Tenancy Tribunal: Landlord awarded nearly $10k after tenant allows animal faeces to rot flooring

Soiled carpet led to rotten flooring at a rental property. Photo / Stock Image 123rf

Carpet at a rental property where a baby had been living was so soiled by animal faeces it had to be ripped up, revealing the excrement had rotted the floorboards.

The tenant scarpered from the Clinton, South Otago, rental property a week before her tenancy expired, avoiding the exit inspection.

She left behind a significant clean-up and damage which included the rotting floor and walls that needed to be repainted.

The landlord has since been awarded nearly $10,000 after he applied to the Tenancy Tribunal for compensation, rent arrears and a refund of the bond.

According to the Tribunal's decision, released this month, the tenant was on a fixed-term tenancy.

She vacated a week before it expired, failing to arrange an exit inspection and taking with her the keys to the property.

Under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, the woman was obligated to leave the premises "reasonably clean and tidy" and to remove all rubbish.

But the decision stated there was a significant amount of rubbish and possessions left behind and a clean-up that cost nearly $5000 was required.

"This included the inside of the home and also the outside together with the outbuildings that included the laundry, toilet and storeroom. All required a significant clean, padlocks required replacing, fire alarms re-installed and painting of the kitchen," it said.

"The carpets required a deep clean before it was realised that in fact, they needed to be replaced due to animal faeces that led to rotten flooring underneath."

The landlord further claimed there were more than two people living at the premises, which was a breach of the Act as it exceeded the maximum number of people allowed for in the tenancy agreement.

Another alleged breach was that the tenant had removed the smoke alarms.

"The landlord gave evidence that they were often removed, and this upset him given there was a young baby living at the home."

Following a hearing, which the tenant did not show up for, the tribunal accepted all of the landlord's claims.

The tenant was ordered to pay the landlord $8974.44 which included costs of $500 for the carpet insurance excess, the clean-up at the property, rent arrears and exemplary damages for subletting, and removing the smoke alarms.

The Bond Centre was to pay the bond of $1000 to the landlord, the tribunal ordered.