Tenant ordered to pay rent arrears and utilities
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ruled that the tenant must pay the landlord for unpaid rent, power, and water bills. The tenant agreed to the amounts during the hearing.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant is required to pay rent arrears and utility charges to the landlord.
📖 Technical summary
The tenant was ordered to pay rent arrears, power and water charges, and the filing fee to the landlord.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears, power and water charges, and the filing fee to the landlord. The tenant accepted the amounts owed during the hearing.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2025] NZTT 5210635
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT [Event location suppressed]
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. An application for suppression has been made in this case, and the Tribunal orders suppression of the Landlord’s name and identifying details.
2. [NAME] must pay [The landlord/s] $877.72 immediately, as calculated in the table below..
3. The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $1,260.00 ([Bond number suppressed]) to [The landlord/s] immediately.
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears as at 27 May 2025 $1,350.00 Power and water as at 27 May 2027 $760.72 Filing fee reimbursement $27.00 Total award $2,137.72 Bond $1,260.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $877.72
Reasons:
1. Both parties attended the hearing which was held by telephone.
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2. The tenant vacated the tenancy on 27 May 2025 and the landlord makes a claim for rent arrears, power and water charges, the break lease fee and reimbursement of the filing fee.
Rent, power and water
3. The landlord provided evidence of how much rent, power and water were owed at the tenancy.
4. At today’s hearing the tenant accepted that these amounts were owing - $1,350.00 for rent $760.72 for power and water.
Break lease fee
5. This was a fixed term tenancy which was due to expire on 24 June 2025.
6. The landlord claims a break lease fee amounting to $521.00 – that being the cost of advertising, viewings, checks etc to obtain a new tenant.
7. I am dismissing this part of the landlord’s claim because the costs of getting a new tenant would in any case have been incurred one month later when the fixed term expired. I consider that there is therefore no extra loss to the landlord because the fixed term was broken.
8. Further to this I note that a new tenant commenced the tenancy the day after Ms [NAME] vacated.
Filing fee reimbursement
9. I am ordering the tenant to reimburse the filing fee to the landlord because the landlord was substantially successful in the claim against her.
[NAME] 12 June 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 accepted that rent arrears and utility charges were owing.
- The landlord provided clear evidence of the amounts owed for rent and utilities.
- The landlord was substantially successful in their claim against the tenant.
❌ Tends to be rejected
- The landlord claimed a break lease fee, but it was dismissed because the costs would have been incurred anyway when the fixed term expired.
- The landlord attempted to claim a break lease fee despite a new tenant starting the tenancy the day after the previous tenant vacated.
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 for rent arrears, power and water charges, and the filing fee.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was over unpaid rent, power, and water bills, and the filing fee.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided in favour of the landlord because the tenant accepted the amounts owed during the hearing.
Which laws or rules were applied?
No specific laws or rules were mentioned in the decision.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The tenant's acceptance of the amounts owed was the key factor in the decision.
Was the decision for or against the person who brought the case?
The decision was against the tenant who brought the case.
What does this mean for someone in a similar situation?
Someone in a similar situation should ensure they accept the amounts owed during the hearing to avoid further penalties.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The judgment does not specify the evidence or documents used.