What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5413221 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 5413221?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $6,565.59 awarded to landlord; Glass Pane In Laundry Door: $502.95 awarded to landlord; Kitchen Fan: $398.06 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $396.40 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5413221?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5413221?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13137792-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5413221 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 5413221?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $6,565.59 awarded to landlord; Glass Pane In Laundry Door: $502.95 awarded to landlord; Kitchen Fan: $398.06 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $396.40 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5413221?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5413221?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13137792-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

21 Moore Street, Leamington, Cambridge 3432 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5413221 — Rent arrears

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21 Moore Street, Leamington, Cambridge 3432 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5413221 — Rent arrears | TenantCheck

Claims & awards

What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5413221 — net $5,011.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 12 January 2026	$6,565.59	Rent arrears to 12 January 2026
Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025	$396.40	Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025
Repairs: Kitchen fan	$398.06	Repairs: Kitchen fan
Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door	$502.95	Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$5,011.00
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$5,011.00

Claims and awards for application 5413221 — net $5,011.00 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Rent arrears to 12 January 2026

Amount: $6,565.59
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rent arrears to 12 January 2026

Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025

Amount: $396.40
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025

Repairs: Kitchen fan

Amount: $398.06
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Repairs: Kitchen fan

Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door

Amount: $502.95
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door

Filing fee reimbursement

Amount: $28.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Filing fee reimbursement

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Filing Fee Rent arrears Property damage Water Rates

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord’s name and identifying details.
Vilisha Kumar must pay [The landlord/s] $5,011.00 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,880.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlord/s] immediately.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing on 17 February 2026. The tenant did not
The landlord filed their application on 12 December 2025 seeking termination, rent arrears and compensation for repairs to a windowpane and extractor fan. By the time the matter came to hearing, the tenancy had ended.
On 9 February 2026, the landlord sent an email requesting to amend their application to include additional claims for compensation for cleaning, changing the locks, repairs to internal doors, walls and carpet. I declined to allow the landlord to advance these additional claims at the hearing. The Tribunal is required to give each party to the dispute reasonable notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing to be held in respect of the application. 1 It does this by sending a notice of hearing and a copy of the application well in advance of the hearing. In this case, the notice of hearing and application do not refer to these additional claims. The tenant has only had one weeks’ notice of the landlord’s intention to pursue these additional claims at the hearing. Allowing new claims at this late stage would not provide the tenant with a reasonable opportunity to consider and respond to the amended application. The appropriate course, if the landlord wishes to pursue further claims, is to file a new application This approach is consistent with the District Court’s guidance in He v Liu [2020] NZDC 24057.
This decision will focus on the landlord’s original claims for rent arrears, outgoings and compensation for damage to an extractor fan and glass pane.
As the applicant, the landlord must prove their claim to the civil law standard of proof, on the balance of probabilities.

How much does the tenant owe in rent arrears?

The tenancy ended on 12 January 2026. The landlord submitted a rent summary, which proves the tenant owes $6,565.59 in rent arrears up to this date.

How much does the tenant owe in outstanding water rates invoices?

The landlord submitted copies of original invoices from the water rates authority, together with a water invoice summary. These documents prove the tenant owes $396.40 in outstanding water rates invoices for the period 23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025. 1 Residential Tenancies Act 1986, section 91(1).

Is the tenant responsible for damage that occurred during the tenancy?

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. 2
The landlord claims the tenant is responsible for the following damage that occurred and was repaired during the tenancy: a. Kitchen extractor fan b. Glass pane in laundry door Kitchen extractor fan
The landlord gave evidence that the kitchen extractor fan was newly installed at the beginning of the tenancy and in good condition. I accept this evidence.
The landlord submitted photographs of the fan, together with an invoice and email from Pink Sparky Ltd sent on 26 September 2025. These documents prove the fan was damaged. It appears as though the tenant told the tradesperson the fan had fallen from the ceiling however, I consider this unlikely. The email from Pink Sparky Ltd states that they suspect the fan has been tampered with. The reason for this is that the fan was missing screws and the lid covering the electrical terminations had been removed, which requires a screwdriver.
On the balance of probabilities, I find the extractor fan in the kitchen was damaged during the tenancy. The damage is beyond fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability. I am satisfied the damage was not the result of an accident, such as the fan falling from the ceiling.
The landlord submitted an invoice for $398.06 to replace the fan. The landlord did not file a claim with their insurer, because the repair costs were less than their excess. The landlord’s claim for compensation is granted for $398.06. Glass pane in laundry door
The landlord gave evidence that the glass pane in the laundry door was intact at the beginning of the tenancy. I accept the landlord’s evidence. 2 Residential Tenancies Act 1986, sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B.
The landlord submitted a copy of a routine inspection report dated 21 November 2025. The glass pane in the laundry door is broken.
I find the glass pane in the laundry door was damaged during the hearing. The damage exceeds fair wear and tear, and the tenant has no disproved liability.
The landlord submitted an invoice for $502.95 to replace the glass pane. The landlord did not file a claim with their insurer, because their excess is $500.00, which is only $2.95 less than the actual repair costs. The landlord’s premiums would most likely have increased if a claim was filed. This would not have been worth it to save $2.95.
The landlord’s claim for compensation in relation to the glass pane is granted for $502.95. Filing fee & name suppression.
Because [The applicant/s] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee. For the same reason, I must grant their request for name suppression.

