What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5334705 about?

The tribunal order states: An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal

How much money was awarded in case 5334705?

Cleaning: $660.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Doorstops: $119.88 awarded to landlord; Toilet Seat: $76.67 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $169.88 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5334705?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5334705?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12741812-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5334705 about?

The tribunal order states: An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal

How much money was awarded in case 5334705?

Cleaning: $660.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Doorstops: $119.88 awarded to landlord; Toilet Seat: $76.67 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $169.88 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5334705?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5334705?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/12741812-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5334705 — Cleanliness

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Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5334705 — net $1,054.43 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates to 19 August 2025	$169.88	Water rates to 19 August 2025
Cleaning	$660.00	Cleaning
Repairs: Doorstops	$119.88	Repairs: Doorstops
Repairs: Toilet seat	$76.67	Repairs: Toilet seat
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$1,054.43
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$1,054.43

The landlords attended the hearing.

The tenant did not attend the hearing, however, he advised in writing that he did not wish to attend and requested that the Tribunal respect that request. The tenant has instead provided written submissions in response to the landlords’ claims and these have been considered in this order.

The landlords have applied for outgoings, compensation and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for water rates?

The tenancy ended on 18 August 2025. The landlords provided a water rates invoice which proves the amount of $196.33 for water rates at the end of the tenancy.

However, this included an amount of $26.45 for admin/invoice processing. The tenant agrees with the water bill claimed but disputes this administration fee.

The landlords explained that the administration fee was added to every invoice and was a fixed charged regardless of how much water was used. I therefore consider that the tenant is not liable for this amount.

However, the water usage of $169.88 is payable by the tenant and is ordered.

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 (RTA).

The landlords have provided photographs of items they say required further cleaning together with the invoice for cleaning of $660.00. They say that cleaning was required to the kitchen, bathroom and shower, windowsills and the walls. They obtained several quotes and selected the lowest one to keep the costs as low as possible and did some cleaning themselves.

The tenant says that he did clean the property, including professional carpet cleaning and scrubbing the walls and considers that the landlord’s decision to hire a professional cleaner was their own choice, and not an expense he should have to pay.

On review of the evidence, I am satisfied that the tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and that some further cleaning was required to meet the standard in the RTA.

The amount ordered is 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 landlords have claimed for the cost to repair damage to the toilet and to replace door stops that were missing at the end of the tenancy. Photographs have been provided together with evidence of the costs of repair. The toilet repair is claimed at $76.67, and the doorstops were claimed to be $119.88 (being for the cost of six doorstops at $19.98 each). The landlords say that all the doorstops in the property were broken in some way, and where the rubber bumpers had been removed, you could see recent marks on the doors from the rubber, suggesting that it had occurred recently.

The tenant says that none of the photographs of the alleged damage were caused by him or his household. Although the tenant suggested he had counter evidence, nothing has been provided.

On review of the evidence, I consider that the following damage was caused during the tenancy: Damage to the toilet seat and the door stops. The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.

The amounts ordered are proved.

The tenant made submissions on other matters such as the garage door, however, as there was no claim in respect of this, I have not considered the matter further.

Because [The applicant/s] have wholly succeeded with the claim I must also reimburse the filing fee.

There was a previous Tribunal order that awarded name suppression to all parties. For consistency, I consider it appropriate to also award name suppression here. See section 95A of the RTA. R Harvey-Lane 19 November 2025

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5334705 — net $1,054.43 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Water rates to 19 August 2025	$169.88	Water rates to 19 August 2025
Cleaning	$660.00	Cleaning
Repairs: Doorstops	$119.88	Repairs: Doorstops
Repairs: Toilet seat	$76.67	Repairs: Toilet seat
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$1,054.43
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$1,054.43

The landlords attended the hearing.

The landlords have applied for outgoings, compensation and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for water rates?

The tenancy ended on 18 August 2025. The landlords provided a water rates invoice which proves the amount of $196.33 for water rates at the end of the tenancy.

However, this included an amount of $26.45 for admin/invoice processing. The tenant agrees with the water bill claimed but disputes this administration fee.

However, the water usage of $169.88 is payable by the tenant and is ordered.

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

On review of the evidence, I am satisfied that the tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and that some further cleaning was required to meet the standard in the RTA.

The amount ordered is proved.

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

The tenant says that none of the photographs of the alleged damage were caused by him or his household. Although the tenant suggested he had counter evidence, nothing has been provided.

The amounts ordered are proved.

The tenant made submissions on other matters such as the garage door, however, as there was no claim in respect of this, I have not considered the matter further.

Because [The applicant/s] have wholly succeeded with the claim I must also reimburse the filing fee.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5334705 — Cleanliness

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5334705 — Cleanliness

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for 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

Frequently asked questions

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for 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

Frequently asked questions