Tenantcheck Insights · Case study
Tenancy Tribunal case 5414144 — Rent arrears at 3 Cross Street, Taumarunui, Ruapehu 3920
Decided 2 April 2026 · Published 2 April 2026 · Application 5414144
- Rent arrears
- Property damage
At a glance
Key facts from the published tribunal order.
Outcome
Landlord favoured
From published order
Location
Ruapehu
Tribunal region
Adjudicator
R Merrett
Dispute themes
Award balance
Gross awards, any bond applied per the order, and the remaining balance payable.
- Gross award
- $8,873.71
- Total balance for Tenant to pay Landlord
- $4,873.71
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 15 December 2025 | $6,285.71 | Rent arrears to 15 December 2025 | |
| Lawns and Garden work | $360.00 | Lawns and Garden work | |
| Repairs | $200.00 | Repairs | |
| Filing fee reimbursement | $28.00 | Filing fee reimbursement | |
| Bond received by landlord | $2,000.00 | Bond received by landlord | |
| Total award | $6,873.71 | $2,000.00 | |
| Net award | $4,873.71 | ||
| Total payable by Tenant to Landlord | $4,873.71 |
Claims and awards for application 5414144 — net $4,873.71 NZD. Verify on MoJ.
Rent arrears to 15 December 2025
- Amount
- $6,285.71
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rent arrears to 15 December 2025
Lawns and Garden work
- Amount
- $360.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Lawns and Garden work
Repairs
- Amount
- $200.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Repairs
Filing fee reimbursement
- Amount
- $28.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Filing fee reimbursement
Bond received by landlord
- Amount
- $2,000.00
- Awarded to
- Tenant
- Reason
- Bond received by landlord
Total award
Landlord $6,873.71 · Tenant $2,000.00
Net award
Landlord $4,873.71
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord
Landlord $4,873.71
Claim types — money lines allowed on this order
Order
- Janette Marama Rangi must pay Your Local Property Managers Limited and Salihah Iqbal $4,873.71 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Reasons
- Mr Berquist attended the hearing for the landlord. The tenant did not attend. She was phoned on the number provided but the call went to voicemail.
- The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
How much is owed for rent?
- The tenant vacated the fixed term tenancy on 16 September 2025 and the landlord agreed to end the tenancy and the obligation to pay rent from 15 December 2025. The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy.
Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
- I am satisfied that the landlord has established that the tenant did not leave the lawns reasonably tidy at the end of the tenancy as required by section 40(1)(ca) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the Act).
- The amount ordered is proved by the production of an invoice.
Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?
- To be successful in a claim for damage to the premises the landlord must prove that the damage occurred during the tenancy and is more than fair wear and tear. If this is established, to avoid liability, the tenant must prove they or others at the premises with their permission did not carelessly or intentionally cause or permit the damage: sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B of the Act.
- The landlord claims the sum of $520.38 to repair damage to the premises, in particular: hole in the bathroom door; bedroom 3 door removed from its hinges; bedroom 2 door handle missing; hole in hall wall; hole in bench side wall; holes and minor dents in bedroom 1 wall; torn wallpaper area in dining room; minor paint scuffs beside oven in kitchen; damage to lounge ceiling.
- No pre tenancy inspection report was provided (a ‘routine inspection report’ with photographs was provided but this inspection was conducted approximately 2 months after the tenancy commenced), however I accept that it is more likely than not that the damage to the doors occurred during the tenancy. It would be unlikely that the tenancy would be provided with a door removed, a door handle missing, or the reasonably large hole in the bathroom door. The damage to the doors is more than fair wear and tear and the tenant has not disproved liability for it.
- However, I dismiss the claim for damage to walls/wallpaper. Some of the damage, in particular minor dents and scrapes, is in my view damage due to ordinary wear and tear. Moreover, there is insufficient evidence to establish that the damage, which could be considered to be beyond fair wear and tear, occurred during the tenancy. As mentioned, no pre tenancy inspection report or photographs were provided and it is clear that the house is an older style with older style wallpaper. It is therefore likely that there was at least some existing damage at the tenancy commencement.
- In the circumstances I consider the sum of $200.00 reasonable to compensate the landlord for the damage to the doors.
- The landlord has been mostly successful in its claims and I consider this an appropriate case to award it payment of the Tribunal application fee.
Topics & place
Topics are dispute themes across the order (not the same as claim-type money lines).
Residential Tenancies Act sections
s40(1), s40(2)
Key findings
- Dispute theme: rent arrears
- Dispute theme: property damage
Property management
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this Tenancy Tribunal case.
What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5414144?
The tribunal order states: Janette Marama Rangi must pay Your Local Property Managers Limited and
How much money was awarded in case 5414144?
Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $360.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $200.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $6,285.71 awarded to landlord
What type of tenancy dispute was case 5414144?
The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Property damage.
Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5414144?
The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13394152-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.