The Tenancy Tribunal hears approximately 20,000 cases each year, resulting in numerous judicial decisions called Tenancy Tribunal Orders. Most of these Tenancy Tribunal Orders are available on the Ministry of Justice website.

Tenants and landlords may find Tenancy Tribunal Orders useful when reviewing the tenancy history of a prospective landlord or tenant.

This information is not intended to provide an authoritative background check and should be used as one of many sources of information. By providing easy access to information and services, both tenants and landlords can make more informed decisions, which in turn lead to better choices in tenancy related manners.

How to search for a Tenancy Tribunal order

There are three ways to search for an Order:

1. by the name of the landlord, tenant, trust or company used in proceedings
2. by the address of the tenancy
3. by Tenancy Tribunal application number

Search Tenancy Tribunal orders(external link)

Search help is provided on the website.

Things to remember

Tenants and landlords may find the website a useful tool in decision-making before entering into an agreement. However, it is important to remember a few key points:

• before entering into a tenancy agreement, landlords and tenants need to consider many factors. Checklists and advice for prospective landlords and tenants are available.
• not all Tenancy Tribunal orders will be publicly available due to legal or technical reasons. Most orders can be accessed online and will be available for at least 3 years.
• paper copies of Tenancy Tribunal orders can still be obtained for a small fee from the District Court where the Tenancy Tribunal dispute was heard.
• names and identifying details may be removed from some published Tenancy Tribunal orders. From 11 February 2021, tenants and landlords can apply for their personal details not to be published on the Tenancy Tribunal order if they have been wholly or substantially successful in their claim. This is called a suppression order.

  Information about name supression in Tribunal orders

Tenancy Tribunal

The Tenancy Tribunal is an independent judicial body that provides a quick and inexpensive way for tenants and landlords to resolve disputes. The Tribunal hears residential tenancy disputes involving claims up to $100,000. It resolves disputes in two ways, offering:

1. mediation between the parties concerned, facilitated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
2. a hearing by a Tenancy Adjudicator who makes a binding decision, called a Tenancy Tribunal order, if mediation is unsuccessful or inappropriate.

Agreements reached in mediation are confidential and not available online.

Tenancy Tribunal website(external link)