What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5496345 about?

The tribunal order states: An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal

How much money was awarded in case 5496345?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Power: $595.95 awarded to tenant; Rent Arrears: $7,314.29 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $70.15 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5496345?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5496345?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13881125-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

What was Tenancy Tribunal case 5496345 about?

The tribunal order states: An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal

How much money was awarded in case 5496345?

Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Power: $595.95 awarded to tenant; Rent Arrears: $7,314.29 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $70.15 awarded to landlord

What type of tenancy dispute was case 5496345?

The primary dispute was Rent arrears.

Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5496345?

The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13881125-Tribunal_Order_Redacted.pdf.

New Zealand Tenancy Tribunal Case 5496345 — Rent arrears

Reasons

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5496345 — net $5,216.49 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Tenant	Reason
Rent arrears to 6 May 2026	$7,314.29		Rent arrears to 6 May 2026
Rubbish removal	$70.15		Rubbish removal
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00		Filing fee reimbursement
Power		$595.95	Power
Total award	$7,412.44	$595.95
Net award	$5,216.49
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$5,216.49

The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not join the hearing by telephone or video through the links provided in the notice of hearing. The tenant was called at the start of the hearing on the phone number recorded in the application but did not answer the call.

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

How much is owed for rent?

The tenancy started on 13 May 2026 and ended on 6 May 2026. Rent owed for this period at $400.00 per week is $20,514.29.

The landlord provided rent records and bank transaction records of the payments received from the tenant. The bank transaction records show that in addition to the payments recorded on the rent summary, a further $400.00 was paid on 10 February 2026. The total rent payments made by the tenant therefore is $13,200.00.

Rent owed at the end of the tenancy is $7,314.29.

How much is owed for power?

The landlord claims the tenant owes $574.72 for power. However the landlord’s calculations includes charges the tenant is not liable for as follows: a. the power account for the period 18 March 2025 to 15 April 2025. The tenant has no liability for this as the tenancy did not start until 13 May 2025. b. the daily fixed charges. The daily fixed charge covers the cost of maintaining the power connection to the property. It is a set fee that is charged every day regardless of how much power is consumed. Section 39 RTA provides that the tenant is only liable for outgoings, such as power, in respect of the premises that are “exclusively attributable” to the specific tenancy. That is for the power they consume.

I find the tenant’s liability for power (including gst) based on the consumption of power shown in the Genesis invoices supplied is $1,926.05, as shown below: 16 April to 19 May 2025$ 27.49 20 May to 21 June 2025$232.42 22 June to 20 July 2025 $280.15 21 July to 18 August 2025$185.02 19 August to 16 September 2025$229.63 17 September to 15 October 2025$276.32 16 October to 16 November 2025$251.93 17 November to 15 December 2025$113.46 16 December to 18 January 2026$170.40 19 January to 17 February 2026$112.55 18 February to 18 March 2026 $ 19.16 19 March to 20 April 2026$ 27.52

I am satisfied that the property was empty for around 6 weeks before the tenancy started and that the invoice for the period 16 April to 19 May 2025 fairly reflects power usage by the tenant from the start of the tenancy (13 May 2025).

The landlord’s record of payments the tenant has made for power ($2,402.00) do not include a payment of $90.00 made on 10 February 2026, and show a payment of $20.00 was made on 25 March 2026 when the payment was $50.00. Therefore I find the tenant has paid $2,522.00 for power. That means the tenant has paid $595.95 more than is required for the power she used during the tenancy . This is shown as a credit in the table in the order above and applied in reduction of the amount the tenant owes the landlord.

Did the tenant remove all rubbish at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must remove all rubbish. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA).

I am satisfied from the landlord’s evidence that the tenant left a significant amount of household rubbish contained in plastic bags in the garden shed.

The amount ordered is proved.

As the landlord has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee.

Suppression: The landlord is the successful party and has applied for suppression. I do not consider the public interest or any other circumstances require publication of the landlord’s name. Accordingly suppression of the landlord’s name and identifying details including the address of the premises is granted. See s 95A, RTA.

