A tenant of a central city Christchurch townhouse, who left behind piles of beer bottles, rotten food, rubbish, and his immigration papers, has been ordered to pay more than $11,000 to the landlords after abandoning the property.

A Tenancy Tribunal ruling stated the Nova Pl home was in a “state of disarray” when the landlords inspected it in March. During another inspection in May, they found most of the tenant’s belongings had been taken. 

Enshuo Jiang, also known as Chris, began renting the house in May last year for $500 a week. 

From January, landlords Sarah Browne and Keith Phillip Carney started finding it difficult to get in touch with Jiang, the ruling stated.  

Jiang had started paying his rent monthly. He then started missing those monthly payments. 

The arrears climbed to $10,142 by the end of May. 

At the next inspection, the ruling stated “they found that most of the tenant’s belongings had been removed and there were only unwanted items, rubbish and rotten food, indicating that the tenant had left some time earlier”. 

Tenancy Tribunal adjudicator Melissa Allan terminated the tenancy immediately due to the arrears and abandonment. 

Allan then ordered Jiang to pay the landlords for cleaning the property after the tenancy ended. 

“The landlords produced photos showing piles of beer bottles and various unwanted items, food left out (and in the fridge), an unclean kitchen and stove, an unclean shower and bathroom and the entire property generally unclean and untidy,” she said.

Allan ordered that Jiang’s bond of $2000 went to Browne and Carney. He has to pay the remaining $9,157.