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Tenant Granted Conditional Termination Order After Agreeing to Pay Debts

Case No.

📌 In brief

The Tenancy Tribunal granted a conditional termination order to a tenant who owed rent arrears and water rates. The tenant agreed to pay the debt over time, showing willingness to comply with the order.

⚖️ Legal holding

A tenant is entitled to a conditional termination order if they demonstrate willingness to pay the debt and comply with the order.

Topics

rent arrearswater ratesconditional termination

Provisions

📖 Technical summary

Conditional termination granted despite tenant's breach of rental and utility payments.

📜 Headnote Official document

The Tenancy Tribunal granted a conditional termination order to the tenant who owed rent arrears and water rates. The tenant agreed to pay the debt over time, demonstrating willingness to comply with the order.

📚 Full judgment Official document

__________________________________________________________________________________ 5500654 1

[2026] NZTT 5500654

TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT REMOTE LOCATION | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA

APPLICANT: [redacted]

Landlord

RESPONDENT: [redacted]

Tenant

TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]

ORDER

1. [NAME_2] owes [COMPANY_1] as agent for [COMPANY_1] $3,875.00 comprising rent arrears to 4 June 2026 of $610.00, $3,237.00 for water rates and $28.00 for the Tribunal filing fee (“the debt”).

2. [NAME_2] must pay rent and the debt as follows:

a. By weekly payments of $850.00, being $750.00 for rent and $100.00 for the debt.

b. Payments will be every Tuesday , with the first payment on 9 June 2026 and continuing until the debt is paid in full.

3. Payments will be allocated in the following order: rent, rent arrears, water rates, and the filing fee.

4. If the tenant fails to pay rent and rent arrears within 2 working days of the due dates:

a. The tenancy at [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE] will terminate and the landlord will have immediate possession of the premises.

b. The balance of the debt will be payable immediately.

__________________________________________________________________________________ 5500654 2

5. If the tenant fails to pay the water rates and the filing fee within 2 working days of the due date, the amount outstanding for water rates and the filing fee will be payable immediately.

Reasons:

1. Both parties attended the hearing which I conducted by phone.

2. The landlord has applied for termination of the tenancy, rent arrears, water rates and refund of the bond. The tenant accepted the amounts owing for rent arrears and for water rates.

3. The tenant wants to repay the debt to avoid immediate termination.

Should a conditional termination order be made?

4. The Tribunal may terminate a tenancy for breach where, due to the nature or extent of the breach, it would be inequitable to refuse to terminate. Where the breach is capable of remedy the landlord must first serve a notice on the tenant requiring them to remedy the breach within at least 14 days and establish that the tenant has failed to do so. See section 56(1) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.

5. The tenant breached her obligations by failing to pay rent and outgoings (water rates) on time. The landlord served a 14-day notice on the tenant, but the breach was not remedied within the required period. It would be inequitable to refuse to terminate the tenancy.

6. Despite my finding that it would be inequitable to refuse to terminate the tenancy, having heard the evidence I am satisfied the tenant will pay the debt within the period specified in the order and is unlikely to commit any further breach. I have granted a conditional termination. See section 78(3) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.

7. The conditional termination order will lapse if it is fully complied with. If the tenant breaches the order, the possession order is enforceable for 90 days from the first breach. See section 64(4)(b) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.

J Greene

04 June 2026

__________________________________________________________________________________ 5500654 3

Please read carefully: Visit justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals for more information on rehearings and appeals.

Rehearings You can apply for a rehearing if you believe that a substantial wrong or miscarriage of justice has happened. For example: • you did not get the letter telling you the date of the hearing, or • the adjudicator improperly admitted or rejected evidence, or • new evidence, relating to the original application, has become available.

You must give reasons and evidence to support your application for a rehearing. A rehearing will not be granted just because you disagree with the decision. You must apply within five working days of the decision using the Application for Rehearing form: justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Forms/TT-Application-for-rehearing.pdf

Right of Appeal Both the landlord and the tenant can file an appeal. You should file your appeal at the District Court where the original hearing took place. The cost for an appeal is $260. You must apply within 10 working days after the decision is issued using this Appeal to the District Court form: justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals

Grounds for an appeal You can appeal if you think the decision was wrong, but not because you don’t like the decision. For some cases, there’ll be no right to appeal. For example, you can’t appeal: • against an interim order • a final order, or the failure to make an order, where the amount in dispute on appeal is

less than $1000 • a final order to undertake work, or the failure to make an order, where the value of the

work in dispute on appeal is less than $1000.

Enforcement Where the Tribunal made an order about money or property this is called a civil debt. The Ministry of Justice Collections Team can assist with enforcing civil debt. You can contact the collections team on [PHONE] or go to justice.govt.nz/fines/civil-debt for forms and information.

Notice to a party ordered to pay money or vacate premises, etc. Failure to comply with any order may result in substantial additional costs for enforcement. It may also involve being ordered to appear in the District Court for an examination of your means or seizure of your property.

If you require further help or information regarding this matter, visit [NAME_3]/disputes/enforcing- decisions or phone Tenancy Services on [PHONE].

Mēna ka hiahia koe ki ētahi atu awhina, kōrero ranei mo tēnei take, haere ki tenei ipurangi [NAME_3]/disputes/enforcing-decisions, waea atu ki Ratonga Takirua ma runga [PHONE] ranei.

https://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals https://www.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Forms/TT-Application-for-rehearing.pdf https://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/tenancy/rehearings-appeals/ https://www.justice.govt.nz/fines/about-civil-debt/ https://www.[NAME_3]/disputes/enforcing-decisions https://www.[NAME_3]/disputes/enforcing-decisions http://www.[NAME_3]/disputes/enforcing-decisions/

__________________________________________________________________________________ 5500654 4

A manaomia nisi faamatalaga poo se fesoasoani, e uiga i lau mataupu, asiasi ifo le matou aupega tafailagi: [NAME_3]/disputes/enforcing-decisions, pe fesootai mai le Tenancy Services i le numera [PHONE].

Reasons:

❓ Frequently asked questions

What did this decision decide?

The Tenancy Tribunal granted a conditional termination order to the tenant who owed rent arrears and water rates.

What was the dispute about?

The dispute was about the tenant's failure to pay rent arrears and water rates on time.

How did the court decide, and why?

The court decided to grant a conditional termination order because the tenant demonstrated willingness to pay the debt over time.

Which laws or rules were applied?

The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, sections 56(1) and 78(3), were applied.

What was the argument that mattered most?

The most important argument was that the tenant showed willingness to pay the debt and comply with the order.

Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?

The decision was for the tenant who brought the case.

What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?

Someone in a similar situation might also receive a conditional termination order if they show willingness to pay their debts.

What evidence or documents mattered?

The evidence that mattered included the tenant's agreement to pay the debt and the landlord's proof of the tenant's breach of contract.

Official source: Tenancy Tribunal headnote and full judgment reproduced from the court's public records. View on the official source ↗Summary, holding, technical summary and questions: produced by Artificial Intelligence based on the official headnote and judgment. These are VadeLab’s own material and are not the work of the Court.This decision was issued by the Tenancy Tribunal and is reproduced from its published records. VadeLab is not affiliated with, and this page is not endorsed by, that court or tribunal.
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