'Arrogant' landlord gets $900 fine

Landlord Heinrich Sannecke. Photo / APN

An "arrogant" landlord has been fined $900 by the Tenancy Tribunal for harassing his tenants.

Adjudicator Jane Day ruled Heinrich Sannecke rented his house in Auckland's Te Atatu on the understanding he could stay in a shed on the property for up to three days in February and March.

He stayed for 12 days when his tenants moved in last October and failed to give two weeks' notice before returning in February.

On his second visit Sannecke brought his sons, aged 10 and 14, intending to send them to school for a term. He planned to live in the shed for 3 months.

Day said he "severely compromised" the tenants' quiet enjoyment of the property: "I find Mr Sannecke's behaviour to have been arrogant and a clear breach of the tenancy agreement and the Act."