Tenant ordered to pay $5,476.80 for rent arrears and water rates
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $5,476.80 to the landlord for unpaid rent and water bills. The tenant agreed to end the tenancy and did not provide proof of extra payments.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must pay rent arrears and water rates to the landlord as ordered by the Tribunal.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears and water rates to the landlord.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $5,476.80 to the landlord for rent arrears and water rates. The tenant consented to the termination of the tenancy and failed to provide evidence of additional payments.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5240431
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT REMOTE LOCATION | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] $5,476.80 immediately, in accordance with the table below.
2. The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 (5963905-005) to [COMPANY] immediately.
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears to 4/6/25 $8,028.58 Water rates to 6/5/25 $21.22 Filing fee reimbursement $27.00 Total award $8,076.80 Bond $2,600.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $5,476.80
Reasons:
1. Both parties attended the hearing of the claims on 30 May 2024.
2. At the hearing [NAME] consented to the landlord’s application to end the tenancy. The tenancy is therefore to end by consent, as per the Tribunal’s order, tomorrow.
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3. The landlord’s claim for rent arrears and water rates was adjourned to enable [NAME] to file evidence of payments additional to those nominated on the landlord’s rent summary. This was outlined in the Tribunal order of 31 May.
4. [NAME] has not done so.
5. Accordingly, I accept the landlord’s claims for rent arrears and water rates as evidenced by their supporting documentation.
6. [COMPANY] has wholly succeeded with the claim I must reimburse the filing fee.
K Lash
03 June 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 provided evidence of rent arrears and water rates.
- The tenant did not provide evidence of additional payments as requested.
- The landlord successfully claimed for filing fee reimbursement.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- The tenant failed to submit evidence of payments beyond those listed by the landlord.
- The tenant did not contest the amount of rent arrears and water rates claimed by the landlord.
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 $5,476.80 to the landlord for rent arrears and water rates.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about unpaid rent and water bills owed by the tenant to the landlord.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the landlord for the rent arrears and water rates because the tenant consented to the termination of the tenancy and did not provide evidence of additional payments.
Which laws or rules were applied?
No specific laws or rules were mentioned in the judgment.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The tenant's failure to provide evidence of additional payments and consent to terminate the tenancy were the key factors in the decision.
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 they have evidence of all payments made and communicate clearly with the landlord about any disputes.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the exact evidence or documents that mattered.