What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5429868 about?

The tribunal order states: [The tenant/s] must pay [The party] $3,269.07 immediately,

How much money was awarded in case 5429868?

Cleaning: $350.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $120.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Power And Broadband: $854.82 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $1,800.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $116.25 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5429868?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5429868?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13840823-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5429868 about?

The tribunal order states: [The tenant/s] must pay [The party] $3,269.07 immediately,

How much money was awarded in case 5429868?

Cleaning: $350.00 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $120.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Power And Broadband: $854.82 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $1,800.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $116.25 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5429868?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5429868?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13840823-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

40 Earnscleugh Road, Bridge Hill, Alexandra 9320 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5429868 — Rent arrears

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5429868. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 13 January 2026	$1,800.00	Rent arrears to 13 January 2026
Power and broadband	$854.82	Power and broadband
Rubbish removal	$116.25	Rubbish removal
Cleaning	$120.00	Cleaning
Carpet Cleaning	$350.00	Carpet Cleaning
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement

Order

[The tenant/s] must pay [The party] $3,269.07 immediately, calculated below:

Reasons

Both parties attended the hearing. The tenant attended by teleconference.
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?

This was a fixed term tenancy for a term from 11 June 2025 to 11 June 2026.
The landlord had given the tenant notice to remedy breaches of her obligations. A 90 day eviction notice was then given to the tenant by the landlord’s property manager on 17 November 2025 stating “......we have no other option than to evict you. Meaning your last day in the house will be 15 th February 2026.”
The tenant vacated around 7 January and accepts that she should pay rent for that week, to 13 January 2026.
Because this was a fixed term tenancy, the landlord was not entitled to end it by notice. The eviction notice purporting to end the tenancy effective 15 February 2026, was invalid.
That being so, the tenant should not be required to pay rent up to that date. She should pay rent while occupying the premises.
Rent records provided by the landlord and accepted by the tenant show that: a. only $324.84 was paid for the rent week 18 June 2025 to 24 June 2025; and b. rent was paid up to 23 December 2025.
The reduced rent payment referred to was to compensate for lack of water for a few days while a leaking pipe was fixed. I find that reasonable.
Rent (@$600.00 per week) is due for the 3 weeks from 25 December 2025 to 13 January 2026. Electricity and Internet
The agreement requires that the tenant pay the power and internet. The landlord says he paid everything that was owed to the start of the tenancy then gave the tenant a password to access his Mercury Energy account.
The tenant says that she never received statements from Mercury Energy. Although the statements provided appear to have been posted to the landlord at the tenancy address, the tenant says that the landlord’s mail was collected by the property manager.
The tenant arranged her own electricity account through Electric Kiwi from September 2025.
The Mercury statements provided at the hearing showed that: a. as at the last statement dated 5 November 2025, $1,305.48 was outstanding; b. that outstanding balance was made up of; i. charges to 9 September 2025 - $1,257.29; ii. a device HP charge - $60.00 iii. a final credit - $11.81 iv. disconnection fees. c. the outstanding balance had been reduced by payments made by the landlord of $750.00 on 29.9.25 and $857.50 on 10.10.25.
The landlord chose to continue his account with Mercury rather than the tenant setting up her own electricity and internet provider account.
That means that it was the landlord’s responsibility to meet his obligations to Mercury. He was entitled to recover from the tenant electricity and internet charges exclusively attributable to her use of those services 1 .
The tenant has a concern that manual payments made by her may not have been recorded. The limited evidence available at the hearing caused concern that the Mercury charges include some that are not exclusively attributable to the tenant’s use of the services, such as: a. late payment charges; b. disconnection fees; c. equipment hire purchase fees.
For that reason, with the parties’ agreement, I asked that the landlord provide a full Mercury Energy statement for the period of the tenancy to enable calculation of the sum payable by the tenant, ensuring she is only paying for services used.
Having received and considered those monthly statements, they show that: a. the usage and daily fixed charges the tenant is responsible for during the tenancy are: i. 11 June to 19 June - $262.65 ii. 20 June to 22 July - $859.11 iii. 23 July to 22 August - $794.77 iv. 23 August to 9 September – $330.29 = Total $2,246.82. b. the landlord paid $750.00 on 29 September and $857.50 on 10 October. The other Mercury receipts, which should be credited to the tenant, are i. 14 July - $370.00 ii. 31 July - $ 500.00 iii. 4 August - $340.00 1 S.39 RTA iv. 28 August 200.00 - Total $1,410.00 c. the amount owed by the tenant is therefore the cost of electricity charges she is responsible for ($2,246.82) less the amount she paid towards those charges ($1,410.00) = $854.82.

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 2 .
The tenant accepts that some rubbish was left at the premises. The landlord has provided transfer station receipts showing the cost of having rubbish dumped. That claim is proved.
Exit photos provided by the landlord show that in some respects the premises were not left reasonably clan and tidy. The landlord paid $120.00 for further cleaning after the tenant was given the opportunity to do it. The amount claimed is reasonable.
The tenant does not dispute the claim for carpet cleaning.
The landlord claims compensation for the cost of replacing locks at the premises, on the basis that the tenant did not return the keys. The tenant’s evidence is that no keys were provided to her, apart from one back door key which was left.
Because this is the landlord’s claim, he must provide evidence to prove the facts on which the claim is based, on the balance of probabilities. Where the parties have given direct evidence, on the record, that conflicts, the Tribunal needs a basis in the evidence to prefer the recollections of one party over the other.
Here there is no such evidence. The agreement does not record what keys were provided to the tenant. I do not find that claim proved. 2 S. 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) RTA
Because [The party] has succeeded with the claims I reimburse the filing fee.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5429868. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 13 January 2026	$1,800.00	Rent arrears to 13 January 2026
Power and broadband	$854.82	Power and broadband
Rubbish removal	$116.25	Rubbish removal
Cleaning	$120.00	Cleaning
Carpet Cleaning	$350.00	Carpet Cleaning
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement

Order

[The tenant/s] must pay [The party] $3,269.07 immediately, calculated below:

Reasons

Both parties attended the hearing. The tenant attended by teleconference.
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?

