Tenant Ordered to Pay $991.69 for Cleaning and Rubbish Removal
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $991.69 for cleaning and rubbish removal costs. The tenant did not attend the hearing, and the landlord successfully argued that the tenant had not left the premises reasonably clean and had not removed all rubbish as required by the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and remove all rubbish 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. Specifically, when a tenancy ends, the tenant must leave the premises in a reasonably clean and tidy condition 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 $991.69 for cleaning and rubbish removal costs.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay the landlord $991.69 for cleaning and rubbish removal costs, as the tenant failed to leave the premises reasonably clean and remove all rubbish as required by the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5016608
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT CHRISTCHURCH | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA KI ŌTAUTAHI
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] $991.69 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
2. The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $150.00 (3565666-010) to Kāinga Ora– Homes And Communities immediately.
Description Landlord Tenant Cleaning $485.21 Rubbish removal $656.48 Total award $1,141.69 Bond $150.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $991.69
Reasons:
1. [NAME] attended the hearing for the landlord. The tenant did not attend.
2. The landlord has applied for compensation and refund of the bond following the end of the tenancy.
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Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
3. The tenant did not leave the premises reasonably clean and did not remove all rubbish as required by section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
4. The amounts ordered are proved.
[NAME]
11 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 did not leave the premises reasonably clean.
- The tenant did not remove all rubbish as required.
- The landlord provided proof of the amounts ordered.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- The tenant did not attend the hearing to defend themselves.
- No other arguments were presented by the tenant.
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 $991.69 for cleaning and rubbish removal costs.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant's failure to leave the rental property reasonably clean and to remove all rubbish at the end of the tenancy.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the landlord $991.69 because the tenant did not comply with the requirement to leave the premises reasonably clean and remove all rubbish.
Which laws or rules were applied?
The Residential Tenancies Act 1986, specifically 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 did not remove all rubbish as required by the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
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 reasonably clean and remove all rubbish at the end of the tenancy to avoid having to pay cleaning and rubbish removal costs.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the exact evidence or documents that were considered.