What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5266479 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 5266479?

Cleaning: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $600.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns: $50.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $1,719.01 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $661.49 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $17,700.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $650.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5266479?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Property damage, Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5266479?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12007894-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5266479 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 5266479?

Cleaning: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $600.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns: $50.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $1,719.01 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $661.49 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $17,700.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $650.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5266479?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Property damage, Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5266479?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12007894-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5266479 — Rent arrears

Reasons

Background

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5266479 — net $21,607.50 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 1 April 2025	$17,700.00	5. The landlord’s rent record establishes rent arrears of $17,700.00 to the end of the tenancy.
Carpet Cleaning	$200.00	15. [Landlord 1]’s photographs show some stains on the carpet.
Cleaning	$600.00	15. [Landlord 1]’s photographs show some stains on the carpet.
Rubbish removal	$650.00	Rubbish removal
Lawns	$50.00	Lawns
Repairs and painting	$1,719.01	Repairs and painting
Window repairs	$661.49	Window repairs
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	23. There was a broken windowpane and damaged window frame in one of the bedrooms (photograph provided).
Net award	$21,607.50
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$21,607.50

The tenancy began on 20 December 2022 and ended on 1 April 2025. The rent was $650 per week for the duration of the tenancy.

The tenant surrendered the tenancy, saying that he was unable to pay the rent.

The landlord’s application seeks rent arrears, cleaning, rubbish removal, garden tidy up, and repair costs.

The hearing took place in [Event location suppressed] on 19 June 2025. [Landlord 1] attended the hearing by phone with the consent of the Tribunal. There was no appearance by the tenant. Rent arrears

The landlord’s rent record establishes rent arrears of $17,700.00 to the end of the tenancy.

Some rent arrears arose in 2023, but the tenant’s rent payments became very sporadic in the latter half of 2024, and the last rent payment was made on 22 January 2025.

The claim for rent arrears is proven. Cleaning, carpet cleaning, rubbish removal, lawns

Tenants must remove all rubbish and leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy at the end of the tenancy. 1

[Landlord 1] provided photographs showing the condition of the premises at the end of the tenancy. There was rubbish and abandoned belongings left outside the house and (a small amount) in the garage.

The amount claimed for removal and disposal of rubbish is proven and is fair and reasonable.

The lawns and gardens were overgrown. The rubbish removal claim includes $150 for green waste disposal (tobacco weed trees, etc).

[Landlord 1]’s photographs show that cleaning was necessary to bring the premises to a reasonably clean and tidy standard, in particular the stove, the bathroom, and behind doors.

[Landlord 1] said that she carried out cleaning herself (the claim seeks $600 for this) and the contractor [Cleaning Company] also carried out cleaning. [Cleaning Company]’s invoice states that it carried out an “internal deep clean of property” but it does not specify the amount of hours charged for this or the hourly rate applied.

[Landlord 1]’s claim for $600 represents about 20 hours of cleaning. On the evidence available to me, this should have been sufficient to return the premises to a reasonably clean and tidy standard. 1 Section 40(1)(e)(iii) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“RTA”)

[Landlord 1]’s photographs show some stains on the carpet. The carpet was in tidy condition at the start of the tenancy. The amount claimed for carpet cleaning is proven. Repairs and painting

Tenants are liable for damage beyond fair wear and tear that occurs during the tenancy. Landlords are responsible for maintenance.

[Cleaning Company] carried out work on the property after the end of this tenancy, as detailed in their invoice.

Some of the work related to tenant damage that is evidenced by [Landlord 1]’s photographs, such as damage to the lining in the shower and re-painting a door that the tenant had drawn a picture on.

Some of the work seems to be more in the category of maintenance (applying silicone along benchtop, putting draft stops on the front and back door), and some is ambiguous (applying touch up paint to areas needed).

I have also noted above that an unspecified portion of [Cleaning Company]’s invoice relates to cleaning.

I do not have sufficient information to accurately sort out what part of [Cleaning Company]’s invoice relates to proven tenant damage, but I note that the proven tenant damage (shower lining, large drawing on door) are the most substantial jobs on the list of work that [Cleaning Company] did.

Applying those principles, I will award two-thirds of the [Cleaning Company] invoice.

