Tenant Ordered to Pay $919.66 for Cleaning and Damages
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ruled that the tenant must pay the landlord $919.66 for cleaning and damages at the end of the tenancy. This includes costs for cleaning, rubbish removal, and window repairs.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, and return all keys and security devices at the end of the tenancy.
📖 What the law says
This section outlines a tenant's responsibilities, including keeping the premises reasonably clean and tidy. When a tenancy ends, the tenant must leave the property in a reasonably clean and tidy state and remove all rubbish.
Plain-English explanation — does not replace advice from a lawyer.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $919.66 for various damages and cleaning costs.
📜 Headnote Official document
At the end of the tenancy, the tenant failed to leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, and return all keys and security devices. The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $919.66 for various damages and cleaning costs.
📚 Full judgment Official document
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5437270 1
[2026] NZTT 5437270
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT REMOTE LOCATION | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] $919.66 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Description Landlord Tenant Rubbish removal $448.13 Cleaning $200.00 Cleaning: rangehood $48.45 Window repairs $223.08 Total award $919.66 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $919.66
Reasons:
1. The landlord attended the hearing held on 17 June 2026 by video. The tenant did not attend the hearing. An attempt was made to join the tenant to the hearing by telephone, but the call went to voicemail.
2. The landlord has applied for compensation following the end of the tenancy.
Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5437270 2
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 tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish. The landlord’s claim for cleaning was reduced at the hearing. The reduced claim is accepted given the photographs from the premises at the end of the tenancy.
5. The amounts ordered are proved.
6. The landlord claimed for a broken windowpane in the exterior door. The window was boarded up. That claim is awarded.
[NAME]
17 June 2026
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5437270 3
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/
__________________________________________________________________________________ 5437270 4
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 did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy.
- The tenant did not remove all rubbish from the premises.
- The window was boarded up due to damage caused by the tenant.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- The landlord's initial full claim for cleaning was reduced.
- The tenant did not attend the hearing to contest the claims.
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 $919.66 for cleaning and damages at the end of the tenancy.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant's failure to leave the rental property clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, and return all keys and security devices.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the landlord $919.66 because the tenant did not comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) was applied.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The most important argument was that the tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, and did not remove all rubbish.
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 rental property clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, and return all keys and security devices at the end of the tenancy.
What evidence or documents mattered?
Photographs from the premises at the end of the tenancy were used as evidence.