What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5327159 about?

The tribunal order states: Heritage Matthews must pay [The landlord/s] $4,934.32 immediately, calculated

How much money was awarded in case 5327159?

Balance Of Previous Order Applicatio…: $480.57 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $172.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $3,964.43 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $288.82 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5327159?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5327159?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12642045-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5327159 about?

The tribunal order states: Heritage Matthews must pay [The landlord/s] $4,934.32 immediately, calculated

How much money was awarded in case 5327159?

Balance Of Previous Order Applicatio…: $480.57 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $172.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $3,964.43 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $288.82 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5327159?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5327159?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12642045-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5327159 — Rent arrears

Tenantcheck Insights

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5327159 — 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 5327159 — net $4,934.32 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears	$3,964.43	Rent arrears
Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025	$480.57	Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025
Water rates	$288.82	Water rates
Cleaning: Oven	$172.50	9. The tenant did not leave the oven reasonably clean and tidy.
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$4,934.32
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$4,934.32

Claims and awards for application 5327159 — net $4,934.32 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Rent arrears

Amount: $3,964.43
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rent arrears

Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025

Amount: $480.57
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025

Water rates

Amount: $288.82
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Water rates

Cleaning: Oven

Amount: $172.50
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: 9. The tenant did not leave the oven reasonably clean and tidy.

Filing fee reimbursement

Amount: $28.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Filing fee reimbursement

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Cleanliness Filing Fee Rent arrears Water Rates

Order

Heritage Matthews must pay [The landlord/s] $4,934.32 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

Reasons

The landlord attended the video hearing.
The tenant did not attend the hearing by Teams video link. Telephone calls were made to the tenant on the number provided at the allocated hearing time. The call went to voicemail. The Tribunal may hear matters in the absence of a party where satisfied that notice of the hearing had been given. I am satisfied that notice of the hearing was given to the tenant
The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for rent and water rates?

This was a fixed term tenancy to end on 23 March 2026. By order of the Tribunal dated 4 July 2025, the tenant was found to have abandoned the premises. The tenancy was terminated on that date.
Where a tenant abandons a fixed term tenancy, the amount of rent to be ordered by the Tribunal depends on the application of s. 61(3)(b) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“RTA”). When a fixed term tenancy is abandoned, the landlord is not required to mitigate their loss by relating the premises. The landlord is entitled to claim rent up to the end of the fixed term, or until a new tenancy begins, whichever comes first.
In Nest Residential Rentals and Landlord Services Limited v Lisa Folland NZDC 628 the District Court confirmed that there is no obligation for the landlord to mitigate loss when a fixed term tenancy is abandoned. If the landlord re-lets the property before the end of the fixed term, the claim for rent ends when the new tenancy starts. If the property is not re-let, the landlord can claim rent for the remainder of the fixed term. The landlord provided a rent summary through until 11 August 2025. The balance owing under that summary once the rent ordered by the Tribunal on 4 July is taken into account is $3,964.43.
The landlord provided water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy was $288.82.

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. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
The tenant did not leave the oven reasonably clean and tidy. The landlord provided photos of the oven and a copy of an invoice for the cleaning of the oven. The claim is reasonable and is proven.
The landlord applied for compensation for break lease costs. Section 44A RTA provides that where a landlord has consented to an assignment (under s.43B RTA), a subleasing or parting with possession (under s.44 RTA) or to termination of the tenancy (in accordance with s.50(1)(d) RTA), the landlord may recover from the outgoing tenant any expenses reasonably incurred, provided the landlord has first given the tenant an itemised account of the expenses. The tenancy was ended as a result of an abandonment by the tenant. That does not fall within any within any of the provisions allowing for the recovery of break lease fees under s. 44A RTA. The application is therefore dismissed.
As [The applicant/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have ordered the tenant to reimburse the filing fee.
The landlord applied for name suppression. The landlord has been substantially successful in this hearing. Suppression of the landlords name and details is ordered.

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 5327159 — net $4,934.32 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears	$3,964.43	Rent arrears
Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025	$480.57	Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025
Water rates	$288.82	Water rates
Cleaning: Oven	$172.50	9. The tenant did not leave the oven reasonably clean and tidy.
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$4,934.32
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$4,934.32

Claims and awards for application 5327159 — net $4,934.32 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Rent arrears

Amount: $3,964.43
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rent arrears

Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025

Amount: $480.57
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Balance of previous order application 5293640 dated 04/07/2025

Water rates

Amount: $288.82
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Water rates

Cleaning: Oven

Amount: $172.50
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: 9. The tenant did not leave the oven reasonably clean and tidy.

Filing fee reimbursement

Amount: $28.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Filing fee reimbursement

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Cleanliness Filing Fee Rent arrears Water Rates

Order

Heritage Matthews must pay [The landlord/s] $4,934.32 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

Reasons

The landlord attended the video hearing.
The tenant did not attend the hearing by Teams video link. Telephone calls were made to the tenant on the number provided at the allocated hearing time. The call went to voicemail. The Tribunal may hear matters in the absence of a party where satisfied that notice of the hearing had been given. I am satisfied that notice of the hearing was given to the tenant
The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for rent and water rates?

This was a fixed term tenancy to end on 23 March 2026. By order of the Tribunal dated 4 July 2025, the tenant was found to have abandoned the premises. The tenancy was terminated on that date.
Where a tenant abandons a fixed term tenancy, the amount of rent to be ordered by the Tribunal depends on the application of s. 61(3)(b) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“RTA”). When a fixed term tenancy is abandoned, the landlord is not required to mitigate their loss by relating the premises. The landlord is entitled to claim rent up to the end of the fixed term, or until a new tenancy begins, whichever comes first.
In Nest Residential Rentals and Landlord Services Limited v Lisa Folland NZDC 628 the District Court confirmed that there is no obligation for the landlord to mitigate loss when a fixed term tenancy is abandoned. If the landlord re-lets the property before the end of the fixed term, the claim for rent ends when the new tenancy starts. If the property is not re-let, the landlord can claim rent for the remainder of the fixed term. The landlord provided a rent summary through until 11 August 2025. The balance owing under that summary once the rent ordered by the Tribunal on 4 July is taken into account is $3,964.43.
The landlord provided water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy was $288.82.

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. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
The tenant did not leave the oven reasonably clean and tidy. The landlord provided photos of the oven and a copy of an invoice for the cleaning of the oven. The claim is reasonable and is proven.
The landlord applied for compensation for break lease costs. Section 44A RTA provides that where a landlord has consented to an assignment (under s.43B RTA), a subleasing or parting with possession (under s.44 RTA) or to termination of the tenancy (in accordance with s.50(1)(d) RTA), the landlord may recover from the outgoing tenant any expenses reasonably incurred, provided the landlord has first given the tenant an itemised account of the expenses. The tenancy was ended as a result of an abandonment by the tenant. That does not fall within any within any of the provisions allowing for the recovery of break lease fees under s. 44A RTA. The application is therefore dismissed.
As [The applicant/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have ordered the tenant to reimburse the filing fee.
The landlord applied for name suppression. The landlord has been substantially successful in this hearing. Suppression of the landlords name and details is ordered.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5327159 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5327159 — Rent arrears

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?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

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?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions