What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5458709 about?

The tribunal order states: This order is issued under the “slip rule”.

How much money was awarded in case 5458709?

Break Fee: $862.42 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $180.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $110.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,154.29 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $720.00 awarded to landlord; Was Decided And Intended. __________…: $749.03 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5458709?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5458709?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13364730-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5458709 about?

The tribunal order states: This order is issued under the “slip rule”.

How much money was awarded in case 5458709?

Break Fee: $862.42 awarded to landlord; Cleaning: $180.00 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Lawns and Garden Work: $110.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $2,154.29 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $720.00 awarded to landlord; Was Decided And Intended. __________…: $749.03 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5458709?

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

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5458709?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13364730-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5458709 — Rent arrears

Order

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5458709 — net $2,723.74 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 16 March 2026	$2,154.29	Rent arrears to 16 March 2026
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Cleaning: 3 hours	$180.00	Cleaning: 3 hours
Rubbish removal	$720.00	Rubbish removal
Lawns and Garden work	$110.00	Lawns and Garden work
was decided and intended. __________________________________________________________________________________ 54587092 Lo	$749.03	was decided and intended. __________________________________________________________________________________ 54587092 Lo
Break fee	$862.42	Break fee
Net award	$2,723.74
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$2,723.74

This order is issued under the “slip rule”. 1

The amount awarded for Lock/key replacement initially was $421.28. It should have been $749.03. This order corrects that.

Sili'a Sefo must pay [landlord] $2,723.74 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,080.00 () to [landlord] immediately.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing, set down to be conducted via video conference. There was no entry into the conference by the tenant, nor any prior contact with the Registry. A call to the tenant was attempted but unsuccessful. I was satisfied adequate service had completed and I continued with the hearing after the call went unanswered.

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

A party who brings a claim to the Tenancy Tribunal must prove on the balance of probabilities (more likely than not) that their version of events took place. Independent witnesses, corroborating documents and photographs are an important part of discharging this burden of proof.

The issue of evidence at Tenancy Tribunal hearings was considered by the District Court in Kaipo v Clarke & McCarthy (DC) TT233/02. Judge Mather stated: “...[the applicant] needs to be reminded that like anyone who brings an application before a Tribunal or a Court, it is incumbent upon the applicant to provide the evidence necessary to prove the case. If the applicant fails to do that, then their application will be dismissed whether it has merit or not because it is up to the applicant to provide the necessary evidence. It is not up to the other parties and it is certainly not up to the Tribunal to extract evidence.”

How much is owed for rent?

Rent liability ended on 16 March 2026. A new tenancy commenced 17 March 2026. This was a fixed-term tenancy of one year that commenced on 21 July 2025. The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy is as ordered. Break fee

The landlord also sought compensation for costs incurred in reletting the premises due to the termination of the fixed-term tenancy. An itemised invoice was sent to the tenant and later provided to the Tribunal. This was reviewed and the costs incurred are accepted as reasonable. The claim of $862.42 is awarded.

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 landlord claimed the tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish. The lawns and gardens needed attention.

A single invoice for addressing all three issues was provided. The total was $1,185.00. As no sub-itemising was available I was left to apportion costs as appropriate, based on aligning the tasks performed as stated in the invoice with the pre and exit photos provided.

The main task was the removal of abandoned items and rubbish. These had been left in discrete piles which reduced the costs of uplift but there was significant volume that required handling and disposal. Based on the volume established in the photos, I have allowed $720.00 of the invoiced cost for rubbish removal.

The interior of the house was not terrible. Most items had been removed by the tenant and some cleaning obviously undertaken. Based on the evidence I accept further cleaning was required to remove some drawings from a panel heater, finish cleaning the oven and rangehood, further clean the bathroom shower and vacuum or mop areas of the floor that had been missed. I do not consider the invoiced costs of cleaning the windows inside and out was proven as required. I have awarded $180.00 of the invoiced cost towards the additional cleaning conducted to return the premises to a reasonably clean and tidy condition.

The lawn and garden form the third and last grouping of tasks detailed in the invoice. The main effort involved clearing the overgrown garden and removal of the associated green waste. The evidence supports an award of $110.00.

The remaining balance of that $1,185.00 invoiced cost remains with the landlord.

The tenant did not return the keys or garage remotes. The landlord provided invoices from a locksmith for $421.38 and a contractor for new remotes of $327.75. These costs are awarded.

