Your landlord ignored your 14-day repair notice. Apply to the Tenancy Tribunal.
The Residential Tenancies Act makes maintenance a hard duty — the Tenancy Tribunal can order the work done, plus compensation and (for an unlawful act) exemplary damages.
You gave your landlord a 14-day notice to remedy and the repairs still haven't happened. Under section 45 of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 the landlord must provide and maintain the premises in a reasonable state of repair and meet building, health and safety requirements — and the Healthy Homes Standards where they apply. That duty cannot be contracted out of.
The next step is a Tenancy Tribunal application ($28). The Tribunal can make a work order requiring the repairs by a set date, award compensation or a rent reduction for the period the place was in disrepair, and — where the failure to maintain is an unlawful act under the Act — exemplary damages on top.
Do not stop paying rent to force repairs; that can put your tenancy at risk. Apply to the Tribunal instead. Tenancy Services also offers a free FastTrack Resolution / mediation step before a hearing.
Legal mechanisms now in play
- Residential Tenancies Act 1986 s 45 — non-excludable duty to maintain the premises in reasonable repair
- Healthy Homes Standards — heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture/drainage, draught-stopping
- Tenancy Tribunal work order requiring the repairs by a set date ($28 fee)
- Compensation and rent reduction for the disrepair period
- Exemplary damages where the failure to maintain is an unlawful act under the Act
Tenancy Tribunal Repairs Application
Builds a structured application narrative for the Tenancy Tribunal: the disrepair (and any Healthy Homes items), the landlord's s 45 duty, your 14-day notice and the response, the facts and impact, and the orders sought — a work order, compensation, rent reduction, exemplary damages, and your $28 fee back.
$19.00 ($9.00 if you bought our earlier letter — apply via the receipt URL or QR code in your first letter's PDF)
Start the Tenancy Tribunal Repairs Application →Frequently asked
Can I just stop paying rent until repairs are done?
No — withholding rent can put your tenancy at risk and is rarely the right move. The Residential Tenancies Act routes repair disputes through the Tenancy Tribunal, which can order the work done and award compensation. Apply there instead.
What are the Healthy Homes Standards?
They set minimum requirements for rental homes covering heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught-stopping. If your disrepair involves any of these, the landlord's failure to comply strengthens your application.
What is an 'unlawful act' and why does it matter?
Certain breaches of the landlord's obligations are classed as unlawful acts under the Residential Tenancies Act, and the Tribunal can award exemplary damages for them — money on top of the cost of the repairs. The Tribunal decides whether the facts meet that threshold.
How much does it cost to apply?
$28. If you succeed, ask the Tribunal to order the landlord to reimburse it. Tenancy Services also offers free FastTrack Resolution and mediation before a hearing.
How much does the next-step application cost?
$19 standalone, or $9 if you bought our original NZ rental-repairs demand — your receipt URL or QR code applies the discount automatically.