How much money was awarded in case 5414988?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $3,214.20 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5414988?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5414988?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13068761-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

How much money was awarded in case 5414988?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $3,214.20 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5414988?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5414988?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13068761-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5414988 — Rent arrears

Q: What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5414988 about?

The tribunal order states: An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal

Tenantcheck Insights

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5414988 — net $242.20 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 23 January 2026	$3,214.20	Rent arrears to 23 January 2026
Filing fee	$28.00	Filing fee
Net award	$242.20
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$242.20

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the landlord’s name and identifying details.

By consent, the tenancy at [address] was terminated on 23 January 2026.

The tenants’ application to further reduce the fixed term is declined.

Hue Tran and Quynh Dinh Nguyen must pay [The landlord/s] $214.20 immediately, as calculated in the table below.

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $3,000.00 to [The landlord/s] immediately.

Reasons

Both parties attended the hearing, which was conducted by video with the assistance of an interpreter. Ms Tran represented herself and her husband. Ms I represented the landlord.

The tenant has applied for reduction of the fixed-term tenancy due to end on 11 May 2026.

In the meantime, the tenant has found a new tenant, and the landlord has agreed to commence a new tenancy with them starting on 24 January 2026.

The tenants have paid the rent until 24 December 2025 and so the landlord has applied for rent arrears for the intervening period, between 25 December 2025 and 23 January 2026, and for a refund of bond. Background

The original fixed-term tenancy between the parties started on 9 May 2024 and ran to 11 May 2025.

The parties agreed to renew the fixed-term tenancy until 11 May 2026 and this was recorded in a renewal of lease dated 3 April 2025.

On 11 August 2025, an email from the tenants to the property manager, Ms A, included the following: Also, we are looking at buying a house, although we’re not sure yet when that will happen. I understand that we are still in a fixed-term contract, but I’m not quite clear on the details of how much notice we need to give you before moving out. Could you please let me know so I can plan our timing accordingly?

The property manager replied: At least 21 days prior to your fixed term lease date is required to end your Tenancy.

On 20 November 2025, the tenant emailed saying that they had found their new home and were planning to move out on 18 December. They said that with cleaning up, their last day would be 21 December.

The property manager replied, saying that moving out on 21 December would require them to break their fixed-term lease early, given that the lease was not due to end until 11 May 2026. She said that the tenancy would need to be assigned, that the weekly rent would need to continue until a new tenancy is secured, or worst case, the end of the fixed term. She also referred to break lease costs and said that a more formal email would follow.

The tenant did not want to sign an assignment of lease form and chose to advertise and find tenants.

The tenant said that the property manager had been excellent throughout the tenancy, but that she should have made sure that the tenants understood their obligations and should have communicated better when she first emailed the property manager about how much notice had to be given. English is not the tenants’ first language.

The reasons for fixed-term tenancies, as opposed to periodic, are to provide certainty to the parties. The tenant has security of tenure. Provided the tenant does not breach certain sections of the Act, the landlord cannot terminate the tenancy. The landlord has the security of income from the property until the end of the tenancy.

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.

In the present case, the tenants’ decision to purchase a house was an unforeseen change in circumstances. They have not made out the grounds for a reduction of fixed-term tenancy.

Ms I said that Ms A had relied on the fact that in their email of 11 August, the tenant had said, “I understand that we are still in a fixed-term contract, but I’m not quite clear on the details of how much notice we need to give you before moving out.” Therefore she assumed that the tenants understood that they were bound by the terms of the Fixed-Term tenancy.

Although Ms A did not provide a statement, I accept that was a reasonable inference to draw from the tenants’ email.

I accept that English is not the tenants’ first language, but they had been in a fixed-term lease for over a year. The terms of the lease contain the following under clause 3: Where Section 1 specifies a fixed term, then, subject to the provisions of the RTA, the Tenant is liable for rent payments until the expiry date of the fixed term or the re-letting date, whichever is the earlier. If the Tenant abandons the premises prior to the end of any fixed term, the Tenant will be liable to pay the Property Manager’s reasonable costs for re- letting the premises

These are standard terms in a fixed-term tenancy.

The landlord should not be disadvantaged by the fact that English is a second language. The landlord should be able to rely on the clear wording of the tenancy agreement, the tenant’s statement that they understand they are in a fixed-term tenancy, and Ms A’s reply to the tenant that 21 days prior to their fixed term lease date is required.

Both parties have acted responsibly to reduce their loss: the tenant by securing a new tenant, and the landlord by accommodating that, and agreeing to end the tenancy on 23 January 2026. In effect, the landlord has agreed to reduce the fixed-term to that date, but I decline any further reduction. That means that the tenant is liable for the rent up to that date.

I add that even where the Tribunal reduces a fixed-term tenancy, it may order the tenant to pay the landlord reasonable compensation for any resulting loss. That is usually the rent until a new tenant is secured. See section 66(2) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.

Because the landlord has wholly succeeded, I order reimbursement of the filing fee and suppression of their name.

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5414988 — net $242.20 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 23 January 2026	$3,214.20	Rent arrears to 23 January 2026
Filing fee	$28.00	Filing fee
Net award	$242.20
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$242.20