Tenant ordered to pay $5,826.04 for rent arrears and cleaning fees
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $5,826.04 to the landlord for rent arrears, water rates, and cleaning fees because the tenant left the premises untidy at the end of the tenancy.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must pay rent arrears and compensate the landlord for leaving the premises in an untidy state.
📖 What the law says
This section outlines a tenant's responsibilities, including paying rent on time, keeping the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and leaving the premises in a reasonably clean and tidy condition with all rubbish removed when the tenancy ends.
Plain-English explanation — does not replace advice from a lawyer.
📖 Technical summary
The Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears, water rates, and cleaning fees.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $5,826.04 to the landlord for rent arrears, water rates, and cleaning fees due to leaving the premises untidy. The tenant failed to comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy, as per the Residential Tenancies Act 1s 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v).
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2026] NZTT 5431110
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT REMOTE LOCATION | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA
APPLICANT: [redacted] [NAME]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] As Agents For [NAME] $5,826.04 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears 7-23 June 2026 $2,112.85 Water rates $1,001.94 Cleaning main house: including carpets $900.00 Cleaning: 2 cabins $320.00 Rubbish removal $820.00 Lawns and Garden work $120.00 Pest control $287.50 Lock/key replacement $235.75 Filing fee reimbursement $28.00 Total award $5,826.04 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $5,826.04
Reasons:
1. Only the applicant landlord attended the hearing.
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2. The landlord has applied for rent and water rates arrears, compensation and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
How much is owed for rent?
3. The tenancy ended on 23 June 2026 when the bailiff attended to enforce an earlier Tribunal order ending the tenancy because of rent arrears on 6 June. The landlord provided rent records and water rates invoices which prove the amounts owing at the end of the tenancy.
4. The bond was refunded to the landlord as part of the earlier termination order so has been accounted for.
Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
5. 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.
6. The tenant did not leave the premises, which included a house and two cabins reasonably clean and tidy and did not remove extensive rubbish.
7. The cleaning amounts awarded are reduced by a small percentage to reflect that the cleaning completed returned the property to a condition where it could be relet, when a tenant need only leave it reasonably clean and tidy.
8. The photographs and evidence provided confirm that the condition of the property fell well short of the required standard. The oven and stove and carpets required cleaning.
9. There was a cockroach infestation that required treatment.
10. The lawns and gardens were extensively overgrown.
11. The tenant did not return the keys, and four locks needed to be replaced.
12. The amounts ordered are proved.
J Maher
17 June 2026
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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, or the failure to make an order, where the amount in dispute on appeal is
less than $1000 • a final order to undertake work, or the failure to make an order, where the value of the
work in dispute on appeal is 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 amounts owed for rent and water rates with records and invoices.
- The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, including the house and two cabins.
- The property's condition, including the oven, stove, and carpets, was well below the required standard.
- There was a cockroach infestation that needed treatment.
- The tenant failed to return the keys, necessitating the replacement of four locks.
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 $5,826.04 to the landlord for rent arrears, water rates, and cleaning fees.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant's failure to pay rent arrears and to leave the premises in a reasonable state 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 fees because the tenant left the premises untidy, as required by the Residential Tenancies Act.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, s 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) was applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The argument that mattered most was that the tenant left the premises untidy, requiring significant cleaning and repairs.
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 leave the premises in a reasonable state at the end of the tenancy to avoid having to pay for cleaning and repairs.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The rent records, water rates invoices, and evidence of the untidy state of the premises mattered.