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Tenancy Tribunal

The Tenancy Tribunal is a special Court for making decisions about problems that landlords and tenants have been unable to settle themselves. It is a part of the Justice system.

A landlord or a tenant wishing to make an application to the Tenancy Tribunal will be charged a fee of $20.

Who can go to the Tribunal hearing?

It is a public hearing and either party may take support people with them. Parties normally represent themselves and it is unusual for parties to be represented by lawyers.

There are some special cases where a lawyer would be allowed. These are where:

  • the dispute is for more than $3,000
  • a solicitor has been managing a person’s affairs because of absence, age or disability
  • the other side agrees or the Tribunal allows it. If one party has a lawyer representing them, the Tribunal will usually agree to the other side having one as well.

In some cases, a representative can appear for a party. If you think you may need one, you should talk this over with Department of Building and Housing before the hearing.

What happens at the hearing?

A tenancy adjudicator listens to each person, hears any witnesses and evidence either side wants considered, and then makes a decision according to the Residential Tenancies Act.

The adjudicator produces their decision as a Tribunal order. The landlord and the tenant are each given a copy. The adjudicator’s decision is a Court order that both sides have to obey.

These orders are public information and are published on www.tenancytribunal.govt.nzTenancy Tribunal website. and available from the District Court where the hearing took place.

In most cases, if the decision is simple and straightforward, the parties will receive the decision immediately after the hearing. Otherwise, the decision has to be written up by an adjudicator and posted out at a later date.

What kinds of orders can be made at the Tenancy Tribunal?

The Tenancy Tribunal can award compensation or order work to be done up to a value of $12,000. Where claims are for more than this they can be filed through the District Court.

There are a variety of orders that can be made, but the most common are possession orders, monetary orders and work orders. (Any order the Tenancy Tribunal can make can also be made in mediation).

Possession order

This involves the termination of the tenancy. If the tenant does not fulfil their legal obligations and the situation is serious enough, the landlord can apply to have the tenant evicted from the property. This can happen if the tenant is:

  • more than 21 days behind in the rent
  • substantially damaging the property or threatening to do so
  • assaulting the landlord or the landlord’s family or agent, other tenants or neighbours, or threatening assault
  • breaking the tenancy agreement, when the landlord has given at least 10 working days’ notice to put matters right and the tenant has not.

If a landlord has given a tenant a 10-working-day letter to get rent paid up to date, and by the time the case is heard in mediation or by the Tenancy Tribunal the rent is 21 days or more in arrears, the matter will be treated as a serious breach.

Monetary order

This is an order that a landlord or tenant must pay money to the other party. For example:

  • payment of rent arrears or refund of overpaid rent
  • payment for damage, cleaning, gardening or rubbish removal
  • reimbursement of costs, such as urgent repairs
  • payment of exemplary damages (this is something like a fine) for legal breaches such as not paying the bond to Department of Building and Housing, seizing a tenant’s goods or denying legal access
  • payment of compensation for loss of goods or loss of use through poor repair.

Work order

Orders may be agreed to, or made by the Tenancy Tribunal, that a person must do work to remedy damage, lack of repair or maintenance. If the work order is not complied with by that person, then the person may be ordered to pay money instead.

Alternative orders

An agreement or order can say what will happen if the order is not complied with. For example, an order for the return of goods can require monetary payment if the goods are not returned. The person in whose favour the order is made decides whether it will be enforced.

Need more information? 

Download these information sheets or forms: