Tenant Must Provide Valid Service Address for Landlord
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to provide a current service address for the landlord. The application was closed until the tenant could provide more details. The tenant had paid a deposit and the landlord failed to provide the premises as agreed.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is entitled to have their application reopened if they can provide a valid service address for the landlord.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal ordered the tenant to provide a current service address for the landlord and closed the application pending further details.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to provide a current service address for the landlord and closed the application until further details could be provided. The tenant had paid a deposit and the landlord failed to provide the premises as agreed.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5171891
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT CHRISTCHURCH | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA KI ŌTAUTAHI
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Tenant
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Landlord
TENANCY ADDRESS: Room 2, [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. The tenant is to provide the Tribunal with a current service address for the landlord.
2. The application is closed unless further service details can be provided.
Reasons:
1. The tenant attended the hearing.
2. The tenant had been in contact with the landlord via social media from his home in China.
3. The landlord had offered the tenant a room in a house on his arrival in Christchurch (on 5 February 2025) and relevant details, such as weekly rent and tenancy start date, had been agreed between the parties.
4. The tenant paid the sum of 3000 Yuan (approximately $720.00 at the time by the tenant’s calculation) as a “rent deposit.”
5. The landlord failed in her obligation to provide the premises to the tenant as agreed and has failed to return his deposit.
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6. The landlord also obtained a further $200NZD as an ‘introduction fee’ to find another property for the tenant when the first property was ‘no longer available’.
7. Based on the tenant’s explanation, this Tribunal has jurisdiction in this matter as the arrangement was a residential tenancy and is covered by the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
8. If the tenant is able to provide an address for service for the landlord, he should contact Tenancy Services with those details and this application will be reopened.
9. The tenant also thought it possible that the landlord is engaged in fraudulent or other unlawful activity and should contact the New Zealand Police if he wishes to take that further.
[NAME]
17 April 2025
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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 for the payment of less than $1000 • a final order to undertake work worth 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 tenancy.govt.nz/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 tenancy.govt.nz/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.tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions http://www.tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions/
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A manaomia nisi faamatalaga poo se fesoasoani, e uiga i lau mataupu, asiasi ifo le matou aupega tafailagi: tenancy.govt.nz/disputes/enforcing-decisions, pe fesootai mai le Tenancy Services i le numera [PHONE].
Reasons:
⚖️ What tends to weigh in cases like this
✅ Tends to be accepted
- The tenant attended the hearing, which allowed the tribunal to hear his explanation of the events.
- The tribunal has the authority to hear this case because the agreement was a residential tenancy.
- The landlord did not provide the agreed-upon premises to the tenant.
- The landlord did not return the tenant's deposit.
- The landlord also received an additional fee for finding another property for the tenant.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The decision ordered the tenant to provide a current service address for the landlord and closed the application until further details could be provided.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the landlord failing to provide the premises as agreed and keeping the tenant's deposit.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided to close the application until the tenant could provide a valid service address for the landlord.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, section 54 was applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The argument that mattered most was the tenant's inability to provide a valid service address for the landlord.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was against the tenant who brought the case.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
For someone in a similar situation, providing a valid service address for the landlord is crucial to reopening the application.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The evidence that mattered included the agreement between the tenant and landlord, the payment of the deposit, and the failure to provide the premises as agreed.