What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5309159 about?

The tribunal order states: Primrose Edwards must pay Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin

How much money was awarded in case 5309159?

Cleaning: $448.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $212.75 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $7,392.77 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $460.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $111.49 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5309159?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5309159?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12591935-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5309159 about?

The tribunal order states: Primrose Edwards must pay Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin

How much money was awarded in case 5309159?

Cleaning: $448.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $212.75 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $7,392.77 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $460.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $111.49 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5309159?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5309159?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12591935-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

Unit/Flat A, 43 Hermitage Street, Flat Bush, Auckland 2019 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5309159 — Rent arrears

Tenantcheck Insights

Unit/Flat A, 43 Hermitage Street, Flat Bush, Auckland 2019 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5309159 — Rent arrears | 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 5309159 — net $5,293.51 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 17 July 2025	$7,392.77	Rent arrears to 17 July 2025
House and carpet cleaning	$448.50	House and carpet cleaning
Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame	$460.00	Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame
Lock/key replacement	$212.75	Lock/key replacement
Water rates to 17 July 2025	$111.49	3. The landlord has applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the te…
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$5,293.51
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$5,293.51

Claims and awards for application 5309159 — net $5,293.51 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Rent arrears to 17 July 2025

Amount: $7,392.77
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rent arrears to 17 July 2025

House and carpet cleaning

Amount: $448.50
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: House and carpet cleaning

Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame

Amount: $460.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame

Lock/key replacement

Amount: $212.75
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Lock/key replacement

Water rates to 17 July 2025

Amount: $111.49
Awarded to: Landlord

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Carpet Cleaning Filing Fee Property damage Rent arrears Rubbish Removal Water Rates

Order

Primrose Edwards must pay Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin Gao $5,293.51 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $3,360.00 (BN-00077026) to Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin Gao 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 rent and 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 rent and water rates?

The tenancy ended on 17 July 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, 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 rubbish.
The tenant did not return the keys.
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.
The premise was brand new when the tenancy commenced. The landlord has provided photographic evidence that following damage was caused during the tenancy by the tenant’s careless acts or omissions or the careless acts and omissions of persons in the premise with her consent: a. Damage to the paint on the windowsill and frame of the front right hand bedroom; and b. Damage to the walls in the dining area and the upstairs stairwell.
The nature of this damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.
The amounts ordered are proved.
I have considered betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have considered the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan. Reimbursement of filing fee
Section 102(4) of the RTA confirms that applicants that are wholly or substantially successful in proving their claims will have their filing fee reimbursed.
Because Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin Gao has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.

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 5309159 — net $5,293.51 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 17 July 2025	$7,392.77	Rent arrears to 17 July 2025
House and carpet cleaning	$448.50	House and carpet cleaning
Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame	$460.00	Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame
Lock/key replacement	$212.75	Lock/key replacement
Water rates to 17 July 2025	$111.49	3. The landlord has applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the te…
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$5,293.51
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$5,293.51

Claims and awards for application 5309159 — net $5,293.51 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Rent arrears to 17 July 2025

Amount: $7,392.77
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rent arrears to 17 July 2025

House and carpet cleaning

Amount: $448.50
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: House and carpet cleaning

Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame

Amount: $460.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Lawns, oil removal off driveway and garage floor, rubbish removal, damage to walls and window frame

Lock/key replacement

Amount: $212.75
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Lock/key replacement

Water rates to 17 July 2025

Amount: $111.49
Awarded to: Landlord

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Carpet Cleaning Filing Fee Property damage Rent arrears Rubbish Removal Water Rates

Order

Primrose Edwards must pay Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin Gao $5,293.51 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $3,360.00 (BN-00077026) to Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin Gao 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 rent and 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 rent and water rates?

The tenancy ended on 17 July 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, 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 rubbish.
The tenant did not return the keys.
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.
The premise was brand new when the tenancy commenced. The landlord has provided photographic evidence that following damage was caused during the tenancy by the tenant’s careless acts or omissions or the careless acts and omissions of persons in the premise with her consent: a. Damage to the paint on the windowsill and frame of the front right hand bedroom; and b. Damage to the walls in the dining area and the upstairs stairwell.
The nature of this damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.
The amounts ordered are proved.
I have considered betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have considered the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan. Reimbursement of filing fee
Section 102(4) of the RTA confirms that applicants that are wholly or substantially successful in proving their claims will have their filing fee reimbursed.
Because Grovefield Joal Limited As The Agent For Aiqin Gao has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5309159 — Rent arrears at Unit/Flat A, 43 Hermitage Street, Flat Bush, Auckland 2019

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5309159 — Rent arrears at Unit/Flat A, 43 Hermitage Street, Flat Bush, Auckland 2019

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for rent and 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

Property management

Frequently asked questions

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for rent and 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

Property management

Frequently asked questions