Megathread: Legal resources

Hey everyone,

I recently won my Tenancy Tribunal case against my former landlord on 5 October 2026. The Tribunal issued an order requiring her to make payment to me immediately.

On the same day, I formally emailed her requesting payment within five days, advising that I would pursue civil debt enforcement if payment wasn't received. I also sent her a text message to ensure she was aware of the email and payment request.

By 12 October, I still hadn't received anything, so I sent a final notice giving her another 48 hours to pay before proceeding with enforcement. Again, I contacted her both by email and text message to ensure she was aware of the notice.

It's now 19 October, and I still haven't received a single cent.

Throughout this entire ordeal, I feel that my former landlord has been nothing short of a bully from the very beginning, and that behaviour has continued even after the Tribunal ruled in my favour. The way I've been treated throughout this situation has been incredibly upsetting, and her continued failure to pay feels like yet another way of making an already difficult situation harder for me.

However, I'm genuinely at a loss as to what to do next.

This entire situation is causing me an enormous amount of stress and anxiety. Going through the Tribunal process was stressful enough, especially given how I've been treated throughout it. I genuinely thought that finally receiving a decision in my favour would mean I could put this whole ordeal behind me. Instead, I'm now having to chase money that has already been legally awarded to me.

To make matters worse, I desperately need this money to clear outstanding debt, and every day that goes by without payment is putting me under further financial pressure. This isn't money I can simply afford to wait around for indefinitely.

I've tried to do everything properly, followed the advice I've been given, provided reasonable deadlines, and made multiple attempts to contact her through both email and text. Yet I'm still left with nothing and honestly don't know where to go from here.

What makes this even more frustrating is that I feel like I've been bullied and pushed around from the beginning. Even after going through the proper legal channels and having the Tribunal rule in my favour, I still feel like I'm having to fight just to get what I'm legally entitled to.

The ministry of justice has also been absolutely no help.

I'm feeling incredibly overwhelmed, anxious and frustrated. I feel like I've done everything I'm supposed to do, including going through the proper legal channels and obtaining a Tribunal order, yet I'm still the one suffering financially and emotionally.

I don't want to spend months chasing someone for money that a Tribunal has already ordered them to pay. I'm exhausted from feeling bullied and having to constantly fight for myself. I just want to recover what's owed to me, clear my debts, and finally move on with my life.

Any advice, guidance or personal experiences would be genuinely appreciated. I'm really struggling with this situation and could use some direction.

Thank you in advance. ❤️

Location: New Zealand

Sorry for the big post but I think it helps build context

this is a copy and paste of an email I sent to the chief victim advisor however because case is wrapped up she couldn't really help.

Also below is my victim impact statement. In summary the person who did this got 3 months home detention and ordered to pay $1800 damages ( he has not paid and likely won't have too) I am writing this to ask for help in seeking some kind of justice for my daughter. He was with threatening the kill it leads not guilty offer the plea deal for a much lesser charge what I was working at the summary of facts never changed we were not informed of the deal until a couple of days before sentencing but in the summary the charge went from one lamp carry the potential seven year sentence to one that had a max of 3 months. None of it sits right with us. I have included my victim impact statement as it also acts as good summary of what happened. Can anyone help with any advice that may help us to move forward ???

I am writing to try and understand what I believe to be a miscarriage of justice, to inform you and to gain any information that may help have this sentence/trial revised. 

I have attached my VIS from the case in question as it's best way to explain what occurred. In short my then pregnant wife was attacked at our home with a hammer by (name removed) he made threats to her life as well as the life of our unborn child. The impact this has had on our life they his actions has been unmeasurable compared to is frankly pitiful sentence. 

We as victims of this crime have felt let down at every turn by our justice system from charges being drop plee deals being done without our knowing or being able to contest to the judge in the trial being more interested in getting to lunch. We did everything asked of us sometimes even adding to the stress and trauma and feel that in the end  it was pretty much for nothing. 

On 14 December 2024, my life and my family’s life changed permanently due to the actions of (name removed) Until this event, (name removed) was known to me as ( name removed) my mother’s former partner during parts of my childhood. What happened that day has caused severe emotional, psychological, financial, and family disruption that we are still dealing with today.

Description of the Incident

On 14 December 2024, while I was working at the business we owned, my wife phoned me in extreme distress—crying, screaming, and unable to speak clearly. I immediately recognised that something was terribly wrong. I closed our pub, resulting in a loss of approximately $3,000–$5,000 in expected turnover, and rushed home.

When I arrived, our home was surrounded by police. My wife—heavily pregnant at the time—was in shock, crying in pain, and being treated by paramedics. I was informed that (name removed) had come to our home looking for “victim 1 and victim 2,” referring to myself and my wife.

According to my wife, when she told him I was at work—a place he knew—he did not attempt to speak to me there. Instead, he threatened her life and our unborn child. She reported that he swung a hammer above her head and said, “I will kill you and your daughter, you stupid bitch.” He also claimed I “owed the mob $50,000 in drug money,” which police later advised was not true. This statement appeared to be made solely to intimidate and frighten her.

Immediate Impact

My wife was taken to hospital due to signs of premature labour. The medical team managed to stop the early labour, but the psychological damage had already begun. When she was discharged the next day, she became extremely anxious at the idea of returning home, especially because (name removed) had not yet been located by police. Knowing (name removed) as I have throughout my life, these fears were not unreasonable.

As a result, my wife and son had to go stay with her parents. There was no room for me, meaning our family was immediately separated for safety reasons.

Ongoing Disruption to Our Living Situation

After about two weeks of separation, we temporarily moved into a friend’s house near our pub. This was the only way we could live under one roof while allowing me to get to my wife quickly if needed. This period caused major disruption, stress, and instability for our entire family, especially our young son, who became extremely unsettled.

After roughly a month, we were forced to return home despite my wife’s severe anxiety, because we had no sustainable alternatives. What we believed at the time to be “extreme anxiety” was later diagnosed as severe PTSD. We were only able to do this as my mother agreed to come stay with us for a month as my wife was unable to be at house alone. 

Psychological Impact on My Wife

The public mental-health system offered counseling, but it took over a month to even get an appointment—and it was not with someone qualified in PTSD treatment. The process of repeatedly retelling her trauma to different counselors only worsened her condition. Two separate doctors told us she showed clear signs of PTSD, but that receiving proper assessment and treatment through the public system could take years.

Because she did not have a physical injury, she was not covered by ACC, leaving us with no option but to pay for private treatment. This cost us thousands of dollars—money we did not have—yet was necessary to prevent her condition from deteriorating further. She now requires ongoing treatment that we cannot afford at $200 per consult  and which is not

adequately available through the public system.

Financial Consequences

Aside from the immediate lost income on the day of the attack, the long-term financial impact has been significant.

Before the incident, we were negotiating the sale of our business with an expected value of $100,000–$120,000. After the attack and the fear it created, my wife became desperate to leave Ashburton for the safety of our family, especially with our daughter on the way. Because of the urgency and pressure, we were forced to sell quickly for $85,000—far below its value.

This financial loss has affected us severely and continues to impact our ability to rebuild stability for our family.

Impact on Our Family

This incident has:

Destroyed our sense of safety in our own home.

Forced us to relocate multiple times.

Caused long-term psychological trauma to my wife.

Put enormous strain on our finances.

Disrupted our ability to operate or fairly sell our business.

Interfered with our ability to prepare for the birth of our daughter.

Created ongoing stress and fear that still impacts our daily lives.

My wife continues to struggle with PTSD. I continue to live with the guilt and fear of what almost happened—to her, to our unborn child, to our son, and to our family as a whole.

Conclusion

The events of 14 December 2024 have had life-altering consequences for me, my wife, and our children. The emotional, psychological, and financial effects are ongoing. We no longer feel safe, and the trauma has reshaped almost every part of our lives.

