Filing an application at the Tenancy Tribunal costs $28 (as of March 2026), takes roughly 3–6 weeks to reach a hearing, and can result in binding orders for compensation, termination, or exemplary damages whose amounts vary by breach type under Schedule 1A of the Act. The Tribunal sits under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (the RTA) and handles virtually every dispute between residential landlords and tenants — unpaid rent, bond refunds, unlawful entry, property damage, and retaliatory evictions among them.
Who can apply and what the Tribunal can hear
Any landlord or tenant who is party to a residential tenancy agreement governed by the RTA can file an application. That covers standard fixed-term and periodic leases, boarding house tenancies, and most government-owned rentals. It excludes holiday accommodation of less than 28 days, employer-provided housing where rent is a condition of employment, and some Māori land tenancies.
The Tribunal's jurisdiction under s 77 of the RTA extends to disputes up to $100,000. Claims above that threshold must go to the District Court. Below $30,000 the Tribunal hears the matter itself; between $30,001 and $100,000 either party can elect to have a District Court judge preside — but still within the Tribunal's framework. Most everyday tenancy disputes sit well below the $30,000 line.
How to file: the application process
Applications go through the Tenancy Services website (tenancy.govt.nz), where you complete an online form and pay the $20.44 filing fee by credit card. You can also apply by post using the paper form from any Citizens Advice Bureau or Tenancy Services contact centre, though online is faster. The fee covers one hearing; if the matter is adjourned and relisted, no further fee applies.
You will need: the full names and contact details of both parties, the address of the tenancy, the tenancy start date, and a clear statement of the orders you are seeking. Uploading supporting documents — the written tenancy agreement, rent receipts, bond lodgement records, inspection reports, photos — at the time of filing shortens the hearing because the adjudicator has everything in advance. Missing documents can be emailed to the Tribunal before the hearing date, but last-minute additions frustrate the process.
Once filed, Tenancy Services serves notice on the other party. Service must be done in a prescribed way under s 136A of the RTA: by handing the document to the person, posting it to their last known address, or (for a landlord who is a company) serving the registered office. Electronic service is accepted if the tenancy agreement explicitly provides for it. If the other party cannot be located, the Tribunal can authorise substituted service.
What happens between filing and the hearing
A hearing date is usually set within 3–6 weeks of filing, depending on Tribunal workload in the relevant district. Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch can run to the longer end; rural and regional offices tend to be faster. You will receive a notice confirming the date, time, and whether the hearing is in person or by phone or video conference.
Telephone and video hearings became standard during the COVID-19 period and remain common for straightforward matters. Complex cases — those involving credibility disputes, multiple witnesses, or cross-examination — are almost always heard in person. Either party can request an in-person hearing if they believe it is necessary for a fair outcome; the adjudicator decides.
Both parties are expected to exchange any documents they intend to rely on before the hearing. There is no formal discovery process, but an adjudicator can draw adverse inferences from a party who withholds obviously relevant records — say, a landlord who refuses to produce maintenance invoices when claiming repair costs against a bond.
At the hearing: what the adjudicator looks at
Hearings are less formal than court proceedings but follow a structured sequence. The applicant presents their case first, then the respondent. Both can call witnesses, and the adjudicator will ask questions throughout. Legal representation is allowed but not common; most parties appear themselves or with a support person. The adjudicator is not a judge but holds statutory authority under s 84 of the RTA to make binding orders.
For a rent-arrears claim, the adjudicator reviews the tenancy agreement, the rent payment ledger, and any notices the landlord served. Under s 55 of the RTA, a landlord may apply to the Tribunal for a termination order once rent is at least 21 days in arrears — no prior notice to the tenant is required before filing. However, the Tribunal has discretion to refuse termination if the arrears are paid by the time of the hearing and it is unlikely the tenant will breach again. A separate three-strike pathway under s 55(1)(aa) allows a landlord to seek termination where a tenant has been at least 5 working days in arrears on three occasions within any 90-day period, with written notice given on each occasion.
