What the Tenancy Tribunal does
The Tribunal decides disputes between landlords and tenants under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 — bonds, rent arrears, damage versus fair wear and tear, repairs and the healthy homes standards, the validity of termination notices under the regime in force since 30 January 2025, possession, market-rent challenges, and the unlawful-act regime that attaches exemplary damages to breaches like unlodged bonds and unlawful entry. Tenancy Services' free mediation resolves a large share of applications before hearing; unresolved matters are heard by a referee at District Court venues or remotely. The Tribunal can consider larger matters but cannot make orders above $100,000 — beyond that, the District Court. Its orders are enforceable like judgments, and rehearings and appeals exist on limited grounds.
What it hears
- Bond disputes — refunds, deductions, and unlodged-bond claims with exemplary damages
- Rent arrears and terminations — including the 14-day notice to remedy pathway and possession orders
- Repairs, maintenance and healthy homes standards compliance
- Validity of termination notices — the 90-day and 42-day landlord notices and retaliation challenges
- Market rent reviews and disputes about rent increases
- Unlawful acts — lockouts, unlawful entry, over-charged bonds — with exemplary damages
- Pet-related disputes under the rules in force since 1 December 2025
Before your first court date
File online with the modest fee, and expect the offer of free mediation first — many disputes settle there, and a mediated agreement can be made binding. Preparation is documentary on both sides. Tenants - the entry condition report, dated photos from move-in and move-out, the correspondence about the problem, receipts. Landlords - the signed tenancy agreement, bond lodgement record, inspection reports, itemised quotes for genuine damage, rent ledgers, and proof of proper notice service. Whoever can show the paper usually wins the point; whoever relies on memory usually pays for it.
What happens at your first appearance
Mediation, where taken, is a facilitated phone or in-person negotiation — settle there and the Tribunal file closes with an enforceable record. Hearings are relatively informal - the referee leads, both sides speak for themselves (representation rules are permissive but most parties self-represent), documents are examined, and orders issue in writing. Remote hearings are common. If you are the respondent, attend - possession orders and money orders happen in absence, and unwinding them is far harder than defending them.
What to prepare
- The tenancy agreement and the bond lodgement record
- Entry and exit condition evidence — reports, dated photos, video
- The correspondence trail — texts and emails about the problem, in date order
- Receipts, invoices and quotes behind every dollar claimed
- For notice disputes — the notice itself and proof of how and when it was served
- A one-page chronology with your requested orders and figures
When to get legal advice
This page is general legal information, not legal advice. The Tribunal is built for self-representation and most parties appear without lawyers — but high-stakes matters justify advice beforehand - five-figure damage claims, possession fights where a home is at stake, suspected misuse of the 42-day grounds, and any dispute heading over the $100,000 line to the District Court. Legal Hotline's free line explains the rules for whichever side of the tenancy you are on, any hour, on 0800 461 100 — and a one-hour consultation with an experienced New Zealand lawyer (NZ$295, GST inclusive) can be booked right on the call.
Where it is
The Tenancy Tribunal hears matters at District Court venues throughout New Zealand and by phone or video. Applications are made online through Tenancy Services; your notice names the venue or remote-hearing details.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to do mediation first?
Most applications are offered Tenancy Services' free mediation first, and it settles a large share of disputes faster than any hearing. It is worth taking seriously — a mediated agreement can be made binding and enforceable — but if it fails, the referee hearing follows.
How long until my bond dispute is heard?
Typically weeks — the Tribunal is one of the faster forums in the system, especially where mediation resolves matters. Urgent applications (lockouts, essential-services failures) can be prioritised; say so when filing.
Can the Tribunal really fine a landlord who never lodged the bond?
Yes — failing to lodge a bond is an unlawful act, and the Tribunal can order the bond dealt with properly and award exemplary damages on top. The same regime covers lockouts, unlawful entry and over-charged bonds. These claims survive the tenancy's end.
What if my claim is worth more than $100,000?
The Tribunal cannot order above $100,000 — larger claims go to the District Court. Just above the line, abandoning the excess to stay in the Tribunal's faster, cheaper process is often the commercially sensible choice.