First landlord conviction under new tenancy law

Satya Silan has been ordered to refund $15,840 in rent to the family who rented the garage and to pay $750 in exemplary damages by the Tenancy Tribunal.

The Tribunal’s ruling followed an investigation by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s new Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team.

Silan, who is now the first landlord to be successfully prosecuted under the revamped Residential Tenancies Act, had been renting out an unconsented garage to a family with a young child.

After Auckland Council issued Silan with notices to cease doing so, the MBIE’s tenancy team got involved – and they found it that Silan was not a first time offender in this area.