Tenantcheck Insights · Case study
Tenancy Tribunal case 5316137 — Rent arrears at 23A Orchard Terrace, Riverhead, Riverhead 0820
Decided 20 Oct 2025 · Published 20 Oct 2025 · Application 5316137
- Rent arrears
- Property damage
At a glance
Key facts from the published tribunal order.
Location
Riverhead
Tribunal region
Adjudicator
D Watson
Dispute themes
Award balance
Gross awards, any bond applied per the order, and the remaining balance payable.
- Gross award
- $3,727.54
- Bond payment as ordered
- −$2,200.00
- Total balance for Tenant to pay Landlord
- $1,527.54
Claims & awards
What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.
| Claim | Landlord | Tenant | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent arrears to 21 July 2025 | $1,964.25 | Rent arrears to 21 July 2025 | |
| Damages for shortfall in rent | $1,445.75 | Damages for shortfall in rent | |
| Water rates | $40.54 | Water rates | |
| Rubbish removal | $50.00 | Rubbish removal | |
| Filing fee reimbursement |
Order
- [The tenant/s] tenant/s] and [The tenant/s] tenant/s] must pay [The tenant/s] party] $1,527.54 immediately, calculated as shown in the table below.
- The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,200.00 (BN-00115479) to [The tenant/s] party] immediately.
Reasons
- The tenancy was for a fixed term. It started on 10 April 2025 and was to have come to an end on 30 March 2026.
- The tenants vacated the tenancy early because they wanted to exit early. The tenancy therefore came to an end on 21 July 2025.
- The landlord has applied for rent 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?
- The landlord provided rent records and water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy and as ordered above.
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.
- The tenant left some rubbish behind and told the landlord they were happy for the landlord to dispose of it and pass on the cost to them.
- The landlord is seeking a portion of a tip invoice he incurred. The amount ordered above is proven. I accept the landlord incurred tip fees and that although he disposed of other rubbish at the time the tenant should wear some of that cost.
- The tenancy ended early and the landlord is entitled to damages that are foreseeable from that event.
- The landlord incurred the costs of re-listing the property with Trade Me, of $199. He was able to secure another tenant but only at a reduced rent, at $510 per week. He is therefore seeking the shortfall ($40 a week) from the termination of the tenancy to the date the tenancy would otherwise have ended.
- I consider these are costs that are reasonably foreseeable and the landlord should be compensated for these costs, as ordered above.
- Because [The tenant/s] party] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.
Topics & place
Topics are dispute themes across the order (not the same as claim-type money lines).
Key findings
- Dispute theme: rent arrears
- Dispute theme: property damage
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this Tenancy Tribunal case.
What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5316137 about?
The tribunal order states: [The tenant/s] tenant/s] and [The tenant/s] tenant/s] must pay [The tenant/s] party] $1,527.54
How much money was awarded in case 5316137?
Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $1,445.75 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $1,964.25 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $50.00 awarded to landlord; Trade Me Fee For Relisting Property: $199.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $40.54 awarded to landlord
What type of tenancy dispute was case 5316137?
The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Property damage.
Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5316137?
The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12585976-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.
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