Claims & awards

What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5413221 — net $5,011.00 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 12 January 2026	$6,565.59	Rent arrears to 12 January 2026
Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025	$396.40	Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025
Repairs: Kitchen fan	$398.06	Repairs: Kitchen fan
Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door	$502.95	Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$5,011.00
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$5,011.00

Claims and awards for application 5413221 — net $5,011.00 NZD. Verify on MoJ.

Rent arrears to 12 January 2026

Amount: $6,565.59
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Rent arrears to 12 January 2026

Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025

Amount: $396.40
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Water rates (23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025

Repairs: Kitchen fan

Amount: $398.06
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Repairs: Kitchen fan

Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door

Amount: $502.95
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Repairs: Glass pane in laundry door

Filing fee reimbursement

Amount: $28.00
Awarded to: Landlord
Reason: Filing fee reimbursement

Claim types — money lines allowed on this order

Filing Fee Rent arrears Property damage Water Rates

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord’s name and identifying details.
Vilisha Kumar must pay [The landlord/s] $5,011.00 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,880.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlord/s] immediately.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing on 17 February 2026. The tenant did not
The landlord filed their application on 12 December 2025 seeking termination, rent arrears and compensation for repairs to a windowpane and extractor fan. By the time the matter came to hearing, the tenancy had ended.
On 9 February 2026, the landlord sent an email requesting to amend their application to include additional claims for compensation for cleaning, changing the locks, repairs to internal doors, walls and carpet. I declined to allow the landlord to advance these additional claims at the hearing. The Tribunal is required to give each party to the dispute reasonable notice of the time, place and purpose of the hearing to be held in respect of the application. 1 It does this by sending a notice of hearing and a copy of the application well in advance of the hearing. In this case, the notice of hearing and application do not refer to these additional claims. The tenant has only had one weeks’ notice of the landlord’s intention to pursue these additional claims at the hearing. Allowing new claims at this late stage would not provide the tenant with a reasonable opportunity to consider and respond to the amended application. The appropriate course, if the landlord wishes to pursue further claims, is to file a new application This approach is consistent with the District Court’s guidance in He v Liu [2020] NZDC 24057.
This decision will focus on the landlord’s original claims for rent arrears, outgoings and compensation for damage to an extractor fan and glass pane.
As the applicant, the landlord must prove their claim to the civil law standard of proof, on the balance of probabilities.

How much does the tenant owe in rent arrears?

The tenancy ended on 12 January 2026. The landlord submitted a rent summary, which proves the tenant owes $6,565.59 in rent arrears up to this date.

How much does the tenant owe in outstanding water rates invoices?

The landlord submitted copies of original invoices from the water rates authority, together with a water invoice summary. These documents prove the tenant owes $396.40 in outstanding water rates invoices for the period 23/06/2025 – 08/12/2025. 1 Residential Tenancies Act 1986, section 91(1).

Is the tenant responsible for damage that occurred during the tenancy?

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. 2
The landlord claims the tenant is responsible for the following damage that occurred and was repaired during the tenancy: a. Kitchen extractor fan b. Glass pane in laundry door Kitchen extractor fan
The landlord gave evidence that the kitchen extractor fan was newly installed at the beginning of the tenancy and in good condition. I accept this evidence.
The landlord submitted photographs of the fan, together with an invoice and email from Pink Sparky Ltd sent on 26 September 2025. These documents prove the fan was damaged. It appears as though the tenant told the tradesperson the fan had fallen from the ceiling however, I consider this unlikely. The email from Pink Sparky Ltd states that they suspect the fan has been tampered with. The reason for this is that the fan was missing screws and the lid covering the electrical terminations had been removed, which requires a screwdriver.
On the balance of probabilities, I find the extractor fan in the kitchen was damaged during the tenancy. The damage is beyond fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability. I am satisfied the damage was not the result of an accident, such as the fan falling from the ceiling.
The landlord submitted an invoice for $398.06 to replace the fan. The landlord did not file a claim with their insurer, because the repair costs were less than their excess. The landlord’s claim for compensation is granted for $398.06. Glass pane in laundry door
The landlord gave evidence that the glass pane in the laundry door was intact at the beginning of the tenancy. I accept the landlord’s evidence. 2 Residential Tenancies Act 1986, sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B.
The landlord submitted a copy of a routine inspection report dated 21 November 2025. The glass pane in the laundry door is broken.
I find the glass pane in the laundry door was damaged during the hearing. The damage exceeds fair wear and tear, and the tenant has no disproved liability.
The landlord submitted an invoice for $502.95 to replace the glass pane. The landlord did not file a claim with their insurer, because their excess is $500.00, which is only $2.95 less than the actual repair costs. The landlord’s premiums would most likely have increased if a claim was filed. This would not have been worth it to save $2.95.
The landlord’s claim for compensation in relation to the glass pane is granted for $502.95. Filing fee & name suppression.
Because [The applicant/s] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee. For the same reason, I must grant their request for name suppression.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5413221 — Rent arrears at 21 Moore Street, Leamington, Cambridge 3432

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5413221 — Rent arrears at 21 Moore Street, Leamington, Cambridge 3432

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much does the tenant owe in rent arrears?

How much does the tenant owe in outstanding water rates invoices?

Is the tenant responsible for damage that occurred during the tenancy?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much does the tenant owe in rent arrears?

How much does the tenant owe in outstanding water rates invoices?

Is the tenant responsible for damage that occurred during the tenancy?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions