Tenantcheck Insights · Case study
Tenancy Tribunal case 5346581 — Property damage at 80A Pukepoto Road, Kaitaia 0410
Published 9 March 2026 · Application 5346581
- Property damage
- Rent arrears
- Cleanliness
At a glance
Key facts from the published tribunal order.
Outcome
Landlord favoured
From published order
Location
Kaitaia
Tribunal region
Adjudicator
N Blake
Dispute themes
Award balance
Gross awards, any bond applied per the order, and the remaining balance payable.
- Gross award
- $6,768.48
- Total balance for Tenant to pay Landlord
- $6,768.48
Claims & awards
What this tenancy cost at tribunal — claim, category, amount, and party awarded, with reconciled net total.
| Claim | Landlord | Tenant | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent arrears to 23 July 2025 | $1,700.40 | Rent arrears to 23 July 2025 | |
| Cleaning | $120.00 | 10. Kāinga Ora’s claim sought $465.35 for cleaning. | |
| Repairs: Replace latch on door in garage | $103.01 | Repairs: Replace latch on door in garage | |
| Remove tenant structure | $72.67 | Remove tenant structure | |
| Paint wardrobe doors | $103.51 | Paint wardrobe doors | |
| Replace bathroom cabinet and mirror | $348.08 | Replace bathroom cabinet and mirror | |
| Rubbish removal: Tyres | $110.22 | Rubbish removal: Tyres | |
| Rubbish removal | $550.00 | Rubbish removal | |
| Repair of tenant damage during tenancy (balance | $3,660.59 | Repair of tenant damage during tenancy (balance | |
| Net award | $6,768.48 | ||
| Total payable by Tenant to Landlord | $6,768.48 |
Claims and awards for application 5346581 — net $6,768.48 NZD. Verify on MoJ.
Rent arrears to 23 July 2025
- Amount
- $1,700.40
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rent arrears to 23 July 2025
Cleaning
- Amount
- $120.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- 10. Kāinga Ora’s claim sought $465.35 for cleaning.
Repairs: Replace latch on door in garage
- Amount
- $103.01
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Repairs: Replace latch on door in garage
Remove tenant structure
- Amount
- $72.67
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Remove tenant structure
Paint wardrobe doors
- Amount
- $103.51
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Paint wardrobe doors
Replace bathroom cabinet and mirror
- Amount
- $348.08
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Replace bathroom cabinet and mirror
Rubbish removal: Tyres
- Amount
- $110.22
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rubbish removal: Tyres
Rubbish removal
- Amount
- $550.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rubbish removal
Repair of tenant damage during tenancy (balance
- Amount
- $3,660.59
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Repair of tenant damage during tenancy (balance
Net award
Landlord $6,768.48
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord
Landlord $6,768.48
Claim types — money lines allowed on this order
Order
- Marlene Terehia Connell-Waipouri must pay Kāinga Ora–Homes and Communities $6,768.48 immediately, calculated as shown in table below.
Reasons
Background
- The tenancy began in 1 June 2022 and ended on 23 July 2025.
- Kāinga Ora filed this Tenancy Tribunal application on 17 September 2025. The application seeks rent arrears, cleaning, rubbish removal, and repair costs.
- The hearing took place in Kaitaia on 9 March 2026. Ms Perese represented at the hearing. Ms Perese attended by phone with the consent of the Tribunal.
- The scheduled start time of the hearing was 9.30am. The hearing began at approximately 9.50am due to technical problems with the phone system at the Kaitaia Court. Ms Connell-Waipouri was not present at the start of the hearing. The hearing proceeded in her absence.
- Ms Connell-Waipouri appeared at the Court after the hearing had concluded. She was given a hard copy of this order. Rent arrears
- Kāinga Ora’s rent record shows rent arrears of $1,700.40 to the end of the tenancy. Cleaning
- Tenants must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy at the end of the tenancy.
- Ms Perese provided a copy of the final inspection report with photographs.
- It is clear that some cleaning was done at the end of the tenancy, and the premises are not far off the standard of “reasonably clean”. A few areas, in particular the oven, required more attention.
