Published tribunal order
Tenancy Tribunal case 9057244 — Tenancy dispute in Auckland Central, Auckland
Decided 19 Feb 2025 · Published 19 Feb 2025 · Application 9057244
Landlord favoured
- Costs
- Interest
- Unit Titles
Order
- Sheng-Cheng Ma must pay Body Corporate 534941 $21,942.22 immediately, calculated as follows: DescriptionsApplicantRespondent Levies$13,982.50 Interest$2,117.68 Costs: Legal (incl hearing 0.5 hr)$4,422.04 Costs: BC management$920.00 Filing Fee$500.00 Total award$21,942.22 Total payable by Respondent to Applicant $21,942.22
Reasons
- The agent appointed by the body corporate, with Ms Briar Dobson appearing, attended the hearing, conducted via teleconference. Two calls to the owner went unanswered and to voicemail. After the first call went to voicemail, a brief message was left introducing myself and explaining the purpose of the call. The message concluded with the advice I would try a second time after waiting some minutes. I was satisfied adequate service had completed and I continued with the hearing after the second call also went unanswered.
- The body corporate has applied for recovery of unpaid levies, interest, costs and the filing fee from the unit owner.
- Ms Dobson advised of recent communications with the owner that indicate an intention to sell the unit. This intention has been advised to the body corporate.
Does the Unit Owner owe the levies claimed?
- A unit owner must pay all body corporate levies and outgoings payable for the unit. See sections 80(1)(f) and 121(1) Unit Titles Act 2010.
- The body corporate has determined the levies payable and unit owner's share has been calculated according to their utility interest.
- The body corporate has fixed the due date for the levies to be paid, and the unit owner has not paid the levies by that date. See section 124(1) Unit Titles Act 2010. The body corporate has provided records to prove the amount claimed and awarded.
Is the Unit owner liable for interest?
- If a unit owner fails to pay levies by the due date, interest accrues on the unpaid balance. A body corporate may charge interest up to 10% per annum. See section 128 Unit Titles Act 2010.
- The body corporate has resolved to charge interest at 10% per annum on unpaid levies. The Body Corporate has proved the amount of interest owing from the due date to the hearing date.
Is the Unit owner liable for costs?
- Pursuant to section 124 UTA, and as resolved at meetings of the Body Corporate, the Body Corporate is entitled to recover any reasonable costs incurred by it in collecting unpaid levies as a debt due by the owner to the Body Corporate. In accordance with the judgments (of the District Court and Court of Appeal respectively) in Body Corporate 162791 v Cheah DC Auckland, CIV2014-004- 0120, 24 June 2014 and Body Corporate 162791 v Gilbert [2015] NZCA 185, the Tribunal must order that the reasonable costs incurred by the Body Corporate in recovering the levies, objectively assessed, be paid by a defaulting unit owner. I am satisfied that the costs ordered above are reasonable.
- Because the body corporate has succeeded with the claim I have reimbursed the filing fee. Section 176(1) Unit Titles Act 2010 and section 102(4) Residential Tenancies Act 1986.