Tenant Ordered to Pay Rent Arrears and Collect Belongings
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ruled that the tenant must pay rent arrears and other charges, such as a filing fee, and collect their belongings and dispose of rubbish by a specific date. The tenant agreed to these terms and the landlord took possession of the property.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must pay rent arrears and other charges as ordered by the Tenancy Tribunal.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears and other charges, and to collect their belongings by a specified date.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears and other charges, including a filing fee, and to collect their belongings and dispose of rubbish by a specified date. The tenant agreed to the terms and the landlord took possession of the property.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2026] NZTT 5479569
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT WELLINGTON | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA KI TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] $1,363.71 immediately, as set out in the table:
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears to 8 April 2026 $6,335.71 Filing fee reimbursement $28.00 Total award $6,363.71 Bond $5,000.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $1,363.71
2. The parties have agreed that the tenant will arrange a time with the landlord to collect the belongings and rubbish which ha been stored in the garage and this must be done by 5pm on Sunday 19 April 2026.
3. The tenant will return all the keys when she collects the rubbish and belongings.
4. If the belongings and rubbish are not collected on Sunday the landlord must take any of the tenant’s personal documents that have been left at the premises to the nearest Police station and obtain a receipt for them. The landlord may dispose of the other goods left at the premises by the tenant as the landlord sees fit.
5. The hearing is adjourned. The landlord’s claim is amended and includes:
• $304 for advertising
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• $1,240.85 for cleaning
• $690 for the lawn mowing
• $1,500 insurance excess for damage to the cooktop
• $600 for disposing of rubbish (if required).
Reasons:
1. Both parties attended the hearing.
2. The landlord applied for termination and possession. The tenant moved out before the hearing and the landlord has taken possession.
3. The landlord has applied for rent arrears and has provided rent records which prove the amount owing. The tenant agreed she owes the rent. I find the landlord took possession on 8 April 2026 when the landlord went in and cleaned the house.
4. The landlord has applied for the disposal of the goods the tenant left at the premises at the end of the tenancy. The parties have agreed these will be collected by the tenant by 5pm on Sunday at the latest. Anything not collected by Sunday can be disposed of as the landlord sees fit. The parties will arrange a time between themselves. The tenant has agreed to return the keys at the same time.
5. The landlord has other claims that I did not have time to deal with today. The hearing is adjourned. Tenancy Services will send out the time and date of the next hearing.
6. The landlord is the most successful party so the tenant must reimburse the filing fee.
K Koller
16 April 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 amount of rent owing by providing rent records.
- The tenant agreed that she owed the rent.
- The landlord was considered the most successful party in the hearing.
- The tenant agreed to collect her belongings and rubbish from the garage by a specific date and time.
- The tenant agreed to return all keys when collecting her belongings.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The decision ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears and other charges, and to collect their belongings by a specific date.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about the tenant's unpaid rent and the need to collect belongings left behind after moving out.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided in favour of the landlord because the tenant agreed to the rent arrears and the terms for collecting belongings.
Which laws or rules were applied?
No specific laws or rules were mentioned in the decision.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The argument that mattered most was the agreement between the parties on the rent arrears and the collection of belongings.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was against the tenant who brought the case, as they were ordered to pay rent arrears and other charges.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation should ensure they pay any outstanding rent and arrange to collect any belongings left behind when moving out.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the evidence or documents that mattered.