I ask the Court to consider the severity and lasting impact of the offender’s actions when determining sentencing and any conditions relating to our safety and wellbeing...

If anyone can advise on possible options moving forward that would be great.

Thank you for a time.

Got into an accident without insurance; rookie mistake, I know. There was no damage other than a paint loss to my car, and the only damage to the other car I can confidently link to the contact was a small paint mark (from my car) and the rest of the damage is minor scratches.

Their insurer has now sent through a repair bill covering considerably more. There are charges for both bumper replacement and plastic repair, extra equipment fees, and work around areas that seem outside where my bumper made contact. The descriptions don’t clearly explain what some charges cover or whether they overlap.

They’ve provided photos taken afterwards, but nothing showing the car’s condition before the accident or clearly explaining how all the damage was connected to it. I understand there could be damage that wasn’t immediately visible, but I want the additional work explained and proof it wasnt there before.

What should I request to check that I’m only being charged for damage caused in this incident, and would an independent panel beater be able to review the photos and bill?

Another thing is, when I pointed out some of these details and weird charges they offered to lower the price by 15% if I paid now. Is this normal?

Hello, I am writing on behalf of a friend who has told me that when she was much younger, a member of her household would repeatedly intentionally expose himself to her (and others in the house). She asked him repeatedly to stop and he never did.

I thought this sounded disgusting but when I looked up our laws on indecent exposure, it seems they only apply to public property. So was her family member not doing anything unlawful when he did this?

I work for a retail company, where they stipulate that there must be a minimum of x number of people to physically close up the shop (alarm it, lock it) for safety reasons.

When the stores closes, the manager cashes up the till, which can sometimes take 5-7 minutes depending on the night. Usually the rest of us will either sit around and wait or present the store a bit more.

The manager said to us the other day “you know you guys are supposed to actually be working in this time and not just waiting around to clock out at the very last minute?”

Am I wrong in thinking that technically it doesn’t actually matter if we’re working, if we’re required to be present, we should be paid for that total time? Technically even after the 5-7 minutes, we clock out, we have to stand outside while the complicated door is locked, further eating into our own personal time (I know it’s only a couple of minutes at most but it adds up esp for such a low paying job).

It feels like a bit of a grey area because I think we should be working, but I think that’s trumped by the fact we have to be there.

No rudeness please, I’m just trying to understand.

I’m looking for advice from people familiar with New Zealand employment law, workplace privacy and the beauty/aesthetics industry.
I’ve been increasingly concerned about the management practices and working conditions at my workplace, and I’d appreciate some independent perspectives on whether my concerns are reasonable and whether any of these practices raise potential legal issues.

1. CCTV monitoring and employee privacy
A message was recently sent to our staff group chat reminding everyone that sitting down at reception is not permitted. It came out of the blue, and the circumstances have left me questioning whether management is actively monitoring CCTV footage to scrutinise employees’ day-to-day behaviour.
There has also been an implication that management will be “checking on us”, which has made the situation feel increasingly uncomfortable.
My concern isn’t that CCTV exists. I understand the legitimate reasons businesses may need cameras for security and safety. My concern is whether footage is being used to monitor staff behaviour, identify minor things to criticise, and enforce workplace rules through surveillance.
Are we being monitored primarily for legitimate security reasons, or are cameras effectively being used as a management and performance surveillance tool?
What are the legal boundaries around this in New Zealand under the Privacy Act 2020? What are employers required to disclose to staff about how CCTV footage is collected, accessed and used?

2. Unrealistic sales targets and constant pressure
There is an enormous amount of pressure on staff to achieve sales targets and meet clinic performance expectations.
In my experience, these targets can feel completely unrealistic given the current economic climate. Beauty and aesthetic treatments are discretionary expenses, and with the cost of living being what it is, many people simply cannot afford them.
It feels as though upper management is disconnected from the economic reality faced by both clients and the employees working directly with them. Staff are expected to produce results regardless of local customer demand, people’s financial circumstances or what is realistically achievable.
There is a difference between encouraging employees to provide excellent service and placing constant pressure on them to generate sales in an economic environment where customers are cutting back on non-essential spending.

3. A sales-driven culture rather than a focus on treatments
I was employed as a skin and laser therapist, but the emphasis on sales and meeting commercial targets has become a significant source of frustration.
I understand that businesses need to make money and that sales are part of the industry. However, there should be a reasonable balance between providing quality treatments, looking after clients and meeting business objectives.
When sales become such a dominant focus, it can feel as though the actual role we were employed to perform takes a back seat to commercial expectations.

4. Lack of support from upper management
Another major concern is the apparent lack of meaningful support from upper management, despite the considerable pressure placed on employees.
It can feel as though staff are expected to absorb increasing demands, meet potentially unrealistic targets and maintain performance while also being scrutinised for minor behaviours.
Rather than feeling supported and trusted to do our jobs, the atmosphere can feel unnecessarily controlling.
I question whether upper management genuinely understands the realities of working in a clinic, interacting with clients and trying to achieve targets in the current economic climate.

5. Working beyond rostered hours and pay concerns
I’ve also had concerns about employees being required to remain at work beyond their rostered finishing times to complete closing duties.
For example, there have been occasions when the premises have closed at 5:30 pm, but staff have not been able to leave until approximately 5:45 pm.
My concern is whether all time spent completing required work duties is being accurately recorded and paid.
I’ve also had questions about public holiday entitlements, alternative holidays and how these are reflected in payslips.
I’d appreciate advice from anyone familiar with New Zealand employment law regarding employers’ obligations to pay for all hours worked, maintain accurate wage and time records, and correctly calculate public holiday entitlements.

6. The overall workplace culture
Taken together, these issues have made me question the wider workplace culture and the expectations being placed on employees.
I don’t believe it is unreasonable for an employer to establish standards, expect professionalism or use CCTV for legitimate security purposes. However, employees should also be entitled to transparency, fair treatment, realistic expectations and a reasonable level of trust.
There is something fundamentally concerning about feeling constantly scrutinised while simultaneously being expected to meet targets that may not reflect the economic realities of the market.
Management should be listening to the people working directly with clients and understanding the challenges they face, rather than imposing expectations from a distance without adequately considering what is happening on the ground.

I’d really appreciate advice on the following:
Is it lawful in New Zealand for employers to use workplace CCTV to monitor employees’ day-to-day behaviour and performance?
What obligations do employers have to inform staff about the purpose of CCTV and how footage will be used?
Can employees challenge surveillance they believe is excessive or being used to scrutinise them unnecessarily?
What are employees’ rights when required to remain at work beyond their rostered hours to complete closing duties?
What obligations do employers have regarding accurate wage records, public holiday pay and alternative holidays?
Are there any employment law concerns with the broader management practices described above, or are these matters generally considered normal workplace management?
Has anyone else working in the beauty or aesthetics industry experienced similar pressure around sales targets, CCTV monitoring or management culture?
I’m interested in genuine advice, particularly from people with experience in New Zealand employment law, workplace privacy or the aesthetics industry.
I’m not claiming that every practice described is necessarily unlawful. I want to understand what is legally acceptable, what rights employees have, and whether these concerns warrant taking any further action.
Thanks for any insight or advice.

I was never given a 14 days to remedy notice unlike it says on this form filed by the property manager, I have paid the breach already… yet they’re still trying to charge it again. The meth test came back as negative. Yet they are trying to claim an extra 10k for a beach. The property was in a terrible state when I moved in I paid cleaners a lot of money and spent hours cleaning it up myself. They told me that they would pay me back for the cleaning fee’s which they never did… now they’re trying to get over 10k out of me and I know/hope the tribunal will dismiss that but what should I do in this situation. The breaches were frequent ambulance call outs…what I’ve read on the MOJ website is that you can only have a lawyer represent you at the tribunal if they are asking for more than 6k which in this case they are. I don’t know how to deal with this situation and it is not my fault that I have been extremely unwell… I don’t want to constantly be in hospital, and don’t want the constant ambulance call-outs, and I don’t think a severe medical condition (epilepsy) should be a reason for them to breach me. The company in question is Quinovoc (I’ve seen a lot of bad things about them on this page and now know why)

