Bond Refund Defence: Win Tribunal Disputes (Free NZ Guide)

Most landlords lose bond claims at the Tenancy Tribunal not because their case is wrong, but because their evidence is sloppy. Adjudicators see hundreds of disputes a year and have specific evidence standards — most landlords have never been told what those are. This guide shows you exactly what survives a contested hearing.

Why bond claims fail at Tribunal

Four reasons account for almost every bond claim loss: no entry inspection record (so no baseline to compare to), photos without timestamps or scale references, no signed tenant acknowledgement of damage, and confusing fair wear and tear with chargeable damage. Fix all four and your claim becomes effectively unbeatable.

Photo evidence standards

A Tribunal-grade photo has four properties: timestamp embedded in the file metadata, multiple angles of the same damage (close-up plus contextual wide shot), a reference object for scale (a credit card, ruler, or coin in frame), and a before/after pair from your move-in and move-out inspections. Photos without these are routinely dismissed as 'inconclusive'.

Written notice template

Before claiming bond, you must give written notice to the tenant specifying exactly what you're claiming, the dollar amount, and why. The PDF contains a copy-paste letter template that meets s22 requirements. Skip this step and your claim will be thrown out for procedural failure regardless of merits.

Fair wear and tear under NZ law

Tenants are not liable for fair wear and tear — but most landlords misclassify what counts as 'fair'. Carpet wear in walking paths after 5+ years, faded paint from sun exposure, and wall scuffs in high-traffic areas are NOT chargeable. Burns, holes, large stains, and damage outside normal use ARE chargeable. The guide includes a side-by-side reference table.

At-Tribunal procedure

If your claim is contested, you'll attend a Tenancy Tribunal hearing. Adjudicators don't have time to read everything — they want concise evidence presented in order: signed move-in inspection, signed move-out inspection, dated photos paired together, written notice to tenant, and a calculation of the claim amount. The PDF includes a hearing-day checklist.