There was a broken windowpane and damaged window frame in one of the bedrooms (photograph provided). The cost of repairs by [Repair Company] is proven. Filing fee, name suppression

The landlord has been successful in this application. Name suppression is granted to the landlord. 2 I will also award the landlord the filing fee of $27.00. 3

No bond was paid for this tenancy.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5266479 — net $21,607.50 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 1 April 2025	$17,700.00	5. The landlord’s rent record establishes rent arrears of $17,700.00 to the end of the tenancy.
Carpet Cleaning	$200.00	15. [Landlord 1]’s photographs show some stains on the carpet.
Cleaning	$600.00	15. [Landlord 1]’s photographs show some stains on the carpet.
Rubbish removal	$650.00	Rubbish removal
Lawns	$50.00	Lawns
Repairs and painting	$1,719.01	Repairs and painting
Window repairs	$661.49	Window repairs
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	23. There was a broken windowpane and damaged window frame in one of the bedrooms (photograph provided).
Net award	$21,607.50
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$21,607.50

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord name and identifying details.
Henry Robert Witute Joyce must pay [The landlord/s] $21,607.50 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

Reasons

Background

The tenancy began on 20 December 2022 and ended on 1 April 2025. The rent was $650 per week for the duration of the tenancy.
The tenant surrendered the tenancy, saying that he was unable to pay the rent.
The landlord’s application seeks rent arrears, cleaning, rubbish removal, garden tidy up, and repair costs.
The hearing took place in [Event location suppressed] on 19 June 2025. [Landlord 1] attended the hearing by phone with the consent of the Tribunal. There was no appearance by the tenant. Rent arrears
The landlord’s rent record establishes rent arrears of $17,700.00 to the end of the tenancy.
Some rent arrears arose in 2023, but the tenant’s rent payments became very sporadic in the latter half of 2024, and the last rent payment was made on 22 January 2025.
The claim for rent arrears is proven. Cleaning, carpet cleaning, rubbish removal, lawns
Tenants must remove all rubbish and leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy at the end of the tenancy. 1
[Landlord 1] provided photographs showing the condition of the premises at the end of the tenancy. There was rubbish and abandoned belongings left outside the house and (a small amount) in the garage.
The amount claimed for removal and disposal of rubbish is proven and is fair and reasonable.
The lawns and gardens were overgrown. The rubbish removal claim includes $150 for green waste disposal (tobacco weed trees, etc).
[Landlord 1]’s photographs show that cleaning was necessary to bring the premises to a reasonably clean and tidy standard, in particular the stove, the bathroom, and behind doors.
[Landlord 1] said that she carried out cleaning herself (the claim seeks $600 for this) and the contractor [Cleaning Company] also carried out cleaning. [Cleaning Company]’s invoice states that it carried out an “internal deep clean of property” but it does not specify the amount of hours charged for this or the hourly rate applied.
[Landlord 1]’s claim for $600 represents about 20 hours of cleaning. On the evidence available to me, this should have been sufficient to return the premises to a reasonably clean and tidy standard. 1 Section 40(1)(e)(iii) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“RTA”)
[Landlord 1]’s photographs show some stains on the carpet. The carpet was in tidy condition at the start of the tenancy. The amount claimed for carpet cleaning is proven. Repairs and painting
Tenants are liable for damage beyond fair wear and tear that occurs during the tenancy. Landlords are responsible for maintenance.
[Cleaning Company] carried out work on the property after the end of this tenancy, as detailed in their invoice.
Some of the work related to tenant damage that is evidenced by [Landlord 1]’s photographs, such as damage to the lining in the shower and re-painting a door that the tenant had drawn a picture on.
Some of the work seems to be more in the category of maintenance (applying silicone along benchtop, putting draft stops on the front and back door), and some is ambiguous (applying touch up paint to areas needed).
I have also noted above that an unspecified portion of [Cleaning Company]’s invoice relates to cleaning.
I do not have sufficient information to accurately sort out what part of [Cleaning Company]’s invoice relates to proven tenant damage, but I note that the proven tenant damage (shower lining, large drawing on door) are the most substantial jobs on the list of work that [Cleaning Company] did.
Applying those principles, I will award two-thirds of the [Cleaning Company] invoice.
There was a broken windowpane and damaged window frame in one of the bedrooms (photograph provided). The cost of repairs by [Repair Company] is proven. Filing fee, name suppression
The landlord has been successful in this application. Name suppression is granted to the landlord. 2 I will also award the landlord the filing fee of $27.00. 3
No bond was paid for this tenancy.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5266479 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5266479 — Rent arrears

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