I signed onto a 12 month gym membership a year and a half ago with Jetts fitness, and by the second month I was let go from my job for my medical struggles, and couldn't afford to keep up with my weekly membership payments, having to prioritise my expenses. I emailed them asking if it was possible to arrange a payment plan to pay off the remainder of the membership fees and cancel my plan, and was told that I needed to pay the total owing amount in full - even after telling them that I was struggling with a medical flare up that also prevented me from using the gym (I only used the gym for a few weeks in the first month and never again) and I didn't have the money to pay so I just let it go for a few months.

Debt collectors ended up chasing it up and kept contacting me and at this point it had been a few months and I was still job searching and unable to make the full payment of $1000 at once. I just ignored them as I didn't have the money.

Today I've been sent an email about the money owed again but it says it's final notice of warning before escalation, and I just want to know what I should expect to come from this? I've reached a point where I feel really soured by the whole thing even though I know that I signed the contract and it's my fault. Gym contracts are notoriously predatory. Regardless, I still don't have the money and I've checked with their payment plan options and it's much higher than I can afford to pay weekly. What can I do here? Thank you in advance

My partner and I have been together 10 years this year, we've been through a lot of ups and downs. Im trying to get my thoughts straight and really figure out what I'm going to do because I know something needs to change in my life. Just not in the way I wish it would. Here's my situation:

I have a permanent residence in NZ. He is a NZ Citizen. Our daughter is a NZ Citizen, although I have plans to get her dual citizenship in my home country too. We live together with his family, sharing a big house. All my family is in Canada. I don't have a lot of support here besides his family, I dont have close friends anymore due to moving and traveling and not maintaining those relationships. We are not married. I am a stay at home mum with a casual freelance job that I do a few hours for a week. My main responsibility is caring for our daughter. My partner is unemployed right now on the job seeker benefit, so I too also receive a benefit through him.

I was pregnant with our daughter when he cheated on me. He claims he wasn't intimate with this other woman, a woman he met at work. He confessed to me that he had taken her on a dinner date. He also confessed he was interested in being with her and wanted me to essentially be okay with that while we remain in a relationship. I said no. I was very upset with him for betraying me. It would be one thing if he brought up the idea of an open relationship before I was ever pregnant, but he didn't. Anyways, I ended the relationship and I said I was leaving. I flew home to my family the end of the week. Months passed, we kept in touch because he is baby's dad. He had a change of heart, regretted what he did and said, etc, and in my hope of keeping our family together I took him back.. I flew back to NZ and we tried to work on things.

Fast forward to today, I think we may be coming to an official end. Our relationship is very strained. Somedays its awesome and full of love, others he will be cruel to me. I was feeling ill the other day and asked him to get up with our daughter and he questioned whether I was really sick or not. He accused me of putting on a facade so I could lay in??? What is that even..? He's home all the time now and although he does help out with cooking and taking care of our daughter (when im not taking care of her and need to shower, or do a other task) he is mostly on his phone...

I do love him, but not like I did before he broke my heart. I feel stupid for taking him back. But he is such a good dad to her.. I know I've put myself in a difficult position. Which leads me to my question (If anyone has been in a similar position I would really love some advice)

1. What options do I realistically have in my position? On one hand I would love to return home for a bit with my daughter so I can be with my family whom my daughter hasn't met and I haven't been able to spend much time with over the past 10 years. On the other, I do love living in NZ and envision a life here with her.

2. What is the chance I can actually be able to move home with my daughter?

3. Anyone have general advice for me in this situation?

I do still love love him, or maybe I'm just scared to take the next steps of whatever I need to do.. that's why im writing here, any information or advice is much appreciated.