The amounts ordered are proved. Filing fee

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

Section 95A RTA states regarding suppression orders that the Tribunal must, on the application of a party that has wholly or substantially succeeded in proceedings, order that the party’s name or identifying particulars not be published, unless the Tribunal considers that publication is in the public interest or is justified because of the party’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.

The landlord requested suppression in its application. As it has been wholly successful, suppression is ordered.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5458709 — net $2,723.74 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Reason
Rent arrears to 16 March 2026	$2,154.29	Rent arrears to 16 March 2026
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00	Filing fee reimbursement
Cleaning: 3 hours	$180.00	Cleaning: 3 hours
Rubbish removal	$720.00	Rubbish removal
Lawns and Garden work	$110.00	Lawns and Garden work
was decided and intended. __________________________________________________________________________________ 54587092 Lo	$749.03	was decided and intended. __________________________________________________________________________________ 54587092 Lo
Break fee	$862.42	Break fee
Net award	$2,723.74
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$2,723.74

Order

This order is issued under the “slip rule”. 1
The amount awarded for Lock/key replacement initially was $421.28. It should have been $749.03. This order corrects that.
Sili'a Sefo must pay [landlord] $2,723.74 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,080.00 () to [landlord] immediately.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing, set down to be conducted via video conference. There was no entry into the conference by the tenant, nor any prior contact with the Registry. A call to the tenant was attempted but unsuccessful. I was satisfied adequate service had completed and I continued with the hearing after the call went unanswered.
The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the termination of the tenancy due to abandonment.
A party who brings a claim to the Tenancy Tribunal must prove on the balance of probabilities (more likely than not) that their version of events took place. Independent witnesses, corroborating documents and photographs are an important part of discharging this burden of proof.
The issue of evidence at Tenancy Tribunal hearings was considered by the District Court in Kaipo v Clarke & McCarthy (DC) TT233/02. Judge Mather stated: “...[the applicant] needs to be reminded that like anyone who brings an application before a Tribunal or a Court, it is incumbent upon the applicant to provide the evidence necessary to prove the case. If the applicant fails to do that, then their application will be dismissed whether it has merit or not because it is up to the applicant to provide the necessary evidence. It is not up to the other parties and it is certainly not up to the Tribunal to extract evidence.”

How much is owed for rent?

Rent liability ended on 16 March 2026. A new tenancy commenced 17 March 2026. This was a fixed-term tenancy of one year that commenced on 21 July 2025. The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy is as ordered. Break fee
The landlord also sought compensation for costs incurred in reletting the premises due to the termination of the fixed-term tenancy. An itemised invoice was sent to the tenant and later provided to the Tribunal. This was reviewed and the costs incurred are accepted as reasonable. The claim of $862.42 is awarded.

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 landlord claimed the tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish. The lawns and gardens needed attention.
A single invoice for addressing all three issues was provided. The total was $1,185.00. As no sub-itemising was available I was left to apportion costs as appropriate, based on aligning the tasks performed as stated in the invoice with the pre and exit photos provided.
The main task was the removal of abandoned items and rubbish. These had been left in discrete piles which reduced the costs of uplift but there was significant volume that required handling and disposal. Based on the volume established in the photos, I have allowed $720.00 of the invoiced cost for rubbish removal.
The interior of the house was not terrible. Most items had been removed by the tenant and some cleaning obviously undertaken. Based on the evidence I accept further cleaning was required to remove some drawings from a panel heater, finish cleaning the oven and rangehood, further clean the bathroom shower and vacuum or mop areas of the floor that had been missed. I do not consider the invoiced costs of cleaning the windows inside and out was proven as required. I have awarded $180.00 of the invoiced cost towards the additional cleaning conducted to return the premises to a reasonably clean and tidy condition.
The lawn and garden form the third and last grouping of tasks detailed in the invoice. The main effort involved clearing the overgrown garden and removal of the associated green waste. The evidence supports an award of $110.00.
The remaining balance of that $1,185.00 invoiced cost remains with the landlord.
The tenant did not return the keys or garage remotes. The landlord provided invoices from a locksmith for $421.38 and a contractor for new remotes of $327.75. These costs are awarded.
The amounts ordered are proved. Filing fee
Because [The applicant/s] has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee. Suppression
Section 95A RTA states regarding suppression orders that the Tribunal must, on the application of a party that has wholly or substantially succeeded in proceedings, order that the party’s name or identifying particulars not be published, unless the Tribunal considers that publication is in the public interest or is justified because of the party’s conduct or any other circumstances of the case.
The landlord requested suppression in its application. As it has been wholly successful, suppression is ordered.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5458709 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Award balance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5458709 — Rent arrears

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?

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