Published tribunal order
Tenancy Tribunal case 5305380 — Rent arrears at 32 Ake Ake Lane, Manurewa, Auckland 2102
Decided 17 Nov 2025 · Published 17 Nov 2025 · Application 5305380
- Rent arrears
- Cleanliness
Order
- [The tenant/s] tenant/s] and [The tenant/s] tenant/s] must pay CSI Property Management Limited $4,888.82 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Reasons
- The landlord attended the hearing however the tenants did not. The tenants were rung at the start of the rehearing but the call went to answer phone.
- The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy. The landlord had received the bond from the Bond Centre before the hearing.
How much is owed for rent and water rates?
- The tenancy ended on 13 May 2025. The landlord provided rent records and 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, and remove all rubbish. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(iii) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA).
- The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.
- The landlord’s claim for cleaning ($1,100.00), includes a soft wash and cleaning the outside of the windows. A landlord is responsible for the general cleaning of the outside of tenancy premises unless there is evidence to indicate that the tenant has caused the need for the cleaning. Here there is no evidence supporting that the tenant has liability for these areas. I have reduced the amount claimed by $100.00 and $50.00 respectively for these matters.
- I have reduced the amount claimed by a further $100.00 as I am satisfied that the cleaning charges in the invoice include work required to bring the premises to more than a reasonably clean condition. For example the amount charged to sanitise handrails and clean door knobs and light switches would result in more than a reasonably clean condition.
- Tenants are not expected to leave the premises in a pristine condition, and it is anticipated that a landlord will need to do further cleaning to bring premises to a higher cleanliness standard that reasonably clean in order to attract new tenants.
- The amounts ordered are proved.
- As the landlord has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.