What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5411848 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 5411848?

Rent: $3,900.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5411848?

The dispute type was not classified.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5411848?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13257807-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5411848 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 5411848?

Rent: $3,900.00 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5411848?

The dispute type was not classified.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5411848?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13257807-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5411848 — Tenancy dispute

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5411848 — net $1,300.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent to 11 February 2026	$3,900.00	Rent to 11 February 2026
Net award	$1,300.00
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$1,300.00

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the tenants’ name and identifying details.
The term of the fixed-term tenancy of [The tenant/s] at [Tenancy address suppressed] is reduced and will effectively end on 11 February 2026.
[The tenant/s] must pay Faceup Property Management Limited as agent of David Stedman $1,300.00 immediately, as calculated in the table below:

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to Faceup Property Management Limited as agent of David Stedman immediately.

Reasons

Both parties attended the hearing.
The tenant has applied for a release from a fixed term tenancy. Background
The tenancy commenced in May 2025 and was due to end on 7 May 2026.
On 1 December 2025 the tenants wrote to the landlord requesting to end the tenancy early on the basis of unforeseen health and financial hardship. They requested that the tenancy instead end on 19 January 2026.
The request was declined by the landlord; however, they offered the option of instead reassigning the tenancy to another person(s).
There was correspondence between the parties, and the tenants say they made several referrals to the landlord for prospective tenants in December 2025 and into early 2026.
On 11 December 2025 the tenants applied to the Tribunal for an order to reduce the fixed term tenancy.
On 12 January 2026 and before the Tribunal was able to consider the matter, the tenants left the property, returned the keys and advised the landlord of the same.
There is correspondence between the parties on potential tenants being provided by the tenants, however, these did not result in formal applications being made or they were unsuitable and so there was no assignment of the existing tenancy.
On 30 January 2026 the landlord advised that they had found a replacement tenant whose tenancy would commence on 19 February 2026 and therefore rent would be payable until 18 February 2026. The total amount of rent sought by the landlord was $4,550.00.
The tenants refute that any rent is payable beyond the time they vacated, and that they had acted in good faith when financial hardship had made the tenancy unsustainable. The law
The Tribunal may reduce a fixed term tenancy where: a. there has been an unforeseen change in the applicant’s circumstances; and b. there would be severe hardship to the applicant if the term is not reduced; and c. the applicant’s hardship would be greater than the hardship to the other party if the term is reduced. See section 66(1) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA).
There has been an unforeseen change in the tenants’ circumstances. The tenants submitted that one of their employment contracts had come to an end and was not being renewed. They say this was unexpected. They also say that the other tenant’s hours were significantly reduced, and a family member became unwell.
The tenants would suffer severe hardship if the term of the tenancy were not reduced. As they could not afford to pay rent, they moved out of the property and returned the keys.
The landlord would also suffer hardship if the term is reduced. The landlord says the property has a mortgage that requires payment and the lack of rent payments had caused financial hardship. They say they did act to find a replacement tenant as quickly as possible to help mitigate the losses.
I find that the tenants’ hardship would be greater than the landlord’s hardship and I have reduced the fixed term tenancy. The landlord’s hardship ceased somewhat once they began receiving rent from the replacement tenant.
Where the Tribunal reduces a fixed-term tenancy, it may order the tenant to pay the landlord reasonable compensation for any resulting loss. See section 66(2) RTA.
I award compensation of $3,900.00 to the landlord. This considers the rental losses suffered by the landlord in the tenancy being reduced and is effectively rent until 11 February 2026.
There is no requirement for the landlord to agree to end a fixed term tenancy early, nor is there any obligation to find a replacement tenant, or to sign one of the tenants’ many referrals. I note that even if the landlord had agreed to end the fixed term tenancy early, they would still be able to claim the reasonable costs or losses incurred in doing so. See section 44A of the RTA.
I have not awarded the full amount of rent sought on the basis that it is reasonable that tenancies are empty between tenants for more than one day, for maintenance and other requirements. I consider that one week between tenancies is reasonable here. Other matters
I have not reimbursed the filing fee and consider in the circumstances that this cost should lie where it falls.
The tenant sought name suppression. As the tenant has successfully reduced the term of the tenancy, this is granted. The landlord did not seek suppression. See section 95A of the RTA. R Harvey-Lane 10 March 2026

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5411848 — net $1,300.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent to 11 February 2026	$3,900.00	Rent to 11 February 2026
Net award	$1,300.00
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$1,300.00

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the tenants’ name and identifying details.
The term of the fixed-term tenancy of [The tenant/s] at [Tenancy address suppressed] is reduced and will effectively end on 11 February 2026.
[The tenant/s] must pay Faceup Property Management Limited as agent of David Stedman $1,300.00 immediately, as calculated in the table below:

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to Faceup Property Management Limited as agent of David Stedman immediately.

Reasons

Both parties attended the hearing.
The tenant has applied for a release from a fixed term tenancy. Background
The tenancy commenced in May 2025 and was due to end on 7 May 2026.
On 1 December 2025 the tenants wrote to the landlord requesting to end the tenancy early on the basis of unforeseen health and financial hardship. They requested that the tenancy instead end on 19 January 2026.
The request was declined by the landlord; however, they offered the option of instead reassigning the tenancy to another person(s).
There was correspondence between the parties, and the tenants say they made several referrals to the landlord for prospective tenants in December 2025 and into early 2026.
On 11 December 2025 the tenants applied to the Tribunal for an order to reduce the fixed term tenancy.
On 12 January 2026 and before the Tribunal was able to consider the matter, the tenants left the property, returned the keys and advised the landlord of the same.
There is correspondence between the parties on potential tenants being provided by the tenants, however, these did not result in formal applications being made or they were unsuitable and so there was no assignment of the existing tenancy.
On 30 January 2026 the landlord advised that they had found a replacement tenant whose tenancy would commence on 19 February 2026 and therefore rent would be payable until 18 February 2026. The total amount of rent sought by the landlord was $4,550.00.
The tenants refute that any rent is payable beyond the time they vacated, and that they had acted in good faith when financial hardship had made the tenancy unsustainable. The law
The Tribunal may reduce a fixed term tenancy where: a. there has been an unforeseen change in the applicant’s circumstances; and b. there would be severe hardship to the applicant if the term is not reduced; and c. the applicant’s hardship would be greater than the hardship to the other party if the term is reduced. See section 66(1) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA).
There has been an unforeseen change in the tenants’ circumstances. The tenants submitted that one of their employment contracts had come to an end and was not being renewed. They say this was unexpected. They also say that the other tenant’s hours were significantly reduced, and a family member became unwell.
The tenants would suffer severe hardship if the term of the tenancy were not reduced. As they could not afford to pay rent, they moved out of the property and returned the keys.
The landlord would also suffer hardship if the term is reduced. The landlord says the property has a mortgage that requires payment and the lack of rent payments had caused financial hardship. They say they did act to find a replacement tenant as quickly as possible to help mitigate the losses.
I find that the tenants’ hardship would be greater than the landlord’s hardship and I have reduced the fixed term tenancy. The landlord’s hardship ceased somewhat once they began receiving rent from the replacement tenant.
Where the Tribunal reduces a fixed-term tenancy, it may order the tenant to pay the landlord reasonable compensation for any resulting loss. See section 66(2) RTA.
I award compensation of $3,900.00 to the landlord. This considers the rental losses suffered by the landlord in the tenancy being reduced and is effectively rent until 11 February 2026.
There is no requirement for the landlord to agree to end a fixed term tenancy early, nor is there any obligation to find a replacement tenant, or to sign one of the tenants’ many referrals. I note that even if the landlord had agreed to end the fixed term tenancy early, they would still be able to claim the reasonable costs or losses incurred in doing so. See section 44A of the RTA.
I have not awarded the full amount of rent sought on the basis that it is reasonable that tenancies are empty between tenants for more than one day, for maintenance and other requirements. I consider that one week between tenancies is reasonable here. Other matters
I have not reimbursed the filing fee and consider in the circumstances that this cost should lie where it falls.
The tenant sought name suppression. As the tenant has successfully reduced the term of the tenancy, this is granted. The landlord did not seek suppression. See section 95A of the RTA. R Harvey-Lane 10 March 2026

Tenancy Tribunal case 5411848 — Tenancy dispute

At a glance

Award balance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5411848 — Tenancy dispute

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Frequently asked questions

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Frequently asked questions