Leng Minn Kit was convicted and fined $2,000, plus court costs, after pleading guilty to breaching a 3-year restraining order prohibiting him from renting out properties that are not maintained to a weathertight condition.

The prosecution submitted that Mr Kit granted a tenancy at his North Shore rental property in June 2025, while the property was in a poor state of repair and not in a weathertight condition. The prosecution argued this was a breach of a restraining order issued against Mr Kit by the Tenancy Tribunal, in October 2024.

The charge was brought by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment's (MBIE) Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT). Brett Wilson, TCIT National Manager, says the conviction reinforces that landlords must comply with Tenancy Tribunal orders and their obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986.

"Tenants deserve homes that are safe, healthy and properly maintained. In this case, more than one tenant has had to endure sub-standard housing due to Mr Kit’s failure to meet his obligations,” Brett Wilson said.

“Mr Kit has previously failed to comply with an improvement notice issued by MBIE and has now breached a restraining order issued by the Tenancy Tribunal. Landlords should be clear that non-compliance has consequences, including criminal prosecution.

“This latest case shows a Tenancy Tribunal order is not always the end of the process. TCIT will continue to monitor compliance and where landlords fail to comply with restraining orders, we will take further action. Intentionally contravening a restraining order issued by the Tenancy Tribunal is a criminal offence.”

The District Court declined any reductions to the sentence emphasising the importance of landlords meeting their responsibilities and the health and safety of tenants.

In a separate Tenancy Tribunal order issued in August 2026, Mr Kit was ordered to pay more than $11,000 by way of compensation, exemplary damages and costs for failing to comply with work orders. The Tribunal awarded the maximum amount in exemplary damages without any discounts or deductions. The Tribunal also issued further work orders requiring the property to be made weathertight. Mr Kit has appealed the Tenancy Tribunal order to the District Court, where it is currently pending.