Tenant Ordered to Pay Rent Arrears and Cleaning Costs
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $3,147.00 to the landlord, covering rent arrears, cleaning costs, and filing fees. This was due to the tenant's failure to leave the premises clean at the end of the tenancy.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must pay rent arrears, cleaning costs, and filing fees when they do not comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy.
📖 What the law says
This section outlines a tenant's responsibilities, including paying rent on time, keeping the property reasonably clean and tidy, and leaving the premises in a reasonably clean condition with all rubbish removed when the tenancy ends. In this case, the tenant failed to leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy.
Plain-English explanation — does not replace advice from a lawyer.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears, cleaning costs, and filing fees.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $3,147.00 to the landlord, including rent arrears, cleaning costs, and filing fees. The tenant failed to comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy, leaving the premises unreasonably dirty.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5128950
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT REMOTE LOCATION | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: Unit/Flat [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE], H47 Apartments
ORDER
1. [NAME] and [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] and [NAME] $3,147.00 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears to 22 February 2025 $5,020.00 Cleaning $500.00 Filing fee reimbursement $27.00 Minus bond received by landlord $2,400.00 Total award $5,547.00 $2,400.00 Net award $3,147.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $3,147.00
Reasons:
1. [NAME] attended the hearing for the landlord. The tenants were phoned on the numbers provided but there was no response to the calls.
2. The landlord has applied for rent arrears, cleaning costs, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
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How much is owed for rent?
3. The tenancy ended on 22 February 2025. The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy.
Did the tenant comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
4. The tenants did not leave the premises reasonably clean as required by section 40(1)(e)(ii)-(v) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.
5. The amount ordered has been established by the production of an invoice.
6. The landlord has been successful in their claims and is therefore entitled to payment of the Tribunal application fee.
7. At the hearing [NAME] also said that the landlord has a claim for the cost to replace lightbulbs which had blown. The claim was not included in the application however, as explained to [NAME] at the hearing, light bulbs which have blown due to ordinary use are considered to be ‘damage’ caused by fair wear and tear and therefore not the responsibility of the tenants to replace.
R Merrett
14 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 landlord provided rent records proving the amount of rent arrears.
- The tenants did not leave the premises reasonably clean as required by law.
- The landlord produced an invoice establishing the total amount owed.
- The landlord successfully claimed the filing fee reimbursement.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- The tenants' failure to respond to calls did not provide a defense.
- The claim for replacing lightbulbs due to ordinary wear and tear was dismissed.
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 $3,147.00 to the landlord, including rent arrears, cleaning costs, and filing fees.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant's obligation to pay rent arrears, cleaning costs, and filing fees after the tenancy ended.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided that the tenant must pay the specified amount because they did not comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy.
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 argument that mattered most was that the tenant left the premises unreasonably dirty, failing to meet their obligations under the act.
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 comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy to avoid such penalties.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The evidence included rent records and the condition of the premises at the end of the tenancy.