How much money was awarded in case 5394747?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,144.29 awarded to landlord; Broken Laundry Window: $600.00 awarded to landlord; Replace carpet at 50% depreciation d…: $2,720.88 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $11,000.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $162.94 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5394747?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5394747?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13644472-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

How much money was awarded in case 5394747?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,144.29 awarded to landlord; Broken Laundry Window: $600.00 awarded to landlord; Replace carpet at 50% depreciation d…: $2,720.88 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $11,000.00 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $162.94 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5394747?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5394747?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13644472-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5394747 — Property damage

Q: What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5394747 about?

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

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5394747 — net $13,496.11 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 20 October 2025	$2,144.29	Rent arrears to 20 October 2025
Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years	$2,720.88	Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years
Water rates	$162.94	3. The landlords have applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the…
Repairs: Broken laundry window	$600.00	Repairs: Broken laundry window
Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement	$11,000.00	Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$13,496.11
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$13,496.11

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5394747 — net $13,496.11 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.

Claim

Landlord

Tenant

Reason

Rent arrears to 20 October 2025

$2,144.29

Rent arrears to 20 October 2025

Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years

$2,720.88

Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years

Water rates

$162.94

3. The landlords have applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the…

Repairs: Broken laundry window

$600.00

Repairs: Broken laundry window

Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement

$11,000.00

Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement

Filing fee reimbursement

$28.00

Filing fee reimbursement

Net award

$13,496.11

Total payable by Tenant to Landlord

$13,496.11

Order

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

Amber Bent must pay [The landlords] $13,496.11 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $3,160.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlords] immediately.

Reasons

The male landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not.

I am satisfied that the tenant had received proper notice of the hearing time, date and place and chose not to attend.

The landlords have applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for rent and water rates?

The tenancy ended on 20 October 2025. The landlord provided rent records and water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy.

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 is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.

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

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.

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 landlord has proven intentional damage to the walls, flooring, underlay and carpet was caused during the tenancy because of a dog being locked in the house repeatedly causing significant and a window in the laundry being broken from an altercation between the tenant and her mother.

The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and because it has been assessed as intentional damage due to animal abuse by the landlord’s insurance assessor, the insurer has declined the insurance claims. The tenant has not disproved liability for the damage and has in a text message dated 29 September 2025 confirmed acceptance of the damage to the walls and carpet and agreed to the full bond being released to the landlords.

The amounts ordered are proved.

I have considered betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have considered the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan.

The IRD 265 depreciation schedule states the estimated usual lifespan of wool carpet is 15.5 years. I have depreciated the carpet at 50% of the cost of the new carpet and underlay accordingly. Reimbursement of filing fee

Section 102(4) of the RTA confirms that applicants that are wholly or substantially successful in proving their claims will have their filing fee reimbursed.

Because [The applicants] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee. Name suppression

The landlords apply for non-publication of their names and identifying details.

The Tribunal must, on the application of a party that has wholly or substantially succeeded in proceedings, order that the party’s name or identifying particulars not be published, unless the Tribunal considers that publication is in the public interest or is justified because of the party’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.

The landlords have substantially succeeded in their proceedings. I do not consider publication is in the public interest or justified because of the landlords conduct or any other circumstances of the case.

Non-publication is ordered.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5394747 — net $13,496.11 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 20 October 2025	$2,144.29	Rent arrears to 20 October 2025
Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years	$2,720.88	Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years
Water rates	$162.94	3. The landlords have applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the…
Repairs: Broken laundry window	$600.00	Repairs: Broken laundry window
Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement	$11,000.00	Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$13,496.11
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$13,496.11

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5394747 — net $13,496.11 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.

Claim

Landlord

Tenant

Reason

Rent arrears to 20 October 2025

$2,144.29

Rent arrears to 20 October 2025

Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years

$2,720.88

Repairs: Replace carpet at 50% depreciation due to age of wool carpet with estimated useful life span of 15.5 years

Water rates

$162.94

3. The landlords have applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the…

Repairs: Broken laundry window

$600.00

Repairs: Broken laundry window

Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement

$11,000.00

Repairs: Walls having to be repaired and repoainted in every room due to dog claw damage and excrement

Filing fee reimbursement

$28.00

Filing fee reimbursement

Net award

$13,496.11

Total payable by Tenant to Landlord

$13,496.11

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlords name and identifying details.
Amber Bent must pay [The landlords] $13,496.11 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $3,160.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlords] immediately.

Reasons

The male landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not.
I am satisfied that the tenant had received proper notice of the hearing time, date and place and chose not to attend.
The landlords have applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for rent and water rates?

The tenancy ended on 20 October 2025. The landlord provided rent records and water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy.

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 is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.
The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish.
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.
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 landlord has proven intentional damage to the walls, flooring, underlay and carpet was caused during the tenancy because of a dog being locked in the house repeatedly causing significant and a window in the laundry being broken from an altercation between the tenant and her mother.
The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and because it has been assessed as intentional damage due to animal abuse by the landlord’s insurance assessor, the insurer has declined the insurance claims. The tenant has not disproved liability for the damage and has in a text message dated 29 September 2025 confirmed acceptance of the damage to the walls and carpet and agreed to the full bond being released to the landlords.
The amounts ordered are proved.
I have considered betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have considered the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan.
The IRD 265 depreciation schedule states the estimated usual lifespan of wool carpet is 15.5 years. I have depreciated the carpet at 50% of the cost of the new carpet and underlay accordingly. Reimbursement of filing fee
Section 102(4) of the RTA confirms that applicants that are wholly or substantially successful in proving their claims will have their filing fee reimbursed.
Because [The applicants] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee. Name suppression
The landlords apply for non-publication of their names and identifying details.
The Tribunal must, on the application of a party that has wholly or substantially succeeded in proceedings, order that the party’s name or identifying particulars not be published, unless the Tribunal considers that publication is in the public interest or is justified because of the party’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.
The landlords have substantially succeeded in their proceedings. I do not consider publication is in the public interest or justified because of the landlords conduct or any other circumstances of the case.
Non-publication is ordered.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5394747 — Property damage

At a glance

Award balance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5394747 — Property damage

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

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