Tenant Ordered to Pay Rent Arrears and Utility Bills
📌 In brief
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $1,938.02 to the landlord for rent arrears and utility bills. The landlord provided proof of the amounts owing at the end of the tenancy, while the tenant did not attend the hearing.
⚖️ Legal holding
A tenant must pay rent arrears and utility bills to the landlord if they are proven in a hearing.
📖 Technical summary
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay rent arrears and utility bills to the landlord.
📜 Headnote Official document
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $1,938.02 to the landlord for rent arrears and utility bills. The landlord provided proof of the amounts owing at the end of the tenancy.
📚 Full judgment Official document
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[2026] NZTT 5436509
TENANCY TRIBUNAL AT MANUKAU | TE TARAIPIUNARA RETIHANGA KI MANUKAU
APPLICANT: [redacted]
Landlord
RESPONDENT: [redacted]
Tenant
TENANCY ADDRESS: [ADDRESS], [POSTCODE]
ORDER
1. [NAME] and [NAME] must pay [COMPANY] As Agent For [NAME] $1,938.02 immediately, being rent arrears to 7 February 2026,
2. [COMPANY] is to pay the bond of $2,600.00 (BN-00167508) to [COMPANY] As Agent For [NAME] immediately.
Description Landlord Tenant Rent arrears to 7 Feb 2026 $3,992.86 Water rates to 12 Jan 2026 $217.22 Power to 12 Jan 2026 $299.94 Filing fee reimbursement $28.00 Total award $4,538.02 Bond $2,600.00 Total payable by Tenant to Landlord $1,938.02
Reasons:
1. The Landlord attended the hearing. The Tenants did not appear.
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2. The landlord has applied for rent arrears, water rates, power, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
How much is owed for rent, water rates and power arrears?
3. The tenancy ended on 7 February 2026. The landlord provided rent records, power records and water rates invoices which prove the amount owing at the end of the tenancy
4. As [COMPANY] As Agent For [NAME] has wholly succeeded with the claim the Tenant must reimburse the filing fee.
A Aiolupotea
31 March 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 provided records that proved the amount of rent owing at the end of the tenancy.
- The landlord provided invoices that proved the amount of water rates owing.
- The landlord provided records that proved the amount of power owing.
- The landlord was reimbursed the filing fee because they wholly succeeded with their claim.
Patterns observed in similar cases in this collection — every case is unique.
❓ Frequently asked questions
What did this decision decide?
The Tenancy Tribunal ordered the tenant to pay $1,938.02 to the landlord for rent arrears and utility bills.
What was the dispute about?
The dispute was about unpaid rent and utility bills at the end of the tenancy.
How did the court decide, and why?
The court decided in favour of the landlord because the tenant did not attend the hearing and the landlord provided proof of the amounts owing.
Which laws or rules were applied?
No specific laws or rules were mentioned in the judgment.
What was the argument that mattered most?
The landlord's provision of proof of the amounts owing was the central argument.
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 attend hearings and provide proof of any claims they make.
What evidence or documents mattered?
The evidence that mattered included rent records, utility bills, and proof of the amounts owing at the end of the tenancy.