Tenancy nightmare: Palmerston North landlords go 'to hell and back' as woman trashes property

• Tenant leaves Palmerston North property trashed
• There is rubbish everywhere, damage to the house, and missing items
• Landlords are out of pocket and with few options to recoup costs
• Property investors' group says good insurance and background checks are a must

A Palmerston North couple are devastated their family home has been trashed after they rented it out following a move to Wellington.

Their tenant has left their house with damage, such as holes in the ceiling and walls. There is rubbish everywhere, the rent is unpaid and chattels are missing.

The situation has prompted a reminder from a property investors' group that prevention is the best way of avoiding tenancy nightmares.

RNZ was there when Roy Mattock took a look around his Palmerston North house, on Cascade Crescent.

Through every room we found rubbish and damage, and an overwhelming stench.

The house toilet was blocked, with faeces still sitting in the bowl.

Mattock said he was devastated to see what had become of his and wife Janine's first home - one they worked hard to improve over seven years.

"We built the kitchen, had it all made to fit. We spent a lot of time and effort doing this kitchen up outside of work then going to work the next day. I did the bathroom and toilet as well."

Earlier this year, the Mattock family moved to Wellington, where their 16-year-old daughter had a scholarship to go to school.

They decided to rent their Palmerston North house out for 12 months and if they did not like Wellington, they could return, or they could sell it if their move became permanent.

Janine found a tenant through social media - the daughter of an old school friend. After checking with her friend, the tenant moved in.

"We've been to hell and back in the time of the tenancy," Janine said.

"It started off a month into the tenancy. There was a lot of rubbish and I was getting complaints from neighbours.

"I contacted [the tenant] and did an inspection. Yes, it was a mess. It was from her old landlord, who dropped her stuff off. There was a red flag there."

Over the coming months the Mattocks issued their tenant, Jessica Harris, with multiple breach notices.

Harris in turn trespassed them from the property, so they could not do inspections.

They both sought hearings at the Tenancy Tribunal, which in early October ruled the 12-month fixed term could end early.

It ruled Harris could stay for another four weeks until early November, and ordered her to tidy the property before her tenancy ended. That never happened.

"In the hallway there's a crack in the ceiling. We don't know what's happened there," Mattock said.

"I've got light fittings hanging from the roof. The ranch slider's broken, a hole in the ceiling in the dining room, and to top it all off she sent me an email back in September informing me my wrought-iron gates were stolen."

RNZ also saw broken blinds and drawing on the walls.

The Mattocks said their dishwasher, fridge and freezer, security cameras and drier were gone, and they were owed five weeks' rent.

Harris declined a recorded interview with RNZ. However, in messages she said she was going to come back and clean the property, but could not because she was trespassed after she moved out.

She said damage at the property happened when she was not there, and that the rubbish strewn around the section was there when she moved in. RNZ saw the rubbish, which included letters and other items with her name on them or dated after she moved into the house.

Harris said the Mattocks could take the unpaid rent out of her bond.

The Mattocks said Harris told them the house was ransacked shortly before she moved.

"[We're] absolutely bloody devastated," Janine said.

"Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought someone would walk away with a fridge and freezer, even a dishwasher.

"I don't know what the world's coming to, but I've been flatting back in my day and there's no way that would happen. That's just not normal behaviour."

The Mattocks have home and contents insurance but not landlords' insurance, which would have covered lost rent.

New Zealand Property Investors Federation advocacy manager Matt Ball said prevention was always the best cure.

Although situations such as this were rare, landlords should get full insurance, do background checks and join their local federation, he said.

"The Tenancy Tribunal is there to help landlords and tenants get redress, but it's not brilliant. It can take weeks to get a hearing. It can be slow and you are unlikely to get all your money back.

"If you're awarded damages it can be difficult or next to impossible to actually get your money back."

Ball still, however, advised people to take cases as written judgments could at least be made public.

The Mattocks have filed with the tribunal to try to recoup their losses, but said there needed to be more help for landlords in their situation.

They are not sure what the future holds as they are struggling to pay rent in Wellington as well as mortgage payments on their Palmerston North home, which is in no state to be rented out again.

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