primary dispute was Exemplary damages.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5251140?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12282571-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5251140 about?

The tribunal order states: An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal

How much money was awarded in case 5251140?

Property Damage: $1,500.00 awarded to tenant; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to tenant

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5251140?

The primary dispute was Exemplary damages.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5251140?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12282571-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

121B Pirie Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington 6011 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5251140 — Exemplary damages

Tenantcheck Insights

121B Pirie Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington 6011 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5251140 — Exemplary damages | 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 5251140 — net $4,727.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Tenant	Reason
Refund of the bond	$3,200.00	Refund of the bond
Exemplary damages: Failure to lodge the bond	$1,500.00	Failure to lodge the bond
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$4,727.00
Total payable by Landlord to Tenant	$4,727.00

Claims and awards for application 5251140 — net $4,727.00 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Refund of the bond

Amount: $3,200.00
Awarded to: Tenant
Reason: Refund of the bond

Exemplary damages: Failure to lodge the bond

Amount: $1,500.00
Awarded to: Tenant
Reason: Failure to lodge the bond

Filing fee reimbursement

Amount: $27.00
Awarded to: Tenant
Reason: Filing fee reimbursement

Net award

Tenant $4,727.00

Total payable by Landlord to Tenant

Tenant $4,727.00

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Exemplary damages Filing Fee

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the tenant’s name and identifying details.
Korofam Trust Management Limited must pay [The tenant/s] $4,727.00 immediately, as shown in the table below:

Reasons

The tenant attended the hearing via teleconference on 18 August 2025. The landlord did not.
The tenant has applied for refund of the bond of $3,200.00 following the end of the tenancy.
This tenancy was from 25 December 2023 until 11 February 2025.
The tenant provided evidence of having deposited the bond to the landlord.
Section 22B(2) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 provides that, where a tenant applies for refund of the bond, and the landlord seeks payment from the bond, the landlord must file an application setting out the details of the counterclaim.
Because the landlord has not filed a counterclaim the bond must be refunded in full to the tenant.
Further to this, the tenant claimed that the landlord has not lodged the bond with the Bond Centre within the required time.
A landlord must send any bond payment to the Bond Centre within 23 working days after the payment is received. See section 19(1) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
Breaching this obligation is an unlawful act for which the Tribunal may award exemplary damages up to a maximum of $1,500.00. See section 19(2) and Schedule 1A Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
The tenant checked with the Bond Centre and found that there was no record of their bond having been lodged.
The Tribunal also did not have any record of the bond having been lodged for this tenancy.
I find that the tenant has proven that the landlord has failed to lodge the bond with the Bond Centre within the required time. I find that the landlord has committed an unlawful act.
Where a party has committed an unlawful act intentionally, the Tribunal may award exemplary damages where it is satisfied it would be just to do so, having regard to the party’s intent, the effect of the unlawful act, the interests of the other party, and the public interest. See section 109(3) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
This was not the first time the landlord has failed to lodge the bond. There is an order made on 17 July 2025 under TT 5181175 where exemplary damages was ordered for the landlord failing to lodge the bond for a tenancy that was from 3 February 2023 until 6 February 2025 at 119B Pirie Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington 6011. This would be the house next door to this tenancy.
I am satisfied that the landlord has intentionally withheld the bond. The unlawful has affected the tenant’s financial situation. There is public interest in ensuring that the landlord complies with their obligations to lodge the bond with the Bond Centre.
I order the maximum exemplary damages of $1,500.00 against the landlord.
Finally, because the tenant has wholly succeeded with the claim, the landlord must also reimburse the filing fee paid by the tenant.

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 5251140 — net $4,727.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Tenant	Reason
Refund of the bond	$3,200.00	Refund of the bond
Exemplary damages: Failure to lodge the bond	$1,500.00	Failure to lodge the bond
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$4,727.00
Total payable by Landlord to Tenant	$4,727.00

Claims and awards for application 5251140 — net $4,727.00 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Refund of the bond

Amount: $3,200.00
Awarded to: Tenant
Reason: Refund of the bond

Exemplary damages: Failure to lodge the bond

Amount: $1,500.00
Awarded to: Tenant
Reason: Failure to lodge the bond

Filing fee reimbursement

Amount: $27.00
Awarded to: Tenant
Reason: Filing fee reimbursement

Net award

Tenant $4,727.00

Total payable by Landlord to Tenant

Tenant $4,727.00

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Exemplary damages Filing Fee

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the tenant’s name and identifying details.
Korofam Trust Management Limited must pay [The tenant/s] $4,727.00 immediately, as shown in the table below:

Reasons

The tenant attended the hearing via teleconference on 18 August 2025. The landlord did not.
The tenant has applied for refund of the bond of $3,200.00 following the end of the tenancy.
This tenancy was from 25 December 2023 until 11 February 2025.
The tenant provided evidence of having deposited the bond to the landlord.
Section 22B(2) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 provides that, where a tenant applies for refund of the bond, and the landlord seeks payment from the bond, the landlord must file an application setting out the details of the counterclaim.
Because the landlord has not filed a counterclaim the bond must be refunded in full to the tenant.
Further to this, the tenant claimed that the landlord has not lodged the bond with the Bond Centre within the required time.
A landlord must send any bond payment to the Bond Centre within 23 working days after the payment is received. See section 19(1) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
Breaching this obligation is an unlawful act for which the Tribunal may award exemplary damages up to a maximum of $1,500.00. See section 19(2) and Schedule 1A Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
The tenant checked with the Bond Centre and found that there was no record of their bond having been lodged.
The Tribunal also did not have any record of the bond having been lodged for this tenancy.
I find that the tenant has proven that the landlord has failed to lodge the bond with the Bond Centre within the required time. I find that the landlord has committed an unlawful act.
Where a party has committed an unlawful act intentionally, the Tribunal may award exemplary damages where it is satisfied it would be just to do so, having regard to the party’s intent, the effect of the unlawful act, the interests of the other party, and the public interest. See section 109(3) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
This was not the first time the landlord has failed to lodge the bond. There is an order made on 17 July 2025 under TT 5181175 where exemplary damages was ordered for the landlord failing to lodge the bond for a tenancy that was from 3 February 2023 until 6 February 2025 at 119B Pirie Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington 6011. This would be the house next door to this tenancy.
I am satisfied that the landlord has intentionally withheld the bond. The unlawful has affected the tenant’s financial situation. There is public interest in ensuring that the landlord complies with their obligations to lodge the bond with the Bond Centre.
I order the maximum exemplary damages of $1,500.00 against the landlord.
Finally, because the tenant has wholly succeeded with the claim, the landlord must also reimburse the filing fee paid by the tenant.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5251140 — Exemplary damages at 121B Pirie Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington 6011

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5251140 — Exemplary damages at 121B Pirie Street, Mount Victoria, Wellington 6011

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions