Tenantcheck Insights · Case study
Tenancy Tribunal case 5418668 — Cleanliness at 222 Mount Smart Road, Onehunga, Auckland 1061
Decided 1 May 2026 · Published 1 May 2026 · Application 5418668
- Cleanliness
At a glance
Key facts from the published tribunal order.
Outcome
Landlord favoured
From published order
Location
Auckland
Tribunal region
Adjudicator
K Koller
Dispute themes
Award balance
Gross awards, any bond applied per the order, and the remaining balance payable.
- Gross award
- $3,111.52
- Total balance for Tenant to pay Landlord
- $3,111.52
Claims & awards
What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.
| Claim | Landlord | Tenant | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replace 2 x kitchen cupboard doors | $311.52 | Replace 2 x kitchen cupboard doors | |
| Cleaning: whole house | $500.00 | 7. I have not allowed the full amount claimed for cleaning. | |
| Rubbish removal: inside including the piano | $800.00 | Rubbish removal: inside including the piano | |
| Rubbish removal: outside | $1,500.00 | Rubbish removal: outside | |
| Net award | $3,111.52 | ||
| Total payable by Tenant to Landlord | $3,111.52 |
Claims and awards for application 5418668 — net $3,111.52 NZD. Verify on MoJ.
Replace 2 x kitchen cupboard doors
- Amount
- $311.52
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Replace 2 x kitchen cupboard doors
Cleaning: whole house
- Amount
- $500.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- 7. I have not allowed the full amount claimed for cleaning.
Rubbish removal: inside including the piano
- Amount
- $800.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rubbish removal: inside including the piano
Rubbish removal: outside
- Amount
- $1,500.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rubbish removal: outside
Net award
Landlord $3,111.52
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord
Landlord $3,111.52
Claim types — money lines allowed on this order
Order
- Dante Setu Sagapolu must pay Kāinga Ora–Homes And Communities $3,111.52 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Reasons
- The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not attend or answer the call to his phone.
- The landlord has applied for compensation following the end of the tenancy.
- Some claims were withdrawn at the hearing.
Did the tenant comply with his obligations at the end of the tenancy?
- Tenants must return the premises in a reasonably clean and tidy state and remove their rubbish at the end of the tenancy. See section 40(1)(c) and (e)(iii) Residential Tenancies Act (RTA).
- The RTA does not require the premises to be provided or returned in a spotless or an immaculate condition. The standard is based on what an average bystander would consider reasonable, not on the subjective opinions of the landlord and tenant. There is no scientific way to determine what is reasonably clean and tidy, and the Tribunal must evaluate the evidence available, and in particular inspection reports and photographs.
- This is the landlord’s claim to prove. I have been provided with good photos taken at the end of the tenancy. The landlord has proved the house needed further cleaning to bring it to a reasonable condition.
- I have not allowed the full amount claimed for cleaning. This is because the void scope showed that all the ceilings were cleaned. I consider that the presence of fly spots on ceilings and light fittings is fair wear and tear. These marks do not affect the day to day life of a tenant and they are not part of a usual cleaning routine. Cleaning ceilings and fittings on the ceilings between tenancies is maintenance, which is a landlord responsibility. I have allowed an amount for cleaning based on the evidence provided, less an estimated amount for the ceilings.
- There are good photos showing the rubbish left at the end of the tenancy. The rubbish included weights, a piano, other smaller furniture, a trampoline, a large tool box, a mattress and many black bags filled with rubbish. All of the rubbish would have been bulky and heavy to remove. The amount allowed for rubbish removal is slightly less than the claim but seems reasonable to me.
Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?
- There is a claim for replacing two cupboard doors which were missing from the kitchen at the end of the tenancy.
- The 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. See sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B RTA.
- The landlord has proved the damage was caused during the tenancy. The damage is more than fair wear and tear, and the tenant has not disproved liability for the damage. The amounts ordered are proved.
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: cleaning
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this Tenancy Tribunal case.
What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5418668?
The tribunal order states: Dante Setu Sagapolu must pay Kāinga Ora–Homes And Communities
How much money was awarded in case 5418668?
Cleaning: $500.00 awarded to landlord; Replace 2 X Kitchen Cupboard Doors: $311.52 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $800.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $1,500.00 awarded to landlord
What type of tenancy dispute was case 5418668?
The primary dispute was Cleanliness.
Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5418668?
The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13530888-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.