How much money was awarded in case 5383721?

Break Lease Fee: $747.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $10,771.43 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $974.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $321.26 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5383721?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5383721?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13336412-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

How much money was awarded in case 5383721?

Break Lease Fee: $747.50 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $10,771.43 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $974.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $321.26 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5383721?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5383721?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13336412-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

11 Tiari Place, Mangere East, Auckland 2024 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5383721 — Rent arrears

Q: What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5383721 about?

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

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5383721 — net $10,242.19 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears as at 10 February 2026	$10,771.43	Rent arrears as at 10 February 2026
Water rates as at 3 December 2025	$321.26	Water rates as at 3 December 2025
Cleaning and rubbish removal	$974.00	Cleaning and rubbish removal
Break lease fee	$747.50	Break lease fee
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$10,242.19
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$10,242.19

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord’s name and identifying details.

Valentina Lucia LAFAELE and Sofaea LAFAELE must pay [The landlord/s] $10,242.19 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlord/s] immediately.

Reasons

This application was scheduled to be heard by telephone. As with the last hearing on 13 January 2026, Valentina Lafaele did not answer her phone when called and the hearing proceeded in her absence.

The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, payment of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

At the beginning of today’s hearing Sofaea Lafaele questioned why she would have to pay the debt owed by her daughter Valentina, when she, Sofaea, did not live at the premises and only signed as a tenant to help her daughter to secure the premises.

I explained that given that she signed as a tenant, in spite of her not living at the premises, she has agreed meet to all the conditions and terms of the tenancy agreement and the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. Any breach means that both she and her daughter are jointly and separately liable for any debt.

How much is owed for rent and water rates?

As stated in my earlier order, tenants who have signed a fixed term tenancy and leave the tenancy before the expiry of that fixed term, remain liable for rent up to the date on which a new tenancy starts or the expiry of the fixed term, whichever is earlier.

The tenancy was due to expire on 13 June 2026 and I accept the evidence provided at today’s hearing that a new tenancy started on 11 February 2026.

The respondents are therefore liable to pay rent to 10 February 2026. The rent record shows that as at 10 February 2026, $!0,771.43 was owing in rent.

I also accept the evidence that there is also $321.26 outstanding in water rates.

At today’s hearing Mrs Lafaele stated that a new tenancy had started in December 2025 and that she knew this because she had gone to collect mail and saw a red car outside with people living in the premises.

However there was no evidence provided to support this statement. There is no reason not to accept the landlord’s evidence that a new tenancy started in February. I note also that the red car may well belonged to the cleaners.

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

At the end of the tenancy the tenants 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.

The photographs show that the tenants left a lot of furniture behind and had not left the premises reasonably clean.

The amount ordered to remedy this is proved with an invoice. Break lease fee

When tenants break the fixed term tenancy that they have agreed to, they are required to reimburse the landlord for any loss resulting from their breach of the agreement.

I accept the evidence that because the tenants left the tenancy half way through the fixed term, the landlord was required to pay for such things as readvertising the premises, viewings and credit checks, in order to get new tenants.

This cost was invoiced to the landlord at $747.50. Filing fee reimbursement

I am ordering the tenants to reimburse the filing fee to the landlord because the landlord was wholly successful with this claim against them. Suppression of names

For the same reason I am allowing the landlord’s application for suppression of their name and identifying details. C ter Haar 24 March 2026

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5383721 — net $10,242.19 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears as at 10 February 2026	$10,771.43	Rent arrears as at 10 February 2026
Water rates as at 3 December 2025	$321.26	Water rates as at 3 December 2025
Cleaning and rubbish removal	$974.00	Cleaning and rubbish removal
Break lease fee	$747.50	Break lease fee
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$10,242.19
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$10,242.19

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord’s name and identifying details.
Valentina Lucia LAFAELE and Sofaea LAFAELE must pay [The landlord/s] $10,242.19 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlord/s] immediately.

Reasons

This application was scheduled to be heard by telephone. As with the last hearing on 13 January 2026, Valentina Lafaele did not answer her phone when called and the hearing proceeded in her absence.
The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, payment of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
At the beginning of today’s hearing Sofaea Lafaele questioned why she would have to pay the debt owed by her daughter Valentina, when she, Sofaea, did not live at the premises and only signed as a tenant to help her daughter to secure the premises.
I explained that given that she signed as a tenant, in spite of her not living at the premises, she has agreed meet to all the conditions and terms of the tenancy agreement and the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. Any breach means that both she and her daughter are jointly and separately liable for any debt.

How much is owed for rent and water rates?

As stated in my earlier order, tenants who have signed a fixed term tenancy and leave the tenancy before the expiry of that fixed term, remain liable for rent up to the date on which a new tenancy starts or the expiry of the fixed term, whichever is earlier.
The tenancy was due to expire on 13 June 2026 and I accept the evidence provided at today’s hearing that a new tenancy started on 11 February 2026.
The respondents are therefore liable to pay rent to 10 February 2026. The rent record shows that as at 10 February 2026, $!0,771.43 was owing in rent.
I also accept the evidence that there is also $321.26 outstanding in water rates.
At today’s hearing Mrs Lafaele stated that a new tenancy had started in December 2025 and that she knew this because she had gone to collect mail and saw a red car outside with people living in the premises.
However there was no evidence provided to support this statement. There is no reason not to accept the landlord’s evidence that a new tenancy started in February. I note also that the red car may well belonged to the cleaners.

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

At the end of the tenancy the tenants 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.
The photographs show that the tenants left a lot of furniture behind and had not left the premises reasonably clean.
The amount ordered to remedy this is proved with an invoice. Break lease fee
When tenants break the fixed term tenancy that they have agreed to, they are required to reimburse the landlord for any loss resulting from their breach of the agreement.
I accept the evidence that because the tenants left the tenancy half way through the fixed term, the landlord was required to pay for such things as readvertising the premises, viewings and credit checks, in order to get new tenants.
This cost was invoiced to the landlord at $747.50. Filing fee reimbursement
I am ordering the tenants to reimburse the filing fee to the landlord because the landlord was wholly successful with this claim against them. Suppression of names
For the same reason I am allowing the landlord’s application for suppression of their name and identifying details. C ter Haar 24 March 2026

Tenancy Tribunal case 5383721 — Rent arrears at 11 Tiari Place, Mangere East, Auckland 2024

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5383721 — Rent arrears at 11 Tiari Place, Mangere East, Auckland 2024

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for rent and water rates?

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

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions