Hamilton renter hit with $25k rent arrears bill

Saturday, 14 February 2026

The Hamilton East tenant has been ordered to cough up almost $25,000 in rent arrears.

A Hamilton East tenant has been ordered to pay nearly $25,000 in rent arrears within days or face eviction.

In a decision released this week, the Tenancy Tribunal ordered Janie Shy Tito to pay $24,765.14 to her landlord’s agent, Agile New Zealand Limited over unpaid rent at a Hamilton East property.

The total includes $24,737.14 in rent arrears as at January 15, 2026, plus a $28 filing fee.

Under the conditional termination order, Tito must resume weekly rent payments of $620 from January 20 and pay the full debt by January 27.

Hamilton renter got one week to cough up $25k.

If she fails to pay rent or arrears within two working days of the due dates, the tenancy will automatically terminate and the landlord can take immediate possession of the property.

The ruling follows Tito’s application for a rehearing after an earlier October 1 order terminated her tenancy and required her to pay $18,805.14, including the bond.

Tito told the Tribunal she had not known about the original hearing until a bailiff appeared at her door in late November. She also argued the arrears were exaggerated and said a former flatmate had failed to pay her share.

But the Tribunal dismissed the rehearing application, finding no “substantial wrong or miscarriage of justice” had occurred.

Even if Tito had attended the earlier hearing, the outcome would have been the same, the ruling said. As the named tenant, she remained liable for the full weekly rent. Continuing to pay only half placed the landlord in a “worsening position” that could not be allowed to continue.

The Tribunal noted Tito had been warned in a December 1 order that she was responsible for the full rent but continued making half-payments of $310, with occasional extra $30 payments.

Despite dismissing the rehearing, the Tribunal stopped short of immediately reinstating the earlier termination. Tito said Work and Income would cover the arrears if provided with an updated tenancy agreement listing her as the sole tenant.

Instead, the Tribunal granted a final opportunity to clear the debt in full while updating the arrears to the current amount — but warned any breach could see the eviction order enforced for 90 days.