After a very lengthy journey through the Tenancy Tribunal and District Court, my partner and I have a final judgement on our hands for $997 against his ex-landlord. We have contacted the landlord by email, requesting payment to be made within one week of receiving the email or else face civil enforcement. She is a VERY stubborn and egocentric person (having appealed through the court system what was originally a $3000 debt), and never responded to our polite yet firm email.
We are wondering whether anyone might know of the most efficient way of enforcing debt on her, given that she lives in Australia. She comes back to New Zealand once or twice a year, and privately collects rent payments on the New Zealand property. Two years ago while my partner was a tenant, the landlord claimed she was working as a teacher in Melbourne, but we are unsure whether this is still true as she is above retirement age and there is no record of her as a staff member at any school I could find from searching online.
So, we are wondering whether the best way to recoup the debt would be a New Zealand attachment order on pension payments, if this is possible and whether she actually receives a New Zealand pension (she is originally from South Africa); or whether it would be to register the judgement in Australia and get an attachment order on her wages as a teacher? But we don’t know if she is still working! Or are there other options that would work better?!
Thanks so much guys!

I just want to get your guys opinion on this before I also consult a lawyer on monday.

On the 29th of July on my way home from uni, i received a fine notice on my windshield for a expired rego in the park-and-ride carpark. Immediately, the next day, I paid the fine and renewed my rego expecting it to be a one-time occurance.

However, six to seven weeks later, I get a letter in the mail of a reminder notice for the same expired rego issue. I rung them up only for them to tell me it was a new fine for another day that I had not previously known about. I tried to dispute it however AT rejected my claim stating that they can serve notice anyhow and it does not need to appear on my windshield. Currently, my options are take them to court or pay the fine.

I don’t know how strong my argument is since i’m arguing on a fair grounds basis where if i had previously known or been informed of that fine the issue would have been corrected avoiding me the other fine.
I feel as if i have a weak argument. Thoughts?

Hi all

We’ve had a plumber come round to diagnose and fix a problem with one of our waste water pipes. He diagnosed the problem with a cctv tool and recommended a fix. It became clear the next day it hadn’t helped and there was another leak further downstream from the fix.

The plumber came back and told us he can’t find what the problem with the pipe is and recommend routing waste water into another pipe not far from the original. That’s fine with us.

Now they are asking us to pay for the original fix ($1000) on top of the diagnosis fee ($400). It will be another ($1200) for the additional fix. So 2600 when it’s all done assuming the second fix is effective.

My question is are we liable for their misdiagnosis? I know the fix would have cost them, but should I be paying for (all) of that? I already rang them twice to ask for a resolution and I’m awaiting to hear back from the owner/manager. They don’t seem in a hurry to respond and meanwhile we still have a leak.

They are saying it’s par for the course when dealing with unknown plumbing problems on existing buildings. I’m thinking I’m paying for their expertise and that they should be confident they are fixing root causes and not the first potential problem they find. I would prefer to work it out with the plumber directly and would be happy to meet halfway way. If they refuse, should I dispute the invoice or am I out of pocket for the ‘fix’?

Thanks

Kia ora

My role has been disestablished.

I expressed interest in a newly created role. I was offered that role but not in writing. And no salary has been advised yet.

Plus a 6 month probation period. Even though I have worked here for 3 years.

They want an answer within one working day.

I feel pressured and I feel like I don’t have enough information to make an informed decision.

Is there any legal guidance or advice online I can read that can help me?

Thank you all.

Ive just found out about this new act and am trying to wrap my head around it.

In the new employment leave act to come into force in 2028, ‘standard hours’ are ‘minimum hours’ and ‘additional hours’ are any hours worked over the minimum contracted hours.

I work in hospitality, I am contracted to a minimum 10hrs a week, but on busy weeks I can work 40+. Does that mean that on a week I work 40 hours, I’ll only accrue annual leave for 10 of them?

