Published tribunal order
Tenancy Tribunal case 5409171 — Rent arrears at 45A Logie Street, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt 5019
Published 11 February 2026 · Application 5409171
Tenant favoured
- Rent arrears
Order
- Maobo Lin must pay James Adrian Kahaotea Tent Want the sum of $480.00 from the bond, calculated as shown in table below.
Reasons
- The Tribunal must consider an application filed by the landlord against the tenant.
- Only the landlord appeared at the hearing. I am satisfied that the tenant has been properly notified of the hearing, and therefore I will proceed to consider the claim in their absence.
BACKGROUND
- The tenancy commenced on 13 November 2025. The tenancy agreement is odd in that it says it is a 12 month fixed term tenancy, but also says that it can end with three weeks notice, so I will approach this as a periodic tenancy.
- The landlord states that the tenant left the premises on 28 November 2025.
- The landlord also says that he received bond of $2,400.00 and the first week of rent in advance of $480.00. Otherwise no further rent payments were made.
- However the landlord also confirmed that the bond has not been lodged with the Bond Centre, he still holds it. So for the purpose of this order, I will treat the bond that the landlord holds, as being a credit held by the landlord.
- A hearing was convened today at the Tribunal in Lower Hutt. The tenant did not appear, but the landlord was supported by an interpreter.
LANDLORDS CASE
- The landlord said that the tenant was in the property for only three weeks before moving out. No rent was paid (other than the first week in advance). The landlord said that since the tenancy ended, the tenant has been sending offensive messages to the landlord online.
ANALYSIS
- As I explained at the hearing, the Tribunal cannot make any orders in relation to the messages that the tenant has sent the landlord. The landlord considers that they are of a harassing nature, and if he has those concerns, he should refer the matter to the Police.
- Otherwise the landlord wants an order to finalise the rent arrears and bond that he still holds.
- The landlord claims thr rent up until 16 December 2025, that is three weeks after the tenant left the premises.
- The rent that should have been paid during the course of the tenancy was $2,400.00. The rent that was paid was $480.00, meaning the arrears are $1,920.00. The landlord holds a bond of $2,400,00, so the landlord must refund the remainder to the tenant which is $480.00.