Tenancy Tribunal Annual Report is Released: Key Insights for Hamilton Landlords

The Tenancy Tribunal Annual Report 2024, published in July 2025, highlights just how much pressure New Zealand’s rental market is under — and Hamilton landlords are right in the middle of it.

Applications on the Rise

In 2024, the Tribunal received 29,309 applications under the Residential Tenancies Act. That’s a 14% increase on 2023, a 43% increase on 2022, and a 56% increase compared to 2021.

For landlords, the trend is clear: Tribunal involvement is becoming more common, not less.

Rent Arrears Dominate Cases

Rent arrears remain the number one driver of rental disputes in New Zealand.

Around 66% of all Tribunal claims involve rent arrears, either as the main issue or alongside other breaches. This underlines the importance of having robust arrears monitoring and collection processes in place.

The Most Common Claims by Landlords and Tenants

The report shows a consistent pattern in the types of claims being brought before the Tribunal:

• Landlord claims most often involve:

  1. Rent arrears

  2. Water rates arrears

  3. Compensation for damages — where tenants are alleged to have caused damage beyond fair wear and tear

• Tenant claims most often involve:

  1. Bond refunds — disputes about deductions landlords make from the bond

  2. Compliance with Healthy Homes Standards

  3. Compensation for landlord breaches — including unlawful entry or failure to meet legal standards

For Hamilton landlords, these trends are a reminder that tenancy documentation, compliance, and communication are critical to avoiding disputes.

Tribunal Wait Times Getting Longer

One of the biggest frustrations for both landlords and tenants is the time it takes to resolve disputes. The 2024 report shows delays are getting worse:

• Filing to mediation: increased from 11 working days in 2023 to 23 working days in 2024

• Filing to hearing: increased from 45 working days in 2023 to 49 working days in 2024

On average, it now takes 19 working days just to get a hearing date. While this is faster than the court system, it’s still a delay that Hamilton landlords must factor into cashflow planning.

Waiting nearly a month for arrears or damages to be resolved can put real strain on mortgage obligations.

What This Means for Hamilton Landlords

The Tribunal’s data sends a clear message:

• More disputes, higher risk – Applications are rising every year, so the likelihood of being pulled into the Tribunal is growing.

• Rent arrears are the main threat – Landlords need clear arrears systems and should act quickly when payments are missed.

• Compliance is non-negotiable – Many disputes arise from notices being served incorrectly or failure to meet Healthy Homes Standards. Staying up to date with tenancy law is essential.

• Hamilton-specific pressures – With rents continuing to climb and affordability stretched, tenant stress is rising. That means Hamilton landlords need to be especially proactive with tenant selection, clear communication, and professional management.

Oliver Pearson

Manager and Property Investor for 20+ years

Oliver Pearson

Manager and Property Investor for 20+ years

Oliver Pearson began investing in property aged 21 and has since bought, developed and sold real estate in the UK, USA, South East Asia and New Zealand. After a career in banking he is now on the management team at Waikato Real Estate and has contributed to property articles for NZ Herald, Stuff and Property Investor Magazine.

Based in Raglan, Oliver's passions extend beyond property to surfing, hydrofoiling, and providing a taxi service for his children.