Going to the tenancy tribunal.
Tenancy tribunals and boards are built for people without lawyers: less formal than court, and low-cost to use. Decision-makers look closely at the paperwork: the agreement, the dates, the photos and the messages, in order.
If a child or anyone is in danger now, call 999 (UK), 112 (Ireland), 000 (Australia), 911 (US and Canada) or 111 (New Zealand).
How it works
From application to order.
Tap each stage to see what usually happens. Who decides, and the rules on evidence, differ by place: choose yours below.
A general outline. Every case is different.
General information, checked against official sources on 2 October 2026. It isn’t advice about your case. The rules in their own words ↓
Preparing your case
Walk in with everything in order.
Seven things to have ready:
- The agreement and any notices.The tenancy agreement, and every notice either side has given.
- A one-page timeline.Each important date, what happened, and the paper that shows it.
- Dated photos.Of the condition, the damage or the problem, in date order.
- The messages.Exported in full, with the relevant ones marked.
- Your sums.Exactly what you’re claiming or disputing, and how you worked it out.
- Everything numbered.One set of pages, indexed, so “page 7” means the same to everyone.
- Witnesses, early.Tell the body in advance if someone needs to give evidence.
Check the notice of hearing: it tells you exactly what to send, and by when.
Free tool
Your papers, in one numbered bundle.
Drop in your agreement, photos, messages and letters. You get one PDF with an index and every page numbered. It runs in this browser; nothing is uploaded.
Hearing date set? Turn it into a plan →
See it in the app
Your case, in order before the hearing.
- Add every paper.Agreement, emails, photos, notes. Before the language model reads a word, names become tags.
- It finds the point in dispute.Where the papers disagree, both sides quoted. It doesn’t say who is right.
- It quotes the law where you live. Coming in early accessThe sections that apply to your case, in the law’s own words, with a link to the official text. Change the country above and it changes too.
- It prepares your bundle.An index of your papers in order, and the point in dispute, each with its source.
Sample case. Names and papers are fictional. PROVEAiBLE is built for any case where papers matter.
What the rules say
The rules, in their own words.
Five questions about tenancy tribunals and boards, answered only from official guidance, with the passage that answers it highlighted.
Quoted from the official text. It isn’t advice about your tenancy, and the law changes: check the official site. Renting law is set by each Australian state, US state and Canadian province; New South Wales, California and Ontario are shown as examples.
Questions people ask
The questions that keep you up at night.
Can I bring someone with me?
Usually, for support. In New Zealand a support person can’t speak; at NCAT, representation needs approval in most cases; at Ontario’s Board a friend or relative can represent you with written authorisation.
Can I have a lawyer?
It varies. California’s small claims court doesn’t allow lawyers in court; New Zealand only in special cases; NCAT with approval; at Ireland’s tribunal you can bring a solicitor if you tell the RTB in advance.
How much does it cost?
Usually little (as of October 2026). NCAT is $64 ($16 reduced); the Tenancy Tribunal $29; RTB mediation is free and adjudication €30; Ontario’s T2 and T6 applications $53 ($48 online); California small claims $30 to $100.
What if the other side doesn’t follow the order?
Orders can be enforced: through the courts in Ireland and New South Wales, the Court Enforcement Office in Ontario, and the Ministry of Justice in New Zealand. In California small claims, you collect the money yourself.
Can I appeal?
Only in limited ways, and the time limits are short: for example 5 working days to ask for a rehearing in New Zealand, 10 working days to appeal an RTB adjudication in Ireland, 14 days at NCAT, 15 days for an Ontario review, 21 days for a county court possession order in England. Check the decision itself for your exact time limit.
Is the hearing public?
Often, yes: in England, Ireland, New South Wales and New Zealand hearings are usually public.
You’re not alone
You don’t have to do this alone.
Many tenants handle these problems without a lawyer, using services built for them. Free advice can tell you whether your situation needs a lawyer, especially if your home or a large sum is at stake.
Showing help for England. Change it with “Where you live” above.
“I built this after going through a court case myself.” — Andrew, founder
With a lawyer or without one, walk in with your papers in order.
PROVEAiBLE reads your papers, sets out the facts with their pages, shows where the papers disagree, quotes the law for where you live, and prepares your papers for the hearing. It never tells you which legal step to take, or how it will turn out. Law for more countries: coming in early access
Sources, checked 2 October 2026
- England: GOV.UK
- Ireland: Residential Tenancies Board; Residential Tenancies Board; Residential Tenancies Board
- Australia: NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal; NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal; NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal
- United States (California): California Courts Self-Help Guide; California Courts Self-Help Guide; California Courts Self-Help Guide
- Canada (Ontario): Landlord and Tenant Board; Landlord and Tenant Board; LTB Rules of Procedure (updated 21 September 2026); Landlord and Tenant Board
- New Zealand: Tenancy Services (MBIE); Tenancy Services (MBIE); Tenancy Services (MBIE); Tenancy Services (MBIE)
General information, not legal advice. Laws, rules and court processes change; check the official pages and your own papers before you act.