What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5284665 about?

The tribunal order states: The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 (6019031-001) to [The tenant/s] landlord/s] immediately, as calculated in the table below.

How much money was awarded in case 5284665?

Carpet Drying: $1,200.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $850.00 awarded to landlord; Dump Fee: $29.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $118.91 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $55.42 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $195.00 awarded to landlord; Removal Of Stones In Drain - Drainla…: $172.50 awarded to landlord; Shower Unit: $1,305.98 awarded to landlord; Smoke Alarms: $44.13 awarded to landlord; Tap Domes - Laundry: $45.08 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $388.52 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5284665?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage, Smoke alarms.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5284665?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12290753-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5284665 about?

The tribunal order states: The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 (6019031-001) to [The tenant/s] landlord/s] immediately, as calculated in the table below.

How much money was awarded in case 5284665?

Carpet Drying: $1,200.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $850.00 awarded to landlord; Dump Fee: $29.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $27.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $118.91 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $55.42 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $195.00 awarded to landlord; Removal Of Stones In Drain - Drainla…: $172.50 awarded to landlord; Shower Unit: $1,305.98 awarded to landlord; Smoke Alarms: $44.13 awarded to landlord; Tap Domes - Laundry: $45.08 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $388.52 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5284665?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage, Smoke alarms.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5284665?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12290753-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

91 Coopers Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga 3112 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5284665 — Cleanliness

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5284665 — net $1,832.04 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates as at 30 May 2025	$388.52	Water rates as at 30 May 2025
Shower unit	$1,305.98	Shower unit
Shower repair items	$118.91	Shower repair items
Tap domes - laundry	$45.08	Tap domes - laundry
Replacement smoke alarms	$44.13	Replacement smoke alarms
Replacement door stops	$55.42	Replacement door stops
Removal of stones in drain - drainlayer cost	$172.50	Removal of stones in drain - drainlayer cost
Window repair - bedroom	$195.00	Window repair - bedroom
Dump fee	$29.50	Dump fee
Carpet drying	$1,200.00	Carpet drying
Cleaning	$850.00	Cleaning
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$1,832.04
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$1,832.04

This application was scheduled to be heard at Tauranga District Court today. Ms Tamanui did not attend today’s hearing and Mr Sellars attended by teleconference.

The landlord has applied for compensation, payment 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 May 2025 and I accept the invoices provided which show that as at that date Ms Tamanui owed $388.52 in outstanding water charges.

Did the tenant comply with her 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.

I accept the evidence which shows that Ms Tamanui did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish. The photographs show that the house seemed not to have been cleaned at the end of the tenancy and there was rubbish left behind.

Mr Sellars has claimed the full invoice that he has paid for cleaning - $1148.85. I have reduced this amount to $850.00 to acknowledge that the tenant is only required to leave premises reasonably clean, and not perfectly clean.

The dump fees have been proven with an invoice.

I also accept that at the end of the tenancy the landlord discovered that all the doorstops had been removed, tap domes in the laundry had been removed and all the smoke alarms had been removed.

The cost of replacing these items has been 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 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.

I accept the evidence that during the tenancy the shower had blocked – a combination of a tonka truck having been forced down the drain and subsequent debris building up. I also accept the evidence that the tenant noticed the blockage but that the shower kept being used so that it flooded causing water logging to the walls behind the shower, and the carpet in the hallway to also be water logged.

The result of this damage was that the shower unit had to be replaced and the carpet dried. The cost of doing so was proved.

I also accept that a bedroom window was broken during the tenancy and the cost of repair was proven with an invoice.

Further to this, I accept that during the tenancy stones had been put down the laundry outflow drain, causing it to be blocked. The drainlayer’s cost was proved with an invoice. Filing fee reimbursement

I am also ordering the tenant to reimburse the filing fee to the landlord because the landlord was substantially successful in the claim against her. Payment

At today’s hearing the landlord advised that he was only seeking a return of the bond and did not wish the tenant to pay him anything over and above that amount.

This is why the table reflects that Ms Tamanui owes the landlord a further $1,832.04, after the bond has been paid to the landlord, but no order has been made requiring her to pay this amount. C ter Haar 20 August 2025

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5284665 — net $1,832.04 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates as at 30 May 2025	$388.52	Water rates as at 30 May 2025
Shower unit	$1,305.98	Shower unit
Shower repair items	$118.91	Shower repair items
Tap domes - laundry	$45.08	Tap domes - laundry
Replacement smoke alarms	$44.13	Replacement smoke alarms
Replacement door stops	$55.42	Replacement door stops
Removal of stones in drain - drainlayer cost	$172.50	Removal of stones in drain - drainlayer cost
Window repair - bedroom	$195.00	Window repair - bedroom
Dump fee	$29.50	Dump fee
Carpet drying	$1,200.00	Carpet drying
Cleaning	$850.00	Cleaning
Filing fee reimbursement	$27.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$1,832.04
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$1,832.04

Order

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 (6019031-001) to [The tenant/s] landlord/s] immediately, as calculated in the table below.

Reasons

This application was scheduled to be heard at Tauranga District Court today. Ms Tamanui did not attend today’s hearing and Mr Sellars attended by teleconference.
The landlord has applied for compensation, payment 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 May 2025 and I accept the invoices provided which show that as at that date Ms Tamanui owed $388.52 in outstanding water charges.

Did the tenant comply with her 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.
I accept the evidence which shows that Ms Tamanui did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish. The photographs show that the house seemed not to have been cleaned at the end of the tenancy and there was rubbish left behind.
Mr Sellars has claimed the full invoice that he has paid for cleaning - $1148.85. I have reduced this amount to $850.00 to acknowledge that the tenant is only required to leave premises reasonably clean, and not perfectly clean.
The dump fees have been proven with an invoice.
I also accept that at the end of the tenancy the landlord discovered that all the doorstops had been removed, tap domes in the laundry had been removed and all the smoke alarms had been removed.
The cost of replacing these items has been 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 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.
I accept the evidence that during the tenancy the shower had blocked – a combination of a tonka truck having been forced down the drain and subsequent debris building up. I also accept the evidence that the tenant noticed the blockage but that the shower kept being used so that it flooded causing water logging to the walls behind the shower, and the carpet in the hallway to also be water logged.
The result of this damage was that the shower unit had to be replaced and the carpet dried. The cost of doing so was proved.
I also accept that a bedroom window was broken during the tenancy and the cost of repair was proven with an invoice.
Further to this, I accept that during the tenancy stones had been put down the laundry outflow drain, causing it to be blocked. The drainlayer’s cost was proved with an invoice. Filing fee reimbursement
I am also ordering the tenant to reimburse the filing fee to the landlord because the landlord was substantially successful in the claim against her. Payment
At today’s hearing the landlord advised that he was only seeking a return of the bond and did not wish the tenant to pay him anything over and above that amount.
This is why the table reflects that Ms Tamanui owes the landlord a further $1,832.04, after the bond has been paid to the landlord, but no order has been made requiring her to pay this amount. C ter Haar 20 August 2025

Tenancy Tribunal case 5284665 — Cleanliness at 91 Coopers Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga 3112

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5284665 — Cleanliness at 91 Coopers Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga 3112

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for water rates?

Did the tenant comply with her 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

Reduce avoidable tribunal risk with proper tenant checks.

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for water rates?

Did the tenant comply with her 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

Reduce avoidable tribunal risk with proper tenant checks.