What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5441173 about?

The tribunal order states: [The tenant/s] to pay [The landlord/s] And Company Limited As Agent

How much money was awarded in case 5441173?

Cleaning: $232.93 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $365.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Installation Of Curtains: $76.19 awarded to landlord; Lock/Key Change: $105.80 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $187.50 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5441173?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5441173?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13780641-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5441173 about?

The tribunal order states: [The tenant/s] to pay [The landlord/s] And Company Limited As Agent

How much money was awarded in case 5441173?

Cleaning: $232.93 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $365.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Installation Of Curtains: $76.19 awarded to landlord; Lock/Key Change: $105.80 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $187.50 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5441173?

The primary dispute was Cleanliness. Related themes: Property damage.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5441173?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13780641-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.

48 Newbie Place, Heidelberg, Invercargill 9812 Tenancy Tribunal Case 5441173 — Cleanliness

Tenantcheck Insights

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5441173 — net $995.42 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Owner's contribution towards curtain replacement curtains	$187.50	Owner's contribution towards curtain replacement curtains
Cleaning	$365.00	Cleaning
Carpet Cleaning	$232.93	Carpet Cleaning
Lock/key change	$105.80	Lock/key change
Installation of curtains	$76.19	Installation of curtains
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$995.42
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$995.42

[The tenant/s] to pay [The landlord/s] And Company Limited As Agent For Duncan Bass $995.42 from the bond, calculated as shown in the table below.

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $995.42 (5206594-019) to [The landlord/s] And Company Limited As Agent For Duncan Bass immediately. The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $584.58 (5206594-019) to [The tenant/s] immediately. 5441173 2

Reasons

The hearing was held by teleconference. The landlord attended. The tenant did not attend.

I am satisfied that adequate service of the hearing notice had been completed and considered it reasonable to proceed with the hearing in the tenant’s absence.

This tenancy commenced on 14 April 2023 and ended on 12 December 2025. The weekly rent was $440.00 and the bond held is $1,580.00.

Following the end of the tenancy, the landlord filed an application seeking compensation for cleaning, carpet cleaning, lock replacement costs, curtain- related costs, and reimbursement of the filing fee.

The landlord provided an end-of-tenancy property condition report, photographs, and invoices in support of the claims. Relevant law

Section 40(1)(a) of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (“the Act”) requires tenants to pay the rent as and when it is due and payable under the tenancy agreement.

Section 40(1)(e)(iii) requires tenants, at the end of the tenancy, to leave the premises in a reasonably clean and tidy condition and remove all rubbish from the premises.

Under section 40(1)(e)(iv) tenants must return all keys, access devices, and security items provided by the landlord at the commencement of the tenancy.

Section 40(2)(a) provides that a tenant must not intentionally or carelessly damage, or permit damage to be caused to, the premises by any person lawfully on the premises.

Section 41 makes a tenant responsible for damage caused intentionally or carelessly by persons present at the premises with the tenant’s permission.

The onus rests on the landlord to establish the claims on the balance of probabilities. The landlord’s claims Cleaning

The landlord seeks $365.00 for cleaning costs.

The end-of-tenancy inspection report and photographs show the property was not left in a reasonably clean and tidy condition. The evidence establishes that 5441173 3 the lawns required mowing, garden beds required weeding, and substantial internal cleaning was necessary.

The landlord’s evidence demonstrates that kitchen cupboards, drawers, the stove and oven racks, laundry shelves, flooring, door tracks, net curtains, and other areas required cleaning. The photographs support the landlord’s claim.

The landlord has provided an invoice substantiating the cost incurred.

I am satisfied that the tenant breached section 40(1)(e)(iii) of the Act. The claim for cleaning is established and awarded in full. Carpet Cleaning

The landlord seeks $232.93 for carpet cleaning.

Tenants are not generally liable for professional carpet cleaning unless it is necessary to remedy damage or restore the property to the required standard of reasonable cleanliness.

The evidence establishes that pets were kept at the premises and that the carpets required commercial cleaning due to pet-related soiling and marks. The photographs and invoice support the landlord’s claim that the cleaning undertaken was beyond ordinary end-of-tenancy vacuuming.

I am satisfied that the carpet cleaning costs were reasonably incurred as a direct result of the tenant’s failure to leave the premises in a reasonably clean condition.

The claim is awarded in full. Lock replacement

The landlord seeks $105.80 for replacement locks and keys.

The landlord submits that although some keys were returned at the conclusion of the tenancy, it became apparent that additional keys had been cut and retained by the tenant. The landlord’s evidence is that, after the tenancy ended, the tenant obtained a key from a boarder and re-entered the premises.

I accept the landlord’s evidence that not all keys were returned as required.

A landlord is entitled to secure the premises following the end of a tenancy and to ensure that former tenants no longer have access. In these circumstances, changing the locks was a reasonable and foreseeable consequence of the tenant’s failure to return all keys.

I find that the tenant breached their obligations under the Act. 5441173 4

The landlord has produced an invoice substantiating the cost incurred. The claim is awarded in full. Curtain Costs

The landlord seeks $76.19 for installing replacement curtains and $187.50 representing the owner’s contribution towards replacement curtains.

The landlord’s evidence is that the existing lounge curtains sustained extensive claw damage caused by the tenant’s cats.

The photographs support the landlord’s submissions that the curtains were damaged beyond fair wear and tear.

The landlord further submits that the tenant installed replacement curtains prior to vacating the premises; however, those curtains were of an unsuitable size and could not reasonably be used. The landlord subsequently purchased suitable replacement curtains and incurred installation costs.

The landlord retained the unsuitable curtains and made them available for collection by the tenant.

I am satisfied that the damage to the original curtains was caused carelessly by pets kept at the premises and that the tenant is responsible for that damage.

The replacement and installation costs claimed are reasonable and supported by invoices.

The landlord’s claim for installation costs of $76.19 and the owner’s contribution towards replacement curtains of $187.50 is awarded in full. Filing Fee

The landlord has been substantially successful in this proceeding and is entitled to reimbursement of the filing fee pursuant to section 102 of the Act.

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5441173 — net $995.42 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Owner's contribution towards curtain replacement curtains	$187.50	Owner's contribution towards curtain replacement curtains
Cleaning	$365.00	Cleaning
Carpet Cleaning	$232.93	Carpet Cleaning
Lock/key change	$105.80	Lock/key change
Installation of curtains	$76.19	Installation of curtains
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Net award	$995.42
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$995.42