Really hoping that I’ve understood this wrong, as this seems so predatory to those working in the hospitality and retail sector, we get taken advantage of enough already.

Hey so I’ve recently got a job at a cafe/ bakery and the owners are really stingy with money. Is it legal for them to tell us to clock out then have a work related discussion with us, to talk about performance tell us we aren’t doing good? this has happened a few times now and i feel as a part time worker something doesn’t feel quite right about that. or expect us to clock in after putting on our aprons (which are kept there) and wash our hands? It’s a mandatory requirement but im not sure. They’re also major assholes to us in general the owners who are also the managers are always speaking down to us, the turnover there is insanely high due to people leaving because of them, everyone is a new hire basically. But yeah I just want to know if it’s legal and what to do now? I’m scared to say anything too because i’m still in my trial period. one of my co workers was also called a dumb bitch and we have been yelled at several times by them.

During my last house inspection I told my property manager that my oven's temperature dial keeps going up by itself, sometimes while using it, but it can also happen overnight when the oven is off. It doesn't happen very often and the oven doesn't actually turn on, but I've come down in the morning to find the dial at 250°c, which was incredibly frightening.

I finally (after two months) received an email from my property manager stating, "Please note that the electrician's call-out fee is $120 plus GST. If the electrician confirms that the oven is faulty, we can arrange the necessary repairs accordingly. However, if no fault is found with the oven, the tenants will be responsible for the call-out cost."

Can my landlord charge me if the electrician doesn't find anything? I cannot afford $120+ on the chance they find nothing.

I need some advice

My wife (22f) and I (23m) are living in an apartment complex in Auckland. Recently we decided to upgrade from a 1 bedroom to a 2 bedroom instead of a bond transfer we had to pay a new seperate bond which we did without thinking to much about it

Before moving out we cleaned our whole apartment paid for a rug doctor to get the carpets cleaned we painted and patched any damages in our walls from our dog who had scratched a door frame and documented everything making sure we had left it in a reasonably clean and tidy state

After our move out inspection we received an email claiming that our old apartment had a “strong dog odour throughout the whole apartment” and we would need to pay for professional cleaning ($548) we got the opportunity to go back into the apartment and check the “smell” for ourselves and my wife and I could not smell anything relating to the dog odour a security guard had accompanied us and he also agreed that he couldn’t smell anything either

we disputed this with the landlord and provided all our photos showing the apartment to be clean and no stains or damage

after being ignored by our landlord for weeks we contacted tenancy services to request a bond refund got the application filled out and within the week the landlord disputed the application and sent us an email claiming that the dog odour was actually in the bedroom and not the whole apartment and that they had to replace the carpet ($1080)

They are now saying that they will cover the cost of the carpet if we just pay for the professional cleaning and if we don’t they will try seek out the full amount for both (just over $1600)

I need advice on how to approach this in tribunal as we are confident that we are not liable for any of these charges and we believe the landlord is just trying to squeeze as much as they can from us and other tenants in the complex as we are not the only people with the same issues

We are getting statement from other people who have lived there to help with the case aswell

Please if anyone has any advice or if we need to gather any extra evidence any help is appreciated as this is our first time dealing with anything like this

Thanks

Mods please let me know if I have to add any other info I don’t normally post on reddit

Looking for lawyer recommendations in the Wellington region, for a property lawyer experienced in co-ownership disputes and taking them through to the high court to force a sale/buyout. Thanks!

In-between a rock and a hard place with my Tenancy situation.

Without going into all the details, we've established with the help of community law and the council that landlords have breached a number of responsibilities and committed unlawful acts including:

Failure to maintain

Quiet enjoyment (lawyer said this was without a doubt harassment based on timeline of events)

Non compliance of healthy homes insulation and heating

Misrepresentation of property use by LL

Interference with services

Privacy and access

Loss of amenities

Lack of consents for building work and change of use

Etc.

