Tenant Ordered to Pay $2,660.29 for Rent Arrears and Damages
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ruled that the tenant must pay the landlord $2,660.29 for unpaid rent, cleaning fees, and damages to blinds. The tenant left the premises unclean and damaged the blinds.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is required to pay the landlord for rent arrears, damages, and cleaning costs incurred due to the tenant's breach of obligations at the end of the tenancy.
📖 What the law says
This section outlines a tenant's responsibilities, including paying rent on time, keeping the property reasonably clean and tidy, and leaving the premises in a reasonably clean and tidy condition with all rubbish removed when the tenancy ends. In this case, the tenant failed to leave the premises clean and tidy and caused damage.
Plain-English explanation — does not replace advice from a lawyer.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $2,660.29 for various charges including rent arrears, cleaning fees, and replacement of damaged blinds.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $2,660.29 for rent arrears, cleaning fees, and damages to blinds. The tenant failed to leave the premises clean and tidy and caused damage to the blinds.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5086751
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT MANUKAU | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA KI MANUKAU
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: Unit/[ADDRESS], [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
[NAME] must pay [COMPANY] as agent for S Judge $2,660.29 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears to the end of 27/10/24 $1,700.00 Water rates $160.26 Carpet Cleaning $276.00 Cleaning $270.00 Rubbish removal $138.00 Replace blinds @ 50 percent $249.03 Filing fee reimbursement $27.00 Credit tenant payments $160.00 Total award $2,820.29 $160.00 Net award $2,660.29 Total amount tenant must pay landlord $2,660.29
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Reasons:
1. [NAME] attended the hearing for the landlord.
2. The tenant did not attend. The hearing proceeded in the tenant’s absence.1
3. The landlord has applied for rent and water arrears, compensation, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
How much does the tenant owe the landlord for rent and water?
4. The tenancy ended on 27 October 2024.
5. The landlord provided rent records and water rates invoices which prove the amounts the tenant owes for these.
Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
6. 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.2 .
7. The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove all rubbish.
8. The landlord proved the costs ordered above for cleaning, carpet cleaning, and rubbish removal.
9. The Tribunal orders the tenant to reimburse the landlord for those amounts.
Is the tenant responsible for the damage to the blinds?
10. The landlord had to replace three sets of blinds after the tenant damaged them by cleaning them in the washing machine.
11. The tenant caused the damage carelessly, so the tenant is liable to the landlord for the cost of replacing them.3
12. I must take betterment and depreciation into account. The Tribunal should return the landlord to the position they would have been in had the tenant not breached their obligations and should not make them better or worse off.
1 The Tribunal received an email from the tenant asking for the case to be stood down shortly before the hearing, but the email was not forwarded to me until after the hearing had ended. 2 Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA), s 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) 3 The landlord’s insurance excess was $550.00.
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13. The blinds were likely at least four years’ old and had a useful further life of about four years prior to the damage. Therefore, I discount the landlord’s cost to replace the blinds by 50 percent.
Filing fee
14. The tenant must reimburse the landlord for the filing fee.
Tenant credit
15. The tenant has been regularly paying the landlord $10.00 per week towards these costs since the tenancy ended. A credit of $160.00 is applied for the period after the landlord filed its application on 27 November 2024.
[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 tenant owes the landlord $1,700 for rent arrears as proven by the rent records.
- The tenant must pay $276 for carpet cleaning costs incurred due to the tenant's failure to clean properly.
- The tenant is responsible for $249.03 to replace blinds damaged carelessly.
- The tenant must reimburse the landlord $27 for the filing fee.
- The tenant must pay $160 for regular weekly payments made towards these costs.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- The tenant did not comply with leaving the premises reasonably clean and tidy.
- The tenant did not remove all rubbish as required at the end of the tenancy.
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 $2,660.29 for rent arrears, cleaning fees, and damages to blinds.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant leaving the premises unclean and damaging the blinds, leading to additional costs for the landlord.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the landlord for the damages and cleaning costs because the tenant breached their obligations at the end of the tenancy.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, sections 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) and 54 were applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The most important argument was that the tenant was responsible for leaving the premises clean and for any damages caused during the tenancy.
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?
Someone in a similar situation should ensure they leave the premises clean and in good condition to avoid additional costs.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The rent records, water rates invoices, and proof of cleaning and repair costs mattered in this decision.