Published tribunal order
Tenancy Tribunal case 5471832 — Rent arrears
Decided 2 Jul 2026 · Published 2 Jul 2026 · Application 5471832
- Rent arrears
- Cleanliness
Party names are redacted in the official published order.
Order
- The parties names and address is suppressed.
- [The tenant/s] to pay [The landlord/s] $371.42 from the bond, calculated as shown in table below.
- The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $930.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) immediately apportioned as follows: [The landlord/s]: $371.42 [The tenant/s]: $558.58
Reasons
- Both parties attended the hearing via teleconference.
- The landlord has applied for rent arrears, carpet cleaning, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
How much is owed for rent?
- The evidence is that the tenancy was to end on or about 24 December 2025. However, the tenant was unable to do the final clean up and it was agreed that she would have until the 27 th to do the final clean and the final inspection took place on that date. The rent had been paid up until the 22 December.
- The landlord is entitled to the expectation that the property will be vacant and ready to reoccupy following the tenant removing all their belongings. Given the tenant sought further time for the clean up and having heard from both parties I am satisfied that the tenancy ended on the 27 th and thus the rent is owing as sought.
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.
- In this case the evidence is that the tenant moved from another property owned by the same landlord. She was given the keys to this property a week before the requirement to pay rent. It gave her the opportunity to move from one to the other and she was also required to clean this property before moving in. The landlord did not carry out a property inspection, this was carried out by this tenant.
- This tenant was required to get the carpets cleaned and whilst the landlord stated she would retrieve the amount of the cleaning carpet invoice from the previous tenant this tenant paid the cost. As a result, the landlord paid for the carpet cleaning cost for this tenant’s property she was exiting.
- The tenant does not accept she should pay for the carpets to be cleaned on exiting this property because she paid for it to be done when she moved in and therefore should be able to leave it in its condition.
- The evidence is that this is a tenancy that lasted for nine months, and the tenant accepted that she had rabbits in the house. Whilst the landlord stated that chicken also entered the property the tenant denied this.
- The invoice for the carpet cleaning refers to the need to remove animal smells.
- On the evidence I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the amount is due and owing accordingly.
- He tenant sought suppression in her application to recover the bond. Whilst she was unsuccessful, given the fact that there were issues on both sides that could have been dealt with if both parties had adhered to the Act in relation to pre inspections and exit inspections, and informal agreements I am suppressing details of all details.
- Because [The applicant/s] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.