Tenant Ordered to Pay $4,717.00 for Rent Arrears and Filing Fees
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ruled that the tenant must pay the landlord $4,717.00 for rent arrears and filing fees. This includes $4,690.00 for unpaid rent up to January 22, 2025, and $27.00 for the filing fee.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must pay rent arrears and filing fees when found liable by the Tenancy Tribunal.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal awarded the landlord $4,717.00 for rent arrears and filing fees.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal awarded the landlord $4,717.00 for rent arrears and filing fees. The tenant failed to respond to the teleconference hearing, and the landlord provided proof of the amount owing.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5132729
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT REMOTE LOCATION | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] must pay [NAME] and [NAME] $4,717.00 immediately, calculated as shown in the table below:
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears to 22.1.2025 $4,690.00 Filing fee reimbursement $27.00 Total award $4,717.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $4,717.00
Reasons:
1. [NAME], representing the landlord, attended the teleconference hearing. The phone number for the tenant, the last three digits being 996, was called twice without any response. As the tenant was served, the hearing proceeded in his absence.
2. The landlord has applied for rent arrears following the end of the tenancy and for reimbursement of the filing fee. The landlord had also applied for compensation but withdrew this claim during the hearing.
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How much is owing in rent?
3. The tenancy ended on 24 January 2025. The landlord has provided rent records which prove the amount owing to 22 January 2025, the date to which the landlord claimed rent arrears, which is $4,690.00.
Filing fee
4. [NAME] has been successful with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.
C Price
27 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 landlord proved the amount of rent owing with rent records.
- The landlord was successful in their claim for rent arrears.
- The landlord was reimbursed for the filing fee because their claim was successful.
- The hearing proceeded without the tenant because they were properly served but did not respond to calls.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- The landlord withdrew their claim for compensation during the hearing.
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 $4,717.00 for rent arrears and filing fees.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was over unpaid rent and the landlord's filing fee.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided in favour of the landlord because the tenant did not respond to the hearing and the landlord provided proof of the rent arrears.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, section 54 was applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The landlord's proof of rent arrears and the tenant's failure to respond to the hearing were the most important arguments.
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 they respond to all hearings and provide evidence of any disputes.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The landlord provided rent records showing the amount owing.