For bond disputes, once a party applies for refund of the bond through Tenancy Services, the other party has 10 working days to object. Missing that window usually results in the bond being paid to the applicant without further hearing. In a Tribunal application, the adjudicator weighs evidence of damage or unpaid rent against the landlord's obligation to return the bond once the tenancy has ended and any legitimate deductions are established.
The range of orders the Tribunal can make
The Tribunal has wide remedial powers. Common orders include:
Monetary compensation. The Tribunal can order either party to pay the other compensation for loss flowing from a breach of the RTA or the tenancy agreement. Typical claims: unpaid rent, damage beyond fair wear and tear, costs of re-letting after wrongful termination.
Termination. The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2020 abolished no-cause periodic tenancy terminations, so a landlord who cannot point to a specified ground in the RTA will not get a termination order. Recognised grounds include the owner requiring the property for their own principal place of residence (at least 63 days' notice under s 51) and anti-social behaviour by the tenant (three-strike pathway under s 55A, introduced in February 2021). The Tribunal can also make a termination order under s 55 once rent is 21 days in arrears.
Exemplary damages. Section 109 of the RTA allows the Tribunal to award exemplary damages — a monetary penalty designed to punish deliberate or careless breaches. The maximum amount for each category of unlawful act is set out in Schedule 1A of the Act and varies by breach type: for example, unlawful entry under s 48 carries a maximum of $1,000, while other categories such as unlawful discrimination carry higher caps. These damages are not compensatory; they go to the applicant as a deterrent mechanism.
Compliance orders. The Tribunal can order a landlord to carry out specific repairs, provide a written tenancy agreement, comply with the healthy homes heating standard under the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act 2017, or reinstate a tenant unlawfully evicted. Breach of a compliance order is an offence under s 86A and can lead to enforcement through the District Court.
Enforcing a Tribunal order
A monetary Tenancy Tribunal order is deemed to be an order of the District Court and may be enforced accordingly, under s 107 of the RTA. If the losing party does not pay, the winning party can apply for a charging order over real property, a deduction from wages, or appoint a debt collector using the order as authority. Enforcement sits outside Tenancy Services itself — the winning party carries out this step independently through the District Court registry.
One practical limitation: many tenants who owe rent have no realisable assets. A successful order does not guarantee collection. Landlords sometimes write off small judgments below $500 because collection costs exceed the amount. Tenants who have successfully won an order against a landlord for exemplary damages face the same problem if the landlord is a shell company with no assets.
Tips before you file
Document everything from day one. A well-drafted free New Zealand residential tenancy agreement creates a written record of rent amount, bond, entry rights, and responsibilities — the document most adjudicators ask for first. Verbal agreements are valid under the RTA but they leave the parties arguing about what they agreed, which the adjudicator has no way to resolve except on credibility.
Send all communications in writing. Text messages and emails are routinely produced at hearings and carry more weight than "I told them face to face." Before filing, send the other party a written demand giving them a reasonable time to fix the problem. Adjudicators often reduce awards or decline termination orders when the applicant jumped to the Tribunal without first telling the other party there was an issue.
The $28 filing fee is not recoverable unless the Tribunal specifically awards costs, which happens only in cases of frivolous or vexatious conduct. Budget for your own time and any missed work rather than expecting reimbursement. For claims involving real money — several months of unpaid rent or significant damage — the Tribunal is worth using. For disputes under $200, the cost-benefit calculus is tight.
After the decision
Decisions are issued in writing, usually within 10 working days of the hearing for straightforward matters, longer for complex ones. The written decision sets out the findings of fact, the law applied, and the orders made. Both parties receive a copy. The decision is public and indexed on the Tenancy Services website, which means landlords who accumulate adverse decisions — particularly for exemplary damages — can be found by future tenants searching a landlord's name or property address.
Appeals go to the District Court under s 117 of the RTA on grounds that the Tribunal got the facts wrong, the law wrong, or both — though parties cannot appeal a money or work order unless the amount in dispute exceeds $1,000. Appeals must be filed within 10 working days of the decision date. Missing that window requires leave from the court, which is rarely granted unless there is a clear procedural injustice. A further appeal on a question of law only lies to the High Court.
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This article is general information, not legal advice — see our accuracy & editorial policy. Confirm the cited law is current before relying on it.