What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5425298 about?

The tribunal order states: [The tenant/s] and [The tenant/s] must pay [The landlord/s] $3,539.15 immediately, calculated as shown in

How much money was awarded in case 5425298?

Cleaning: $633.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns: $575.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $430.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,784.03 awarded to landlord; Smoke Alarms: $2,089.12 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5425298?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Smoke alarms, Cleanliness, Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5425298?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13729729-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5425298 about?

The tribunal order states: [The tenant/s] and [The tenant/s] must pay [The landlord/s] $3,539.15 immediately, calculated as shown in

How much money was awarded in case 5425298?

Cleaning: $633.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns: $575.00 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $430.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,784.03 awarded to landlord; Smoke Alarms: $2,089.12 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5425298?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Smoke alarms, Cleanliness, Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5425298?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13729729-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

16 Stephanie Close, Glenfield, Auckland 0629 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5425298 — Rent arrears

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5425298 — net $3,539.15 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 9 January 2026	$2,784.03	Rent arrears to 9 January 2026
Replace furnishings, smoke alarms, remove rubbish	$2,089.12	Replace furnishings, smoke alarms, remove rubbish
Cleaning	$633.00	Cleaning
Repair feature mirror	$430.00	Repair feature mirror
Lawns	$575.00	Lawns
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$3,539.15
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$3,539.15

The landlord attended the hearing which was conducted by video conference. The tenant did not seek to be admitted to the hearing at the scheduled time. Because [The tenant/s] has been served notice of the hearing to her email address which is an address for service on her tenancy agreement, I am satisfied the service requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act, 1986, (the “RTA”) have been satisfied, and the hearing was conducted in the tenants’ absence.

The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for rent?

The tenancy ended on 09 January 2026. The landlord provided information and rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy is $2,784.03

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish and leave all chattels provided for their benefit. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.

The landlord provided oral information, start of tenancy inspection photographs and end of tenancy photographs which show belongings and rubbish were left throughout the inside and outside of the premises at the end of the tenancy. End of tenancy photographs show the grass is extremely long, and no cleaning appears to have been attempted. There were stains in the carpet which justified the carpet being cleaned.

The landlord is claiming $1,190.00 as the replacement cost for curtains that were taken at the end of the tenancy. The landlord said the curtains were provided new at the start of the tenancy. I have calculated depreciation according to the IR265 Depreciation Schedule for these curtains, and the amount owing is $818.12. This amount is included in the Replace Furnishings claim.

The amounts ordered are proved.

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

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. See sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B RTA.

Tenants are liable for the cost of repairing damage that is intentional or which results from any activity at the premises that is an imprisonable offence. This applies to anything the tenant does and anything done by a person they are responsible for. See section 49B(1) RTA.

Damage is intentional where a person intends to cause damage and takes the necessary steps to achieve that purpose. Damage is also intentional where a person does something, or allows a situation to continue, knowing that damage is a certainty. See Guo v Korck [2019] NZHC 1541.

At the end of the tenancy the tenants left a feature mirror in pieces. The landlord incurred a cost of $430.00 to have it repaired.

The amounts ordered are proved.

I have taken into account betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations, and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have taken into account the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan.

Because [The landlord/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5425298 — net $3,539.15 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 9 January 2026	$2,784.03	Rent arrears to 9 January 2026
Replace furnishings, smoke alarms, remove rubbish	$2,089.12	Replace furnishings, smoke alarms, remove rubbish
Cleaning	$633.00	Cleaning
Repair feature mirror	$430.00	Repair feature mirror
Lawns	$575.00	Lawns
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$3,539.15
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$3,539.15

Order

[The tenant/s] and [The tenant/s] must pay [The landlord/s] $3,539.15 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $3,000.00 (3464844-006) to [The landlord/s] immediately.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing which was conducted by video conference. The tenant did not seek to be admitted to the hearing at the scheduled time. Because [The tenant/s] has been served notice of the hearing to her email address which is an address for service on her tenancy agreement, I am satisfied the service requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act, 1986, (the “RTA”) have been satisfied, and the hearing was conducted in the tenants’ absence.
The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for rent?

The tenancy ended on 09 January 2026. The landlord provided information and rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy is $2,784.03

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish and leave all chattels provided for their benefit. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986. The tenant is required to replace worn out smoke alarm batteries during the tenancy. See section 40(1)(ca) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
The landlord provided oral information, start of tenancy inspection photographs and end of tenancy photographs which show belongings and rubbish were left throughout the inside and outside of the premises at the end of the tenancy. End of tenancy photographs show the grass is extremely long, and no cleaning appears to have been attempted. There were stains in the carpet which justified the carpet being cleaned.
The landlord is claiming $1,190.00 as the replacement cost for curtains that were taken at the end of the tenancy. The landlord said the curtains were provided new at the start of the tenancy. I have calculated depreciation according to the IR265 Depreciation Schedule for these curtains, and the amount owing is $818.12. This amount is included in the Replace Furnishings claim.
The amounts ordered are proved.

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

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. See sections 40(2)(a), 41 and 49B RTA.
Tenants are liable for the cost of repairing damage that is intentional or which results from any activity at the premises that is an imprisonable offence. This applies to anything the tenant does and anything done by a person they are responsible for. See section 49B(1) RTA.
Damage is intentional where a person intends to cause damage and takes the necessary steps to achieve that purpose. Damage is also intentional where a person does something, or allows a situation to continue, knowing that damage is a certainty. See Guo v Korck [2019] NZHC 1541.
At the end of the tenancy the tenants left a feature mirror in pieces. The landlord incurred a cost of $430.00 to have it repaired.
The amounts ordered are proved.
I have taken into account betterment and depreciation. The landlord should be returned to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations, and should not be better or worse off. In calculating depreciation, I have taken into account the age and condition of the items at the start of the tenancy and their likely useful lifespan.
Because [The landlord/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5425298 — Rent arrears at 16 Stephanie Close, Glenfield, Auckland 0629

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5425298 — Rent arrears at 16 Stephanie Close, Glenfield, Auckland 0629

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for rent?

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for rent?

Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?

Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the premises?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions