Tenant Ordered to Pay $1,770 for Cleaning and Rubbish Removal After Tenancy Ends
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $1,770 for cleaning and removing rubbish after the tenancy ended. The tenant did not attend the hearing and failed to meet their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and remove all rubbish upon termination of the tenancy.
📖 What the law says
This section states that a tenant must keep the rented property reasonably clean and tidy. It also requires that when a tenancy ends, the tenant must leave the property in a reasonably clean and tidy condition and remove all rubbish.
Plain-English explanation — does not replace advice from a lawyer.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $1,770 for cleaning and rubbish removal.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $1,770 for cleaning and removing rubbish after the tenancy ended. The tenant failed to leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy as required by the Residential Tenancies Act 1,986.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5064588
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT REMOTE LOCATION | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA
APPLICANT: [redacted] Trustee for [COMPANY]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], Elsthorpe, RD 2, Elsthorpe 4277
ORDER
1. [NAME] and [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] as agent for [NAME] as the Trustee for [COMPANY] $1,770.00 immediately, as calculated in table below:
Description Landlord Tenant Cleaning $210.00 Rubbish removal: and exterior lawns and gardens $1,560.00 Total award $1,770.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $1,770.00
Reasons:
1. The landlord attended the hearing. The tenant did not attend and did not respond when telephoned on the numbers ending in 726 and 399.
2. The landlord has applied for compensation following the end of the tenancy.
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Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
3. 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. See section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
4. The landlord submits that the tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish.
5. Invoices have been provided for cleaning of $210.00 and lawns/gardens, removal of belongings and removal of rubbish from the garage for $1,560.00.
6. In the absence of any evidence to the contrary, the amounts ordered are proved.
[NAME]
05 May 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 must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and remove all rubbish upon termination of the tenancy.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- There was no evidence provided by the tenant to dispute the landlord's claims.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $1,770 for cleaning and removing rubbish after the tenancy ended.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant's failure to leave the rental property reasonably clean and tidy after the tenancy ended.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the landlord $1,770 because they did not leave the premises clean and tidy as required by law.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, specifically section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v), was applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The most important argument was that the tenant had not left the premises reasonably clean and tidy, which is a requirement under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was for the landlord, who brought the case.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation should ensure that they leave the rental property clean and tidy when the tenancy ends to avoid having to pay for cleaning and rubbish removal.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The evidence included invoices for cleaning and rubbish removal services.