Claims and awards in Tenancy Tribunal application 5496345 — net $5,216.49 NZD. Amounts reconciled from the published order (claims sum and net total). Verify on MoJ.
Claim	Landlord	Tenant	Reason
Rent arrears to 6 May 2026	$7,314.29		Rent arrears to 6 May 2026
Rubbish removal	$70.15		Rubbish removal
Filing fee reimbursement	$28.00		Filing fee reimbursement
Power		$595.95	Power
Total award	$7,412.44	$595.95
Net award	$5,216.49
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord	$5,216.49

Order

An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord’s name and identifying details.
[The tenant/s] must pay [The landlord/s] $5,216.49 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.

Reasons

The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not join the hearing by telephone or video through the links provided in the notice of hearing. The tenant was called at the start of the hearing on the phone number recorded in the application but did not answer the call.
The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.

How much is owed for rent?

The tenancy started on 13 May 2026 and ended on 6 May 2026. Rent owed for this period at $400.00 per week is $20,514.29.
The landlord provided rent records and bank transaction records of the payments received from the tenant. The bank transaction records show that in addition to the payments recorded on the rent summary, a further $400.00 was paid on 10 February 2026. The total rent payments made by the tenant therefore is $13,200.00.
Rent owed at the end of the tenancy is $7,314.29.

How much is owed for power?

The landlord claims the tenant owes $574.72 for power. However the landlord’s calculations includes charges the tenant is not liable for as follows: a. the power account for the period 18 March 2025 to 15 April 2025. The tenant has no liability for this as the tenancy did not start until 13 May 2025. b. the daily fixed charges. The daily fixed charge covers the cost of maintaining the power connection to the property. It is a set fee that is charged every day regardless of how much power is consumed. Section 39 RTA provides that the tenant is only liable for outgoings, such as power, in respect of the premises that are “exclusively attributable” to the specific tenancy. That is for the power they consume.
I find the tenant’s liability for power (including gst) based on the consumption of power shown in the Genesis invoices supplied is $1,926.05, as shown below: 16 April to 19 May 2025$ 27.49 20 May to 21 June 2025$232.42 22 June to 20 July 2025 $280.15 21 July to 18 August 2025$185.02 19 August to 16 September 2025$229.63 17 September to 15 October 2025$276.32 16 October to 16 November 2025$251.93 17 November to 15 December 2025$113.46 16 December to 18 January 2026$170.40 19 January to 17 February 2026$112.55 18 February to 18 March 2026 $ 19.16 19 March to 20 April 2026$ 27.52
I am satisfied that the property was empty for around 6 weeks before the tenancy started and that the invoice for the period 16 April to 19 May 2025 fairly reflects power usage by the tenant from the start of the tenancy (13 May 2025).
The landlord’s record of payments the tenant has made for power ($2,402.00) do not include a payment of $90.00 made on 10 February 2026, and show a payment of $20.00 was made on 25 March 2026 when the payment was $50.00. Therefore I find the tenant has paid $2,522.00 for power. That means the tenant has paid $595.95 more than is required for the power she used during the tenancy . This is shown as a credit in the table in the order above and applied in reduction of the amount the tenant owes the landlord.

Did the tenant remove all rubbish at the end of the tenancy?

At the end of the tenancy the tenant must remove all rubbish. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA).
I am satisfied from the landlord’s evidence that the tenant left a significant amount of household rubbish contained in plastic bags in the garden shed.
The amount ordered is proved.
As the landlord has substantially succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee.
Suppression: The landlord is the successful party and has applied for suppression. I do not consider the public interest or any other circumstances require publication of the landlord’s name. Accordingly suppression of the landlord’s name and identifying details including the address of the premises is granted. See s 95A, RTA.

Tenancy Tribunal case 5496345 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Award balance

Tenancy Tribunal case 5496345 — Rent arrears

At a glance

Award balance

Claims & awards

Order

Reasons

How much is owed for rent?

How much is owed for power?

Did the tenant remove all rubbish 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?

How much is owed for power?

Did the tenant remove all rubbish at the end of the tenancy?

Topics & place

Residential Tenancies Act sections

Key findings

Frequently asked questions