A simple strategy suggested by one of our consultants helped turn a meth contamination case into compelling Tribunal evidence.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH A SNIPPET VIDEO BREAKING DOWN THE CASE
In this case, contamination readings were extreme, with some areas recording levels more than ten times above the accepted threshold.
The challenge? There was no ingoing meth test to establish a baseline.
Our consultants suggested testing newer fixtures and appliances installed during the tenancy and when these also returned positive results, the evidence became far harder to dispute.
The Christchurch Tribunal ultimately accepted that the contamination occurred during the tenancy, despite the absence of pre-tenancy testing.
The original award exceeded $21,000 before a surprising insurance twist dramatically changed the final outcome.
The decision [NZTT 5361741, 5468289] shows that while ingoing meth testing remains the gold standard, strategically testing newer fixtures can sometimes provide the missing link landlords need
