Tenant leaves $2m Auckland home owing thousands in repairs, takes furniture

A tenant who badly damaged an Auckland rental also took much of the furniture when he left. Stock photo / 123RF

A tenant moved out of a $2m Auckland home, leaving $20,000 worth of damage and unpaid rent.

And, not only was the house left filthy, and needing new carpet and windows repaired, the tenant also took some of the owner's high-quality furniture with them.

Data from property site OneRoof showed the furnished five-bedroom, three-bathroom Northcross home had an estimated value of just over $2 million.

Tribunal adjudicator Bryan King said final inspection photographs showed a large amount of damage to the premises, including broken windows and damage to carpets which required them to be repaired and replaced.

He ordered tenant Chee Fung Yap and Carmart Auto Ltd to pay the landlord just over $16,000 to cover a list of damages, including $5220 in unpaid rent. The tribunal's total award was $19,691 minus bond of $3480.

Costs included $4197 for rubbish removal and repairs, and more than $5500 to replace furniture and chattels. On top of that, there was a $2000 repair bill for replacement of carpet, almost $1000 for cleaning and the same amount to replace locks and keys.

The tenant gave notice in October last year, and moved out, taking the keys and owing four weeks' rent in lieu of the notice.

The Tenancy Tribunal said in a decision released last month that when the property manager visited the house for a final inspection, a removal truck was taking away household items, including those belonging to the landlord.

The property manager identified some items as being the owner's chattels and stopped them from being taken, but an earlier truck had already taken a load from the property.
The tribunal said photographs confirmed the property manager's evidence that the furniture was largely quality furniture imported by the owner from China.

The landlord did not have insurance cover for tenant damage. The tribunal considered the damage was intentional, resulting from "ongoing misuse of the premises".

Invoices from the repair and reglazing contractors proved the degree of damage to windows, which the tribunal was also satisfied resulted directly from the actions of the tenant.

Damage to carpets appeared to be greater than the $2000 compensation awarded, but it reflected age and depreciation of the floor coverings.

The tenant also left owing $211 in water rates.