A Wellington landlord has been awarded the profits from a tenant who subleased their property on Airbnb.
More than 50 people stayed in the Bellagio Apartment rental, making the tenant more than $12,000.
When the landlord got suspicious and confronted the tenant, the tenant missed rent payments, put a deadbolt on the door and then later disappeared.
It's the first time in New Zealand that the Tenancy Tribunal has awarded a landlord the full profits from a tenant's sub-leasing, rather than just the damages.
Keith Powell, from Nice Place Property Management, says it's not the first time people have tried this.
"I've never seen anyone do it so deviously and so purposefully, his lease agreement specifically said no Airbnb."
The tenant sub-leased the property at least 54 times through Airbnb over a six month period.
On top of the profits, the tenant was also ordered to pay unpaid rent, damages for abandonment, sub-leasing, replacing locks and costs for door replacement.
Newshub.
