Tenant Ordered to Pay $1,668.52 for Rent Arrears and Cleaning Costs
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $1,668.52 for rent arrears, cleaning, and rubbish removal costs. This was due to the tenant leaving the premises unclean and with rubbish at the end of the tenancy.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must pay the landlord for rent arrears and cleaning costs if they fail to leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $1,668.52 for rent arrears, cleaning, and rubbish removal costs.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $1,668.52 for rent arrears, cleaning, and rubbish removal costs. The tenant failed to leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy at the end of the tenancy.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5120615
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT CHRISTCHURCH | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA KI ŌTAUTAHI
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] $1,668.52 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Description Landlord Rent arrears $652.00 Cleaning $638.05 Rubbish removal $687.47 Filing fee reimbursement $27.00 Total award $2,004.52 Bond $336.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $1,668.52
Reasons:
1. Both parties attended the hearing.
2. 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?
3. The tenancy ended on 11 November 2024. The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy.
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Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
4. 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.
5. The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish.
6. The landlord provided photographs from the end of the tenancy and invoices for the clean-up costs. The amounts ordered are proved.
7. As the landlord was successful party, I have also awarded reimbursement of the Tribunal application fee.
[NAME]
20 March 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 landlord proved the amount of rent owed at the end of the tenancy using rent records.
- The tenant failed to leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy as required at the end of the tenancy.
- The tenant failed to remove all rubbish from the premises at the end of the tenancy.
- The landlord provided photographs and invoices to prove the clean-up costs.
- The landlord was reimbursed for the Tribunal application fee because they were the successful party.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The tenant was ordered to pay the landlord $1,668.52 for rent arrears, cleaning, and rubbish removal costs.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant's obligation to leave the premises clean and tidy at the end of the tenancy.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the landlord for rent arrears and cleaning costs because the tenant left the premises unclean and with rubbish.
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 that the tenant failed to leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy at the end of the tenancy.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the landlord.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation should ensure that they leave the premises clean and tidy at the end of the tenancy to avoid having to pay additional costs.
What evidence or documents mattered?
Photographs from the end of the tenancy and invoices for the clean-up costs were presented as evidence.