Terry Serepisos, who starred in television show The Apprentice New Zealand, ran a commercial property empire which was hit hard in the global financial crisis.

Former high-flyer Terry Serepisos is squatting and will need to find a new home.

The curious case of Serepisos versus Matthew Ryan became stranger still inside a Tenancy Tribunal hearing at Wellington District Court on Wednesday.

Serepisos - a former high-flyer turned bankrupt and one-time host of New Zealand's version of The Apprentice - was seeking $35,000 from Ryan, claiming harassment.

Serepisos audibly yawned several times as Ryan and his property manager Troy Robertson-Burns addressed the tribunal.

ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF Former TV star Terry Serepisos arriving at Wellington District Court for the Tenancy Tribunal hearing.

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Ryan bought the home of Serepisos' mother - which she shared with her son - after a series of loans turned sour.

"At this stage [the day after buying the property] it was our belief we had a squatter in our property," Robertson-Burns argued.

Ryan has since been trying to kick him out, including a failed attempt when Ryan's partner arranged to meet Serepisos for a coffee while Ryan went around with a locksmith to change the locks.

This failed when a neighbour tipped Serepisos off, and was part of the reason that Serepisos was going to the Tenancy Tribunal claiming $35,000 in harassment from Ryan. Ryan in turn was trying to get Serepisos out of the house.

ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF Matthew Ryan arrives with a protein shake for a Tenancy Tribunal hearing as he tries to evict Terry Serepisos from his Miramar property.

Ryan claims that a tenancy agreement shown to the court - with Terry Serepisos as the tenant and his mother the landlord - was illegitimate, a claim Serepisos vehemently denies.

He says he bought the house on the understanding it would be empty.

Essentially, Serepisos said he was a tenant and covered by the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), which would have made Ryan a reluctant landlord.

"My mum's lived in that house for 10 years," he told the tribunal.

KEVIN STENT/STUFF The house at Caledonia St, Miramar that caused all the issues.

"She's no squatter, she's an 85-year-old widow. He hasn't followed any process.

"My mum opens the door, she could be naked, she could be anything."

Not so, said the adjudicator, who said another document needed to be signed for it to fall under the RTA, and for the Tenancy Tribunal to have jurisdiction to hear the case.

"If there is no tenancy to which the RTA applies, then subsequently ... the person becomes a squatter.

ROBERT KITCHIN/STUFF Terry Serepisos claims Matthew Ryan, who owns the house in which Serepisos lives, has been harassing him.

"Anything else is outside my brief. You may have to take this up in a different forum."

Outside the tribunal, Ryan said the decision was vindicating.

"It's nice to be backed up by the law. Common sense has prevailed."

Serepisos on Thursday confirmed he was still in the house but planned to move out by December 20.

He said he was happy to move out but his concern had been for his mother.

Court documents supplied to Stuff on Monday show how tense the two men's relationship had become.

"I'm not doing a deal with you Terry at any price, " Ryan wrote in one message to Serepisos.

"My problem is with you. I detest everything about your slime-ball personality. You are the most narcissistic person I've ever had the misfortune to deal with.

"I will never repeat the experience and you've run out of life lines. Either vacate voluntarily or I [will] have you thrown out on the street."

In tribunal documents, Serepisos countered: "Since [Ryan's company] Lifestyle Loans purchased the property, the new owner has been constantly harassing myself and my family, with constant pressure to evict us unlawfully".