Tenants ordered to pay up after $30,000 of methamphetamine damage to home

Tenants with a penchant for class A drugs have created more than $30,000 in decontamination costs at their rental property after tests revealed methamphetamine levels of up to 11 times higher than the national safety standard.

While the landlord was insured for such an event, it wasn't enough to cover the clean-up.

The Tenancy Tribunal decision, released this month, said the decontamination costs exceeded $30,000.

But the landlord's losses were only insured up to that sum, less a $2500 excess.

The two tenants moved into the Pōkeno property, managed by Barfoot and Thompson, in July 2020, after baseline testing for meth was undertaken, the decision detailed.

A year later, their tenancy ended on July 23, 2021, and after they vacated the property a composite test for meth was done.

It showed the drug had been used inside the home and so a detailed assessment was then undertaken on August 10, 2021.

Meth levels of up to 16.9mg per 100cm2 were detected throughout the house, exceeding the current New Zealand standard of 1.5mg per 100cm2.

It was also greater than the level Chief Science Advisor Sir Peter Gluckman has recommended of 15mg per 100 cm2.

The landlord then applied to the tribunal for compensation and reimbursement of the bond.

Only the landlord's property manager attended the hearing.

The tribunal ruled the tenants had intentionally damaged the property by committing an unlawful act.

They were therefore liable for costs and ordered to immediately pay the landlord $13,572.

The compensation covered the insurance excess, $6137 for the meth testing, $1000 exemplary damages, and for replacement of the blinds, rangehood and heat pump.

The tenants' bond of $2400 was also to be paid to the landlord, the tribunal ruled.