How much money was awarded in case 5365689?

Compensation: Rent adjustment x 14 w…: $1,400.00 awarded to tenant; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to tenant

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5365689?

The dispute type was not classified.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5365689?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13021130-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

How much money was awarded in case 5365689?

Compensation: Rent adjustment x 14 w…: $1,400.00 awarded to tenant; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to tenant

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5365689?

The dispute type was not classified.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5365689?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13021130-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5365689 — Tenancy dispute

Q: What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5365689 about?

The tribunal order states: The Tribunal orders suppression of the names and identifying details of both

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5365689 — net $1,428.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Tenant	Reason
Compensation: Rent adjustment x 14 weeks	$1,400.00	Rent adjustment x 14 weeks
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$1,428.00
Total payable by Landlord to Tenant	$1,428.00

The Tribunal orders suppression of the names and identifying details of both parties.

The rent is to be reduced to $700.00 per week effective from 15 October 2025.

The tenant is not allowed to keep any dog at the premises any longer.

[The landlord/s] must pay [The tenant/s] $1,728.00 immediately, being reimbursement of the overpaid rent. This can be paid by way of rent credit.

Reasons

The tenant attended the hearing on 7 January 2026. The landlord did not.

The tenant applied for a reduction of the weekly rent. Background

The tenancy began on 14 April 2025. The weekly rent was agreed at $700.00 per week. The tenancy was for a fixed term ending on 13 April 2026.

From 4 June 2025, the parties agreed to increase the weekly rent to $800.00 on the condition that the tenant was allowed a dog to live at the premises.

The tenant had to give up the dog for the sake of the dog due to the tenant not being able to spend long enough time at the premises due to work.

From 29 September 2025, the dog was no longer living at the premises and the landlord was informed about this.

However, the landlord declined the tenant’s request for the rent to come down to $700.00 per week saying that it was the tenant’s decision to keep the dog short term.

Further to that, the landlord said that $100.00 per week was based on a long- term arrangement. He said that he would have either declined the request for the tenant to have a dog for or charged $300.00 or more to allow for a dog short-term. In addition, he said “the extra was not really for the dog, but to help cover the extra maintenance costs on the house.” The law

Although the tenant mentioned sections 59 and 66 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“RTA”) in the application, those sections do not apply to what the tenant is asking for.

Sections 24 and 25 RTA are appliable.

Section 24(1)(g) RTA states that a landlord under a fixed-term tenancy may not increase the rent during the term of the tenancy unless it was written in the tenancy agreement to be able to do so; and may only do so as per the provisions in the RTA and the tenancy agreement.

Section 24(1)(d) RTA states a rent must not be increased within 12 months of the commencement of the tenancy.

Section 25 RTA allows the tenant to apply to the Tribunal for rent to be reduced to be in line with the market rent.

Section 25(3) RTA states the “market rent” is what a wiling landlord might reasonably expect to receive and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, taking into consideration of general level of rents for comparable tenancies of comparable premises in the locality or in similar localities and such other matters as the Tribunal considers relevant.

Under section 25(4) RTA, an order made for reduction of the rent cannot be effective any earlier than from the date of the application. Decision

The parties can vary conditions of the fixed-term tenancy by agreement. Increasing the weekly rent by $100.00 for allowing a dog was completely fine.

However, the landlord insisting on keeping that $100.00 increase for “maintenance costs on the house” is not, especially given that rent increases are not permissible within first 12 months of a tenancy and that there would not have been $100.00 increase in the market rent for the same house in the same location.

The only justification for $100.00 increase in the weekly rent was for the tenant being able to keep a dog.

As that is no longer the situation for the tenant, the $800.00 per week for the same house that was $700.00 per week only 3 months prior exceeds the market rent.

I order the rent to be reduced to $700.00 per week effective from 15 October 2025, being the date when this application was lodged.

The tenant is not to have another dog at the premises while the weekly rent is back down to $700.00.

The landlord is to pay the overpaid amount of rent back to the tenant. This can be done by way of rent credit. Filing fee reimbursement

Because the tenant has wholly succeeded with the claim, the landlord must reimburse the filing fee. Suppression of details

As there is no public interest in the names being published, on the Tribunal’s own initiative, the names and identifying details of both parties will be suppressed.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5365689 — net $1,428.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Tenant	Reason
Compensation: Rent adjustment x 14 weeks	$1,400.00	Rent adjustment x 14 weeks
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$1,428.00
Total payable by Landlord to Tenant	$1,428.00

Order

The Tribunal orders suppression of the names and identifying details of both parties.
The rent is to be reduced to $700.00 per week effective from 15 October 2025.
The tenant is not allowed to keep any dog at the premises any longer.
[The landlord/s] must pay [The tenant/s] $1,728.00 immediately, being reimbursement of the overpaid rent. This can be paid by way of rent credit.

Reasons

The tenant attended the hearing on 7 January 2026. The landlord did not.
The tenant applied for a reduction of the weekly rent. Background
The tenancy began on 14 April 2025. The weekly rent was agreed at $700.00 per week. The tenancy was for a fixed term ending on 13 April 2026.
From 4 June 2025, the parties agreed to increase the weekly rent to $800.00 on the condition that the tenant was allowed a dog to live at the premises.
The tenant had to give up the dog for the sake of the dog due to the tenant not being able to spend long enough time at the premises due to work.
From 29 September 2025, the dog was no longer living at the premises and the landlord was informed about this.
However, the landlord declined the tenant’s request for the rent to come down to $700.00 per week saying that it was the tenant’s decision to keep the dog short term.
Further to that, the landlord said that $100.00 per week was based on a long- term arrangement. He said that he would have either declined the request for the tenant to have a dog for or charged $300.00 or more to allow for a dog short-term. In addition, he said “the extra was not really for the dog, but to help cover the extra maintenance costs on the house.” The law
Although the tenant mentioned sections 59 and 66 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“RTA”) in the application, those sections do not apply to what the tenant is asking for.
Sections 24 and 25 RTA are appliable.
Section 24(1)(g) RTA states that a landlord under a fixed-term tenancy may not increase the rent during the term of the tenancy unless it was written in the tenancy agreement to be able to do so; and may only do so as per the provisions in the RTA and the tenancy agreement.
Section 24(1)(d) RTA states a rent must not be increased within 12 months of the commencement of the tenancy.
Section 25 RTA allows the tenant to apply to the Tribunal for rent to be reduced to be in line with the market rent.
Section 25(3) RTA states the “market rent” is what a wiling landlord might reasonably expect to receive and a willing tenant might reasonably expect to pay for the tenancy, taking into consideration of general level of rents for comparable tenancies of comparable premises in the locality or in similar localities and such other matters as the Tribunal considers relevant.
Under section 25(4) RTA, an order made for reduction of the rent cannot be effective any earlier than from the date of the application. Decision
The parties can vary conditions of the fixed-term tenancy by agreement. Increasing the weekly rent by $100.00 for allowing a dog was completely fine.
However, the landlord insisting on keeping that $100.00 increase for “maintenance costs on the house” is not, especially given that rent increases are not permissible within first 12 months of a tenancy and that there would not have been $100.00 increase in the market rent for the same house in the same location.
The only justification for $100.00 increase in the weekly rent was for the tenant being able to keep a dog.
As that is no longer the situation for the tenant, the $800.00 per week for the same house that was $700.00 per week only 3 months prior exceeds the market rent.
I order the rent to be reduced to $700.00 per week effective from 15 October 2025, being the date when this application was lodged.
The tenant is not to have another dog at the premises while the weekly rent is back down to $700.00.
The landlord is to pay the overpaid amount of rent back to the tenant. This can be done by way of rent credit. Filing fee reimbursement
Because the tenant has wholly succeeded with the claim, the landlord must reimburse the filing fee. Suppression of details
As there is no public interest in the names being published, on the Tribunal’s own initiative, the names and identifying details of both parties will be suppressed.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5365689 — Tenancy dispute

At a glance

Award balance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5365689 — Tenancy dispute

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Frequently asked questions

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Frequently asked questions