Tenancy Tribunal orders tenant to pay up for destroyed range hood, broken garage door

The rangehood was left completely burnt out after a fire at the tenancy. Photo / 123RF

A tenant who trashed their rental and damaged the garage door in a domestic incident has been ordered by the Tenancy Tribunal to pay up.

The extensive damage to the garage door was extensive and was indicative of intentional damage, an adjudicator says.

Vikki Bowring has been ordered to pay Accessible Properties NZ Limited just under $4000 for repairs to the garage and numerous gaping hole in the walls and to completely replace the rangehood.

"The landlord says the tenant admitted it was damaged during a recent domestic
incident," documents show.

Despite the kitchen hood being brand new at the start of Bowring's tenancy in 2013, it was left completely burnt out and the oven wasn't clean.

The walls were also left with a number of large holes throughout the rental, which the tribunal found to be intentional

"I am satisfied the damage can be categorised as intentional as it has been destroyed by fire and in a very poor state of repair."

Tyres, furniture and whiteware were left behind at the Tauranga rental, with a number of holes throughout the home found after Bowring left.

An extensive amount of rubbish, including tyres, furniture and whiteware, were left behind at the Tauranga rental.

The new carpet was also stained, but as the landlord admitted that they hadn't attempted to professionally clean it after Bowring's tenancy, no money was awarded for the damages.

Damage was intentional where a person intends to cause damage and takes the necessary steps to achieve that purpose, the Tribunal noted.

Damage was also intentional where a person does something, or allows a situation to continue, knowing that damage is a certainty.

Bowring, who did not appear at the Tribunal hearing, was ordered to pay $3938.15 immediately, made up of rubbish removal, repairs, oven and stove cleaning and to replace the rangehood.