Tenantcheck Insights · Case study
Tenancy Tribunal case 5407328 — Rent arrears at 7A Bampton Street, Dallington, Christchurch 8061
Published 1 May 2026 · Application 5407328
Landlord favoured
- Rent arrears
- Cleanliness
At a glance
Key facts from the published tribunal order.
Outcome
Landlord favoured
From published order
Location
Christchurch
Tribunal region
Adjudicator
J Greene
Dispute themes
Award balance
Gross awards, any bond applied per the order, and the remaining balance payable.
- Gross award
- $2,836.39
- Bond payment as ordered
- −$1,960.00
- Total balance for Tenant to pay Landlord
- $876.39
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 21 November 2025 (consent | $1,295.00 | Rent arrears to 21 November 2025 (consent | |
| Costs incurred to break fixed term tenancy (consent | $913.39 | Costs incurred to break fixed term tenancy (consent | |
| Carpet cleaning | $150.00 | Carpet cleaning | |
| Repairs, rubbish removal, lawns (reduced | $450.00 | Repairs, rubbish removal, lawns (reduced | |
| Filing fee reimbursement | $28.00 | Filing fee reimbursement | |
| Net award | $876.39 | ||
| Total payable by Tenant to Landlord | $876.39 |
Claims and awards for application 5407328 — net $876.39 NZD. Verify on MoJ.
Rent arrears to 21 November 2025 (consent
- Amount
- $1,295.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Rent arrears to 21 November 2025 (consent
Costs incurred to break fixed term tenancy (consent
- Amount
- $913.39
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Costs incurred to break fixed term tenancy (consent
Carpet cleaning
- Amount
- $150.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Carpet cleaning
Repairs, rubbish removal, lawns (reduced
- Amount
- $450.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Repairs, rubbish removal, lawns (reduced
Filing fee reimbursement
- Amount
- $28.00
- Awarded to
- Landlord
- Reason
- Filing fee reimbursement
Net award
Landlord $876.39
Total payable by Tenant to Landlord
Landlord $876.39
Claim types — money lines allowed on this order
Order
- Travis Daniel Swan and Tyrone Edward Victor Smith Teinakore must pay Prestige Property Management Limited as agent for JME Properties Limited $876.39 immediately, calculated as shown in table below:
- The Bond Centre is to pay the bond of $1,960.00 (BN-00073039) to Prestige Property Management Limited as agent for JME Properties Limited immediately.
- The application for cleaning costs is dismissed.
Reasons
- Both parties attended the hearing. Ms Iles represented the landlord.
- Both gave evidence. As well I received documentary evidence and video evidence all of which I have considered.
- The landlord has applied for rent arrears, compensation, refund of the bond, and reimbursement of the filing fee following the end of the tenancy.
How much is owed for rent?
- The tenancy ended on 21 November 2025. The landlord provided rent records which prove the amount of rent owing at the end of the tenancy. The tenants accepted the landlord’s rent claim. I allow that claim by consent.
- I also allow by consent the landlord’s claim for the costs incurred following the tenants’ request to end the fixed term tenancy before the expiry of the term of the tenancy on 25 March 2026. The tenants also accepted that claim.
Did the tenants comply with their obligations at the end of the tenancy?
- At the end of the tenancy the tenant must leave the premises reasonably clean and tidy, remove all rubbish, return all keys and security devices, and leave all chattels provided for their benefit. The tenant must also repair any damage beyond fair wear and tear.
- The landlord’s claim for cleaning cannot succeed. The cleaning was completed before the tenancy ended. The cleaning invoice is dated 20 November 2025; the tenancy did not end until the following day. Mr Swan gave evidence that when he attended to do cleaning after work on 20 November the landlord’s cleaner had already done the work.
- A landlord cannot at the same time claim rent arrears to a defined date and also claim for compensation for cleaning undertaken before the end of that defined date.
- I dismiss the landlord’s claim for cleaning.
- I find proved the landlord’s claim for carpet cleaning. Mr Swan said he hired a supermarket carpet cleaner and cleaned the carpets. He did not provide any photos of the cleaned carpets in evidence.
- The landlord’s photos show that the carpets were not left reasonably clean at the end of the tenancy. The landlord is entitled to claim the cost of carpet cleaning.
- The landlord has claimed $925.75 for emptying and cleaning the Council rubbish bins, removing rubbish, lawns, rehanging a curtain, securing a shelf in the kitchen, replacing a broken section of the deck, securing the fibre box, replacing the pull-out clothesline and concreting in a post, and installing a new post for the gate with gudgeons and a latch.
- The tenants accepted liability for the repair of the broken section of the deck, rehanging a curtain, and cleaning the Council bin.
- The landlord produced photos that prove the claim for lawn mowing, and some rubbish removal. There was a delay between the tenants leaving the tenancy and the new tenancy starting, therefore the need for further lawn mowing.
- The tenants gave evidence that they put up a gate at the property (with consent). The gate was in front of the property against a hedge.
- Mr Swan said he thought he had to leave the premises as he found them, so he removed the gate and the post he put in and left them at the property when he left.
- That action was not unreasonable.
- Mr Swan said the pull-out clothesline was held up by a ratchet strap that snapped during the tenancy. He replaced the strap but took it with him when he left. He said the kitchen shelf was not secure and just fell down during the tenancy.
- The reinstatement of the gate, and refixing the kitchen shelf, are best viewed as matters of landlord maintenance. The repair of the clothesline is probably fair wear and tear rather than careless or intentional damage.
- I have reduced the landlord’s claim for repairs to reflect that. I have awarded the landlord compensation of $450.00 (from a total claim of $925.75) for those matters I can best discern as being the tenants’ responsibility to repair. Result
- The landlord’s claims are proved in the amount of $2,836.39 (including reimbursement of the filing fee) of which $2,208.39 is by consent.
- The bond will be paid to the landlord. After the deduction of the bond, the tenants must pay the landlord $876.39. Name suppression
- When asked, neither party sought an order for name suppression.
Topics & place
Topics are dispute themes across the order (not the same as claim-type money lines).
Key findings
- Dispute theme: rent arrears
- Dispute theme: cleaning
Property management
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this Tenancy Tribunal case.
What was the outcome of Tenancy Tribunal case 5407328?
The tribunal order states: Travis Daniel Swan and Tyrone Edward Victor Smith Teinakore must pay
How much money was awarded in case 5407328?
Cleaning: $150.00 awarded to landlord; Costs Incurred To Break Fixed Term T…: $913.39 awarded to landlord; Filing Fee: $28.00 awarded to landlord; Rent Arrears: $1,295.00 awarded to landlord; Rubbish Removal: $450.00 awarded to landlord
What type of tenancy dispute was case 5407328?
The primary dispute was Rent arrears. Related themes: Cleanliness.
Where can I read the official tribunal order for case 5407328?
The official Ministry of Justice published order is available at https://forms.justice.govt.nz/search/Documents/TTV2/PDF/13529186-Tenancy_Tribunal_Order.pdf.