What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5389583 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 5389583?

Cleaning: $220.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $500.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $120.00 awarded to landlord; Enforcement Costs Of Prior Order Dat…: $267.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $240.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $583.74 awarded to landlord; Remove Carpet Stains: $60.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,577.14 awarded to landlord; Broken Glass: $678.50 awarded to landlord; Painting Over Patches: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $580.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $581.12 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5389583?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Property damage, Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5389583?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13184148-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5389583 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 5389583?

Cleaning: $220.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $500.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $120.00 awarded to landlord; Enforcement Costs Of Prior Order Dat…: $267.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $240.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $583.74 awarded to landlord; Remove Carpet Stains: $60.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,577.14 awarded to landlord; Broken Glass: $678.50 awarded to landlord; Painting Over Patches: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $580.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $581.12 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5389583?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Property damage, Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5389583?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13184148-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5389583 — Rent arrears

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5389583 — net $6,635.50 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears from 29.7.25 to 15.8.25	$2,577.14	Rent arrears from 29.7.25 to 15.8.25
enforcement costs of prior order dated 29.7.25	$267.00	enforcement costs of prior order dated 29.7.25
Water rates	$581.12	Water rates
Cleaning: general	$500.00	Cleaning: general
Cleaning: walls	$120.00	Cleaning: walls
Carpet Cleaning	$220.00	Carpet Cleaning
Remove carpet stains	$60.00	Remove carpet stains
Lawns and Garden work	$240.00	Lawns and Garden work
Rubbish removal	$580.00	Rubbish removal
Repairs: broken glass	$678.50	Repairs: broken glass
Repairs: painting over patches	$200.00	Repairs: painting over patches
Lock/key replacement	$583.74	Lock/key replacement
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$6,635.50
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$6,635.50

Only the landlord attended the hearing.

An order was made in this Tribunal on 29 July 2025 terminating the tenancy. The tenants did not vacate until 15 August 2025, and then only after the involvement of the bailiff, for which the landlord incurred the enforcement costs ordered above. Those enforcement costs should be paid by the tenant, as ordered above.

The landlord has now also 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?

I accept the evidence of the landlord that the rent arrears owing for the period from termination until the tenants vacated is as ordered above. The landlord provided water rates invoices which prove the amount owing.

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.

The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.

Photographs provided show there was a large amount of unwanted belongings and rubbish left behind, as well as a significant amount of cleaning. The premises smelt of dog urine and had to be carpet cleaned. Carpet stain removal work was also required, as was cleaning of the walls which had marks on them.

I am satisfied the evidence establishes there were many weeds at the property and that the cost incurred to remove them was reasonable.

The tenant did not return the keys.

The exterior of the property needed weeding.

The amounts I have ordered above are reasonable sums to compensate the landlord for the costs that were incurred to remedy these issues.

The amounts ordered are 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.

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.

There were two broken glass windows at the property. I am satisfied that the damage was deliberate.

The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.

The amount ordered for replacement of the glass windows is proven.

Likewise I am prepared to award a sum by way of compensation for the tenant’s patching of the walls which had to be painted. I consider the amount incurred however not reasonable for the work that was done and award the landlord $200 for that work.

In regarding to the amount incurred for repairing the walls, I am not satisfied the evidence establishes to an adequate level this was anything other than wear and tear. I therefore disallow that claim.

Because [The applicant/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee. I also award the landlord name suppression as it has been the successful party.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5389583 — net $6,635.50 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears from 29.7.25 to 15.8.25	$2,577.14	Rent arrears from 29.7.25 to 15.8.25
enforcement costs of prior order dated 29.7.25	$267.00	enforcement costs of prior order dated 29.7.25
Water rates	$581.12	Water rates
Cleaning: general	$500.00	Cleaning: general
Cleaning: walls	$120.00	Cleaning: walls
Carpet Cleaning	$220.00	Carpet Cleaning
Remove carpet stains	$60.00	Remove carpet stains
Lawns and Garden work	$240.00	Lawns and Garden work
Rubbish removal	$580.00	Rubbish removal
Repairs: broken glass	$678.50	Repairs: broken glass
Repairs: painting over patches	$200.00	Repairs: painting over patches
Lock/key replacement	$583.74	Lock/key replacement
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$6,635.50
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$6,635.50

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the [Landlord] name and identifying details.
Chrystal Layne Hepi must pay [The landlord/s] $6,635.50 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

Reasons

Only the landlord attended the hearing.
An order was made in this Tribunal on 29 July 2025 terminating the tenancy. The tenants did not vacate until 15 August 2025, and then only after the involvement of the bailiff, for which the landlord incurred the enforcement costs ordered above. Those enforcement costs should be paid by the tenant, as ordered above.
The landlord has now also 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?

I accept the evidence of the landlord that the rent arrears owing for the period from termination until the tenants vacated is as ordered above. The landlord provided water rates invoices which prove the amount owing.

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.
The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.
Photographs provided show there was a large amount of unwanted belongings and rubbish left behind, as well as a significant amount of cleaning. The premises smelt of dog urine and had to be carpet cleaned. Carpet stain removal work was also required, as was cleaning of the walls which had marks on them.
I am satisfied the evidence establishes there were many weeds at the property and that the cost incurred to remove them was reasonable.
The tenant did not return the keys.
The exterior of the property needed weeding.
The amounts I have ordered above are reasonable sums to compensate the landlord for the costs that were incurred to remedy these issues.
The amounts ordered are 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.
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.
There were two broken glass windows at the property. I am satisfied that the damage was deliberate.
The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage.
The amount ordered for replacement of the glass windows is proven.
Likewise I am prepared to award a sum by way of compensation for the tenant’s patching of the walls which had to be painted. I consider the amount incurred however not reasonable for the work that was done and award the landlord $200 for that work.
In regarding to the amount incurred for repairing the walls, I am not satisfied the evidence establishes to an adequate level this was anything other than wear and tear. I therefore disallow that claim.
Because [The applicant/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee. I also award the landlord name suppression as it has been the successful party.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5389583 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5389583 — 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?

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 rent and 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