Tenantcheck Insights · Case study
Tenancy Tribunal case 5401654 — Rent arrears at Cabin 10, 55A Great North Road, Kamo, Whangarei 0112
Published 6 May 2026 · Application 5401654
Landlord favoured
- Rent arrears
- Property damage
- Cleanliness
At a glance
Key facts from the published tribunal order.
Outcome
Landlord favoured
From published order
Location
Whangarei
Tribunal region
Adjudicator
N Blake
Dispute themes
Award balance
Gross awards, any bond applied per the order, and the remaining balance payable.
- Gross award
- $2,031.00
- Total balance for Tenant to pay Landlord
- $2,031.00
Claims & awards
What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.
| Claim | Landlord | Tenant | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent arrears to 27 November 2025 | $858.00 | Rent arrears to 27 November 2025 | |
| Cleaning and carpet cleaning | $290.00 | Cleaning and carpet cleaning | |
| Rubbish removal | $105.00 | Rubbish removal | |
| Storage costs | $300.00 | Storage costs | |
| Lock/key replacement | $200.00 | Lock/key replacement | |
| Repairs: Carpet | $100.00 | Repairs: Carpet | |
| Repairs: Door | $150.00 | Repairs: Door | |
| Filing fee reimbursement | $28.00 | 29. The claim is proven. | |
| Net award | $2,031.00 | ||
| Total payable by Tenant to Landlord | $2,031.00 |
Claims and awards for application 5401654 — net $2,031.00 NZD. Verify on MoJ.
Rent arrears to 27 November 2025
- Amount
- $858.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rent arrears to 27 November 2025
Cleaning and carpet cleaning
- Amount
- $290.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Cleaning and carpet cleaning
Rubbish removal
- Amount
- $105.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rubbish removal
Storage costs
- Amount
- $300.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Storage costs
Lock/key replacement
- Amount
- $200.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Lock/key replacement
Repairs: Carpet
- Amount
- $100.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Repairs: Carpet
Repairs: Door
- Amount
- $150.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Repairs: Door
Filing fee reimbursement
- Amount
- $28.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- 29. The claim is proven.
Net award
Landlord $2,031.00
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord
Landlord $2,031.00
Claim types — money lines allowed on this order
Order
- Ayla June Waipouri must pay Nationwide Property Management Limited As Agent For Memorial Limited $2,031.00 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Reasons
Background
- The property is a cabin located in the Kamo Springs Holiday Park.
- Ms Waipouri entered into a tenancy for Cabin 10 beginning on 26 July 2025. The rent was $350 per week. It is a boarding house tenancy.
- The landlord filed this Tenancy Tribunal application on 28 November 2025. The application seeks rent arrears, rent in lieu of notice for abandonment, cleaning, rubbish removal, repairs, and other costs.
- The hearing took place in Whangarei on 6 May 2026. Ms Tohowaka represented the landlord at the hearing. There was no appearance by the tenant. The hearing proceeded in the tenant’s absence. 1 Rent arrears
- The ending of the tenancy was somewhat messy. Ms Waipouri was in rent arrears. The landlord had difficulties contacting her. Several times Ms Waipouri agreed to meet with the landlord but failed to show up. It was unclear whether she was still living at the cabin.
- On 25 November 2025 Ms Waipouri sent a text message to the landlord (Yan) stating: Hey Yan I was just messaging you to let you know legend and I are moving out of the cabin [...] I know I’m able to stay but I’m not able to afford the cabin myself as well as the power and food I won’t have the funds for I’m already paying off the arrears as well as rent I just thought to let you know now rather than later
- On 29 November 2025, the landlord issued a formal notice to terminate the tenancy at midday on 1 December 2025.
- As noted above, this is a boarding house tenancy.
- A tenant in a boarding house tenancy can terminate the tenancy by giving the landlord at least 48 hours’ notice. 2 The notice does not need to be in writing. 3
- My finding is that Ms Waipouri gave notice in her text message quoted above. The message clearly states that Ms Waipouri wants to end the tenancy. There are no formal requirements for notices given by tenants in boarding house tenancies.
- The message was sent in the evening of 25 November 2025. The last day of the tenancy was 27 November 2025. Ms Waipouri is liable for rent to that date. “Compensation for the abandoned property” 1 Section 92 Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“RTA”) 2 Section 66V(1) RTA 3 Section 66V(2) RTA
- The claim seeks four weeks’ of rent under this heading ($1,400.00). It is unclear how the landlord arrived at this amount of compensation.
- In any event, my finding is that the tenancy was terminated by notice by the tenant. The tenant did not abandon the premises.
- There is no basis for an award of ‘compensation’ under this heading. Cleaning and rubbish removal
- Tenants must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and remove all rubbish at the end of the tenancy.
- Ms Tohowaka said that the premises were left unclean, and that Ms Waipouri left a significant amount of rubbish and abandoned belongings behind at the end of the tenancy.
- Ms Tohowaka provided several photographs from the end of the tenancy. Although more photographs would have been helpful, the photographs provided, together with Ms Tohowaka‘s oral evidence, is sufficient to show that Ms Waipouri did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish. The amounts claimed for cleaning and collating the abandoned belongings (not including the “administration” fee) are fair and reasonable. Storage
- The landlord bagged up Ms Waipouri’s abandoned belongings and has stored them since the end of the tenancy.
- The landlord has made all reasonable attempts to contact Ms Waipouri and make arrangements for her to retrieve her belongings. Ms Waipouri has not responded.
- The landlord is entitled to recover the reasonable cost of storing Ms Waipouri’s belongings since the end of the tenancy.
- Having regard to the photographs and to Ms Tohowaka‘s description of what was left behind, I am satisfied that the amount claimed for storage is reasonable.
- The remaining belongings have no commercial value beyond the cost of storage. The landlord may dispose of what remains. 4 Change of locks 4 Section 62B RTA
- The tenant did not return the key at the end of the tenancy. The amount claimed for changing the locks is fair and reasonable. Repairs
- Tenants are liable for damage beyond fair wear and tear that occurs during the tenancy. 5
- Tenants are liable for damage caused by themselves and by anyone who is at the premises with their consent. 6
- Ms Tohowaka provided photographs showing: a. A large stain on the carpet that could not be removed by cleaning. b. A hole near the bottom of the door (apparent kick damage).
- The damage is beyond fair wear and tear, and I am satisfied that it occurred during the tenancy.
- The repair costs claimed are reasonable and conservative.
- The claim is proven. Filing fee
- The landlord has been successful in this application, and I must also award the landlord the filing fee of $28.00. 7
Topics & place
Topics are dispute themes across the order (not the same as claim-type money lines).
Residential Tenancies Act sections
s102(4), s24, s27, s4, s41, s49B, s5, s62B, s66V(1), s66V(2), s92
Key findings
- Dispute theme: rent arrears
- Dispute theme: cleaning
- Dispute theme: property damage
Property management
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this Tenancy Tribunal case.
What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5401654?
The tribunal order states: Ayla June Waipouri must pay Nationwide Property Management Limited As
How much money was awarded in case 5401654?
Cleaning: $290.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $858.00 awarded to landlord; Carpet: $100.00 awarded to landlord; Door: $150.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $105.00 awarded to landlord; Storage Costs: $300.00 awarded to landlord
What type of tenancy dispute was case 5401654?
The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Property damage, Cleanliness.
Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5401654?
The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13554084-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.