This was a fixed term tenancy for a term from 11 June 2025 to 11 June 2026.
The landlord had given the tenant notice to remedy breaches of her obligations. A 90 day eviction notice was then given to the tenant by the landlord’s property manager on 17 November 2025 stating “......we have no other option than to evict you. Meaning your last day in the house will be 15 th February 2026.”
The tenant vacated around 7 January and accepts that she should pay rent for that week, to 13 January 2026.
Because this was a fixed term tenancy, the landlord was not entitled to end it by notice. The eviction notice purporting to end the tenancy effective 15 February 2026, was invalid.
That being so, the tenant should not be required to pay rent up to that date. She should pay rent while occupying the premises.
Rent records provided by the landlord and accepted by the tenant show that: a. only $324.84 was paid for the rent week 18 June 2025 to 24 June 2025; and b. rent was paid up to 23 December 2025.
The reduced rent payment referred to was to compensate for lack of water for a few days while a leaking pipe was fixed. I find that reasonable.
Rent (@$600.00 per week) is due for the 3 weeks from 25 December 2025 to 13 January 2026. Electricity and Internet
The agreement requires that the tenant pay the power and internet. The landlord says he paid everything that was owed to the start of the tenancy then gave the tenant a password to access his Mercury Energy account.
The tenant says that she never received statements from Mercury Energy. Although the statements provided appear to have been posted to the landlord at the tenancy address, the tenant says that the landlord’s mail was collected by the property manager.
The tenant arranged her own electricity account through Electric Kiwi from September 2025.
The Mercury statements provided at the hearing showed that: a. as at the last statement dated 5 November 2025, $1,305.48 was outstanding; b. that outstanding balance was made up of; i. charges to 9 September 2025 - $1,257.29; ii. a device HP charge - $60.00 iii. a final credit - $11.81 iv. disconnection fees. c. the outstanding balance had been reduced by payments made by the landlord of $750.00 on 29.9.25 and $857.50 on 10.10.25.
The landlord chose to continue his account with Mercury rather than the tenant setting up her own electricity and internet provider account.
That means that it was the landlord’s responsibility to meet his obligations to Mercury. He was entitled to recover from the tenant electricity and internet charges exclusively attributable to her use of those services 1 .
The tenant has a concern that manual payments made by her may not have been recorded. The limited evidence available at the hearing caused concern that the Mercury charges include some that are not exclusively attributable to the tenant’s use of the services, such as: a. late payment charges; b. disconnection fees; c. equipment hire purchase fees.
For that reason, with the parties’ agreement, I asked that the landlord provide a full Mercury Energy statement for the period of the tenancy to enable calculation of the sum payable by the tenant, ensuring she is only paying for services used.
Having received and considered those monthly statements, they show that: a. the usage and daily fixed charges the tenant is responsible for during the tenancy are: i. 11 June to 19 June - $262.65 ii. 20 June to 22 July - $859.11 iii. 23 July to 22 August - $794.77 iv. 23 August to 9 September – $330.29 = Total $2,246.82. b. the landlord paid $750.00 on 29 September and $857.50 on 10 October. The other Mercury receipts, which should be credited to the tenant, are i. 14 July - $370.00 ii. 31 July - $ 500.00 iii. 4 August - $340.00 1 S.39 RTA iv. 28 August 200.00 - Total $1,410.00 c. the amount owed by the tenant is therefore the cost of electricity charges she is responsible for ($2,246.82) less the amount she paid towards those charges ($1,410.00) = $854.82.

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 2 .
The tenant accepts that some rubbish was left at the premises. The landlord has provided transfer station receipts showing the cost of having rubbish dumped. That claim is proved.
Exit photos provided by the landlord show that in some respects the premises were not left reasonably clan and tidy. The landlord paid $120.00 for further cleaning after the tenant was given the opportunity to do it. The amount claimed is reasonable.
The tenant does not dispute the claim for carpet cleaning.
The landlord claims compensation for the cost of replacing locks at the premises, on the basis that the tenant did not return the keys. The tenant’s evidence is that no keys were provided to her, apart from one back door key which was left.
Because this is the landlord’s claim, he must provide evidence to prove the facts on which the claim is based, on the balance of probabilities. Where the parties have given direct evidence, on the record, that conflicts, the Tribunal needs a basis in the evidence to prefer the recollections of one party over the other.
Here there is no such evidence. The agreement does not record what keys were provided to the tenant. I do not find that claim proved. 2 S. 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) RTA
Because [The party] has succeeded with the claims I reimburse the filing fee.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5429868 — Rent arrears at 40 Earnscleugh Road, Bridge Hill, Alexandra 9320

At a glance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5429868 — Rent arrears at 40 Earnscleugh Road, Bridge Hill, Alexandra 9320

At a glance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for rent?

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

How much is owed for rent?

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

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions