A European Union staffer has dodged a bill worth thousands of dollars to a landlord by invoking diplomatic immunity in New Zealand.
A tribunal in March ordered the EU Delegation's deputy head of mission in New Zealand, Eva Tvarozkova, to pay $NZ20,000 ($A18,326) to her landlord for unpaid rent and property damage at a Wellington house.
Although she didn't contest the original hearing, Ms Tvarozkova's lawyers later returned to the tenancy body and argued, as a diplomat, she didn't have to foot the bill.
While New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs lobbied the European delegation to consider waiving immunity, it had no luck, and the tribunal has now overturned its decision, saying Ms Tvarozkova was indeed protected.
The landlord, Matthew Ryan, argued the Geneva Convention had exemptions for commercial transactions - a position backed by two recent cases in Canada.
"It sends a message out to all diplomats that they can behave appallingly," Mr Ryan told NZME after the ruling.
"I think the entire decision is a travesty."
The case arose over rent owed after the Slovakian diplomat left the property before her lease expired, along with the replacement of blinds and damage to a lift, according to Tenancy Tribunal documents.
Comment has been requested from the European delegation.