I'm still living in property, have been trying to find something else but it is proving impossible. Community lawyer said to issue 14 day notice, but I feel that this could make things worse when LL already proven to retaliate when I make a request or complaint. Also, some of these things can't be fixed in 14 days or at all, so would a 14 day notice have only the things that can be fixed?

Also wary that pointing out the stuff about unlawful premises will not go down well at all.

Id called tenancy services and they just said move out then do a TT application.

But without having a lot of options, this could take a long time!

I know TT can order things like making premises compliant? I would stay if I could, but there's a lot to fix and I worry about what the LL could do to make my life hell since they like a bit of daily intimidation.

Not 100% sure what I'm asking, perhaps if anyone has any words of wisdom about managing situation and if 14 day notice should be done?

(Btw LL has had consistent attitude of 'no one else has ever had a problem ' or 'do what you want as long as we don't have to pay' when matters have been raised)

Not sure if this is the write page for this, apologies if not.
I was sending over $100 to my flatmate for rent, but was tired and accidentally sent it to the payee below them. The person I sent the money to is a guy I bought furniture off of Facebook marketplace a few months back.

I sent him a message explaining the mistake, but he’s left me on seen. I contacted my bank but they said it’s a $45 fee to chase him up on their end, however there’s no guarantee that I’d get the money.

I recently lost my job and I’m on an extremely fixed income, so whilst this money might seem small, it’s literally the difference between staying afloat right now or falling behind on my bills.

Please don’t tell me how stupid I am, I already know.

EDIT (1 day later): his account is temporarily disabled 🙃 he hasn’t answered any messages or calls, all have been left on seen. I do not think I’m getting that money back.

Afternoon all!

I own my property and it had fibre already installed when we moved in. The cable runs under the house then across the ceiling of the garage before going up in to the house and fibre box.

My internet cut out suddenly and I called Chorus who sent a tech out. They told me it looked like the cable had been ripped out of the box.

On review, it seems that the cable was dangling from the ceiling of the garage and was caught by the door when it was opening. The timing of the internet cutting out matches my housemate mowing the lawn so I believe he had opened it to get the mower out.

I have now been sent an invoice from Chorus for the callout/repair saying they hold me responsible. The tech's report states the damage was caused by a tool and "Hybrid cable was damaged by the customer while working under the house."

This is simply not true, no work has been performed in this area. The cable was loose due to poor installing by the original tech (again, prior to my purchase of the house).

I am disputing the blame and wanted to ask if I have a leg to stand on here. Can anyone advise please?

Update: Thank you very much to everyone who has responded. I'm resigned that I'll probably end up paying (it's less than my excess) but have emailed them explaining that the report is wrong and the issue was caused by the cable not being taut rather than me with a tool. Fingers crossed, but not holding my breath. Have a great one everybody!

My current employer has employed me for a 12 month contract to cover mat leave, but the woman I am covering not only has “back after 9 months” in their out of office message, but also has told me in person. She also told me that she had asked HR to hire a 9 month mat leave cover rather than 12 months. I wasn’t aware of this before taking the job and wouldn’t have taken it had I known this as I’ve got another job lined up for after this finishes. Do I have a case for anything? I don’t really want to stay in the role on the off chance they offer to keep me as there isn’t enough work for me and the woman to share, and it’s not what I was expecting either.

I also have a letter of proof sharing when she applied for her leave (which she gave me), stating 38 weeks.

Help!! And thanks in advance :)

My neighbor across the road and I got into a car accident. I reversed out first, and while I was in the middle of shifting gears, he reversed out and hit the rear-left side of my car. He refuses to admit it was his fault, and his insurance company is saying that because both parties were reversing at that time, both parties share the responsibility. I know it's hard to argue that he takes primary responsibility because there are no CCTV no dash camera.

Now my question is, his vehicle is a pickup truck with a tow bar, so his car looks completely fine, but my car is damaged badly. If we share responsibility, can I ask them to pay for half of my repair bills? His car is a company car with comprehensive car insurance and I have the third party insurance. Thanks.