Auckland landlord

PHOTO: An Auckland landlord is fuming after his property was track and rent was left unpaid.

An Auckland landlord has been left thousands of dollars out of pocket after a tenant asked for some rent relief before trashing the flat and leaving.

“He’s always been nice, quiet – always paid the rent on time,” owner James Mostert said.

“Very polite even helped around the hostel sometimes when we were working on stuff.”

The tenant had been there for seven years, and James said he felt comfortable helping him with a rent holiday when he was in need.

However, after a couple of months the tenant started avoiding phone calls and emails.

Early one morning, CCTV footage caught the tenant leaving with packed bags, and the next day Mostert entered the unit.

“My jaw hit the ground, basically,” Mostert said.

What once was a well-kept boarding unit was now a landslide of rubbish.

“Instantly I was just thinking how are we going to clean this up? How am I going to justify $10,000 of arrears?

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