Tenantcheck Insights · Case study
Tenancy Tribunal case 5495898 — Tenancy dispute at Unit/Flat 4, 17 Bishop Street, St Albans, Christchurch 8014
Decided 4 May 2026 · Published 4 May 2026 · Application 5495898
At a glance
Key facts from the published tribunal order.
Outcome
Mixed / unclear
From published order
Location
Christchurch
Tribunal region
Adjudicator
T Harris
Claims & awards
What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.
No individual claim amounts were reconciled for this order. View the official Ministry of Justice PDF for full detail.
Order
- The application for termination under the expedited abandonment process is not granted.
- The application is referred to Tenancy Services for a full hearing to be scheduled.
Reasons
- The landlord has applied for termination of the tenancy for abandonment through the expedited process under section 91AA Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
Are there grounds for an expedited application?
- The two requirements for the expedited process are: a. The tenant does not want to contest the abandonment application. b. The information provided by the landlord with the application is sufficient to enable the Tribunal to determine it properly without a hearing (either on the basis of the information alone or with only minor clarifications).
- If the requirements for the expedited process are met, the Tribunal may terminate the tenancy where the premises have been abandoned and rent is in arrear at the hearing date. See section 61 Residential Tenancies Act 1986. A tenancy is abandoned where the tenant leaves the premises without reasonable excuse, not intending to return or to meet their obligations, and fails to notify the landlord.
- I am not satisfied that both conditions for the expedited process are met. The information provided by the landlord with this application is not sufficient to enable the Tribunal to determine it properly without a hearing.
- This is a fixed term tenancy that cannot be terminated by giving notice. The landlord provided a copy on an email dated 27 March 2026 where the tenant has given notice ending the tenancy on 23 April 2026.
- The photographs provided confirm that the tenant has left the premises however there appears to have been an ongoing discussion between the parties about finding a mutually agreed date to end the tenancy. Although this appears to be a breach of the tenant fixed term obligations, I do not find that this amounts to an abandonment of the tenancy.
- The application for termination under the expedited abandonment process is not granted and the application is referred to Tenancy Services for a full hearing to be scheduled.
Topics & place
Topics are dispute themes across the order (not the same as claim-type money lines).
Residential Tenancies Act sections
s04, s61, s91AA
Property management
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this Tenancy Tribunal case.
What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5495898?
The tribunal order states: The application for termination under the expedited abandonment process is not
How much money was awarded in case 5495898?
Verified claim lines are listed on this page.
What type of tenancy dispute was case 5495898?
The dispute type was not classified.
Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5495898?
The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13528690-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.