What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5425310 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 5425310?

Cleaning: $207.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $920.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Pest Control: $425.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $4,832.86 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $595.73 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5425310?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5425310?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13342408-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5425310 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 5425310?

Cleaning: $207.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $920.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Pest Control: $425.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $4,832.86 awarded to landlord; Water Rates: $595.73 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5425310?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Cleanliness.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5425310?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13342408-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5425310 — Rent arrears

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5425310 — net $7,008.59 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears: By consent	$4,832.86	2. The landlord has applied for rent arrears, water rates arrears, compensation, termination and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenan…
Water rates: By consent	$595.73	claim for termination. The Tenant also agreed to pay the amounts claimed by the Landlord for rent, water rates arrears and cleaning.
Cleaning: By consent	$920.00	Cleaning: By consent
Pest control	$425.00	Pest control
Carpet Cleaning	$207.00	Carpet Cleaning
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$7,008.59
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$7,008.59

Both parties attended the hearing.

The landlord has applied for rent arrears, water rates arrears, compensation, termination and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

At the hearing the landlord withdrew their claim for termination. The Tenant also agreed to pay the amounts claimed by the Landlord for rent, water rates arrears and cleaning.

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, return all keys and security devices, 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 tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.

The tenant did not leave the carpet clean and tidy. The Landlord submitted there were urine stains on the downstairs floor carpet due to the Tenants having a black cat at the property. They provided a photograph of the cat which they claimed was locked in the house at the time of the photograph and they noted the smell of urine downstairs. They also provided a photograph of the carpet at the start and end of the tenancy and an invoice for the carpet cleaning.

The Tenant disputed causing the stains and submitted the house was old. They claimed the stains were present at the start of the tenancy. There were also big rats inside the house and water damage. The cat would have entered the house through the holes and the Tenant denied owning the cat.

In considering the evidence, I find from the photographs of the cat inside the house and the carpet at the start of the tenancy showing no stains, that the cat caused urine stains and most likely belonged to the Tenants. The amounts ordered are proved.

The Landlord claimed for changing the door locks due to the property being occupied by a third party after the Tenants moved out. The Landlord speculated the Tenants gave a key to this third party as they did not hand in their keys until approximately two weeks after they vacated the property. The Tenant disputed this stating they handed back the two keys to the Landlord. The Landlord was assuming they gave a key to the third party to copy.

In considering the evidence, I find the Tenant had returned both keys to the Landlord and there was no proof they had given a key to a third party. The claim dismissed.

The landlord claimed for pest control. They stated the property was infested with cockroaches and fleas at the end of the tenancy. This problem may have been exacerbated by food left outside the property by the Tenant. An invoice was provided for pest control.

The Tenant disputed the claim stating that there was a flea problem at the property in August 2025 which they tried to manage at that time. They did not report this to the Landlord but there was already a pest control issue during the tenancy.

In considering the evidence, the Tenant has confirmed there was a flea infestation during the tenancy but never notified the Landlord at the time. The issue was still present at the end of the tenancy. Whilst there were no photographs of the fleas or cockroaches, the fact that it was noted during the tenancy but not reported to the Landlord suggests the issue could have been resolved earlier if the Tenants took action.

The amounts ordered are proved.

As the Landlord has been substantially successful, name suppression is granted to the Landlord and the Tenant shall reimburse the filing fee. As the Tenant has not been successful, name suppression is declined for the Tenant.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5425310 — net $7,008.59 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears: By consent	$4,832.86	2. The landlord has applied for rent arrears, water rates arrears, compensation, termination and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenan…
Water rates: By consent	$595.73	claim for termination. The Tenant also agreed to pay the amounts claimed by the Landlord for rent, water rates arrears and cleaning.
Cleaning: By consent	$920.00	Cleaning: By consent
Pest control	$425.00	Pest control
Carpet Cleaning	$207.00	Carpet Cleaning
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$7,008.59
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$7,008.59

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlords name and identifying details.
Talahiva Hafoka, Lylian Hafoka and Kalofiama Hafoka must pay [The landlord/s] $7,008.59 immediately, being rent arrears to 3 February 2026.

Reasons

Both parties attended the hearing.
The landlord has applied for rent arrears, water rates arrears, compensation, termination and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
At the hearing the landlord withdrew their claim for termination. The Tenant also agreed to pay the amounts claimed by the Landlord for rent, water rates arrears and cleaning.

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, return all keys and security devices, 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 tenant must also replace standard light bulbs.
The tenant did not leave the carpet clean and tidy. The Landlord submitted there were urine stains on the downstairs floor carpet due to the Tenants having a black cat at the property. They provided a photograph of the cat which they claimed was locked in the house at the time of the photograph and they noted the smell of urine downstairs. They also provided a photograph of the carpet at the start and end of the tenancy and an invoice for the carpet cleaning.
The Tenant disputed causing the stains and submitted the house was old. They claimed the stains were present at the start of the tenancy. There were also big rats inside the house and water damage. The cat would have entered the house through the holes and the Tenant denied owning the cat.
In considering the evidence, I find from the photographs of the cat inside the house and the carpet at the start of the tenancy showing no stains, that the cat caused urine stains and most likely belonged to the Tenants. The amounts ordered are proved.
The Landlord claimed for changing the door locks due to the property being occupied by a third party after the Tenants moved out. The Landlord speculated the Tenants gave a key to this third party as they did not hand in their keys until approximately two weeks after they vacated the property. The Tenant disputed this stating they handed back the two keys to the Landlord. The Landlord was assuming they gave a key to the third party to copy.
In considering the evidence, I find the Tenant had returned both keys to the Landlord and there was no proof they had given a key to a third party. The claim dismissed.
The landlord claimed for pest control. They stated the property was infested with cockroaches and fleas at the end of the tenancy. This problem may have been exacerbated by food left outside the property by the Tenant. An invoice was provided for pest control.
The Tenant disputed the claim stating that there was a flea problem at the property in August 2025 which they tried to manage at that time. They did not report this to the Landlord but there was already a pest control issue during the tenancy.
In considering the evidence, the Tenant has confirmed there was a flea infestation during the tenancy but never notified the Landlord at the time. The issue was still present at the end of the tenancy. Whilst there were no photographs of the fleas or cockroaches, the fact that it was noted during the tenancy but not reported to the Landlord suggests the issue could have been resolved earlier if the Tenants took action.
The amounts ordered are proved.
As the Landlord has been substantially successful, name suppression is granted to the Landlord and the Tenant shall reimburse the filing fee. As the Tenant has not been successful, name suppression is declined for the Tenant.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5425310 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Award balance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5425310 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

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

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

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

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions