Published tribunal order
Tenancy Tribunal case 5378201 — Rent arrears
Decided 19 Feb 2026 · Published 19 Feb 2026 · Application 5378201
- Rent arrears
- Cleanliness
- Property damage
Party names are redacted in the official published order.
Order
- An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of landlord’s name and identifying details.
- Bradley Evans must pay [The landlord/s] $1,806.28 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Reasons
- The landlord attended the hearing. There was no appearance for the tenant.
- The landlord has applied for rent arrears, outgoings, compensation, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
- The tenancy agreement was for one bedroom plus sharing the communal area. It was not a boarding house agreement because the property has only 3 bedrooms with one tenant per room. 1
How much is owed for rent and outgoings?
- The tenancy ended on 23 July 2025.
- The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy was $1,030.
- That amount is proved.
- Calculating the outgoings is less straightforward.
- The utilities remained in the landlord’s name. He did not use the premises as his principal place of residence and so the agreement is not excluded under section 5(1)(n) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA).
- The landlord calculated the tenant’s share for the duration of the tenancy was $3,094.18, but that includes three end of tenancy items: a. carpet clean$30.00 b. exit clean and rubbish removal for tenant’s room: $156.75 c. key replacement $ 11.42 d. bed replacement contribution$199.50 e. Final clean$ 57.50 TOTAL$455.17
- The final clean was for the tenant’s share of cleaning costs in December when the other tenants moved out. The tenant is not responsible for the other tenants’ ongoing responsibilities after his tenancy ended. Therefore, the sum of $57.50 is deducted from the amount claimed. That leaves a balance of $3,036.68.
- The landlord provided the Tribunal with copies of all invoices and a schedule of payments made for: a. Water rates b. Electricity c. Gardening d. Cleaning e. Replacement key 1 See section 66B of the Residential Tenancies Act for a definition of a boarding house. f. Carpet cleaning g. Replacement bed.
- The tenant did not pay each of these as they became due. The landlord provided a schedule of all payments the tenant made. They total $1,358.40. Therefore the balance owing is $1,678.28, less the $57.50 final clean, which leaves $1,620.78. Outgoings
- Under the agreement, each tenant had to pay their share of the water rates, electricity and gardening.
- During the tenancy there were some inspections. The premises were not kept reasonably clean and tidy. The landlord decided to pay one tenant to keep the communal clean and tidy. This was after the landlord has issued notices to remedy and advising that he would pass cleaning costs on to the tenant.
- The total amount claimed by the landlord included: a. Cleaning the tenant’s room and removing rubbish at the end of the tenancy: $156.75 b. Compensation for a broken bed: $199.50 c. A lost key: $11.42 d. Cleaning a stain in the carpet in the tenant’s room: $30.00.
- This totals $397.67.
- 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 did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.
- The tenant did not return the keys.
- The carpet was not cleaned as soon as the tenant moved out, but there was a stain on the carpet in his room at the end of his tenancy. The $30.00 claimed is his share of the total carpet cleaning. That is reasonable.
- The bed provided was damaged. At the end of the tenancy it was 5 years old. The landlord has sought 50% of the replacement cost of a similar bed, and has provided invoices and quotes to establish that sum of $199.50.
- The bond of $930 has been reimbursed to the landlord. Once the tenant’s payments of $1,358.40 and the bond have been deducted, the balance owing is $748.28. Of that, the end of tenancy payments have been captured above and total $397.67. That leaves a balance owing on outgoings of $350.61.
- Because [The applicant/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee and order suppression of his name and identifying details.