Imagine coming home to discover strangers had entered your property without permission.
Then, just weeks later, moving boxes arrive on your doorstep, and you’re told you’re moving out!
That’s exactly what happened to Christchurch tenant Fay Birch.
What followed was a lengthy legal battle that eventually reached the District Court.
The Judge found the landlord’s mistakes had caused significant distress and increased Birch’s compensation from $400 to $2,500.
The decision helped clarify how the Tenancy Tribunal should assess compensation and exemplary damages.
Now cited in more than 400 Tribunal decisions available online, Birch continues to influence how emotional harm is valued.
We unpack the case, the compensation framework, and what it means for landlords, tenants and property managers.