- Kāinga Ora’s claim sought $465.35 for cleaning. Having regard to the photographs I will award $120.00 for cleaning, representing three hours at $40/hr. Rubbish removal
- Tenants must remove all rubbish at the end of the tenancy.
- Kāinga Ora’s claim seeks: Disposal of 6 tyres:$110.22 Internal rubbish removal (4.5m3):$738.95 External rubbish removal (6m3):$1,075.50
- The claim for disposal of 6 tyres is proven. The tyres can be seen in the final inspection photographs.
- The claim for internal and external rubbish removal totalling 10.5m3 is not justified on the evidence available to me. The photographs show: a. Inside: 3 mattresses, a TV, a small collapsible child’s tent. b. Outside: a child’s carseat (in the garage), the wooden cover / structure that the tenant put over a concrete path (discussed below).
- Disposal of the rubbish shown in the photographs required no more than a mid- size (6m3) skip bin ($510.00) and an hours’ labour ($40.00). I will award $550.00. End of tenancy repairs
- Tenants are liable for damage beyond fair wear and tear that occurs during the tenancy. Tenants are liable for careless or intentional damage caused by themselves or by anyone who is at the premises with their consent.
- Kāinga Ora’s evidence shows that the following damage occurred during the tenancy and is beyond fair wear and tear: a. Door latch removed on passage door in garage. There is also visible damage to the front of that door. b. Children’s paint handprints on wardrobe doors. c. Mirror missing from exterior of cabinet in bathroom.
- The cost of minor repairs and painting is proven and is fair and reasonable.
- The claim for replacement of the bathroom cabinet is also fair and reasonable. The mirror is a custom size for that cabinet and could not be replaced. Therefore, reinstatement required replacement of the complete cabinet with mirror.
- The tenant put a wooden ‘roof’ over a concrete path, between the side of the house and the fence. No permission was given for that structure. The cost claimed for removing it is fair and reasonable. Damage during the tenancy
- Kāinga Ora’s claim includes the balance outstanding for repairs of tenant damage during the tenancy. The amount claimed is $3,787.93.
- This figure takes into account numerous $5.00 payments that the tenant made during the tenancy, and a $1.00 payment made on 24 January 2024.
- Ms Perese provided some details on those repairs as follows: Date of workDescription of workAmount 17 Oct 23Change of locks front and back$84.00 30 Oct 23Re-glazing broken window$155.00 15 Nov 23Re-glazing broken windows$251.00 18 Jan 24Re-glazing broken windows$257.00 8 Mar 24Electrical work (due to damage)$491.37 27 Mar 24Replace stove$590.69 8 Apr 24Replace heat pump$1,982.53
- The figure of $3.787.23 includes two charges about which I have no information: $84.00 on 10 September 2024, and $43.34 28 March 2025. I have not awarded those charges.
- In terms of the charges in the table above, in the absence of any evidence from the tenant, I accept that these are instances of damage beyond fair wear and tear that occurred during Ms Connell-Waipouri’s tenancy, that she is legally liable for. Outcome
- Ms Connell-Waipouri is to pay Kāinga Ora $6,768.48 per order 1 above.
Topics & place
Topics are dispute themes across the order (not the same as claim-type money lines).
Residential Tenancies Act sections
s16, s6, s9
Key findings
- Dispute theme: rent arrears
- Dispute theme: cleaning
- Dispute theme: property damage
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this Tenancy Tribunal case.
What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5346581?
The tribunal order states: Marlene Terehia Connell-Waipouri must pay Kāinga Ora–Homes and
How much money was awarded in case 5346581?
Cleaning: $120.00 awarded to landlord; Paint Wardrobe Doors: $103.51 awarded to landlord; Property Damage: $3,660.59 awarded to landlord; Remove Tenant Structure: $72.67 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $1,700.40 awarded to landlord; Replace Latch On Door In Garage: $103.01 awarded to landlord; Replace Bathroom Cabinet And Mirror: $348.08 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $550.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $110.22 awarded to landlord
What type of tenancy dispute was case 5346581?
The primary dispute was Property damage. Related themes: Rent arrears, Cleanliness.
Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5346581?
The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13248139-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.