Purpose and scope
NZR receives and resolves complaints fairly, promptly and without retaliation. This procedure applies to complaints about NZR services, decisions and the conduct of its staff or contractors, including concerns from landlords, tenants, applicants, buyers, sellers and other affected people. It supports NZR's adopted REA Code of Conduct and REINZ codes.
Staff must follow this procedure. Employment grievances and disciplinary decisions remain subject to NZR's separate employment procedures; a service complaint is not itself a finding against an employee.
How to make a complaint
Email info@newzealandrealty.co.nz with "Complaint — attention Director" in the subject, or telephone +64 4 280 1711 and ask to raise a complaint with a Director. You may also tell any NZR staff member or use your normal NZR contact channel. There is no fee for NZR's internal process. You do not have to complain to the person involved first.
Tell us what happened, the property or service involved, relevant dates, any supporting information, and the outcome you would like. Include your preferred contact details if you want a reply. You do not need legal language or complete evidence to raise a concern.
We accept verbal complaints and will record them and check our understanding with you. You may use a representative or support person; we will confirm their authority before sharing private information. Tell us about any communication or accessibility needs. Anonymous concerns will be considered on the information available, although they may limit our ability to investigate or reply.
If something is urgent
A complaint must not delay urgent repairs, protection of people or property, containment of a privacy or security incident, or a legal deadline. Staff must escalate these matters immediately through the relevant emergency or incident procedure. For immediate danger call 111; for urgent NZR assistance call +64 4 280 1711.
Step 1 — receive and acknowledge
The receiving staff member must promptly record and refer the complaint to a Director, normally on the day received or the next working day. Preserve the original message and attachments.
NZR aims to acknowledge receipt within two working days. The acknowledgement will confirm the issues as understood, the person managing the complaint, any information needed, the next steps and the expected response date. If the acknowledgement does not arrive, contact NZR again using the phone or email above.
Step 2 — assign a fair reviewer
A Director is responsible for oversight and assigns a reviewer who is not the subject of the complaint wherever possible. The person complained about must not be the sole decision-maker on their own complaint.
If the complaint concerns a Director, ask for review by another uninvolved Director. If no suitable uninvolved Director is available, NZR will arrange an independent external reviewer, discuss the arrangement and any necessary information sharing with the complainant, and explain the reviewer's role. NZR bears the cost of its internal review. An external reviewer does not replace a regulator or tribunal.
Step 3 — investigate and respond
The reviewer confirms the issues and desired outcome, checks relevant agreements, communications and records, obtains the relevant people's accounts and gives people a fair opportunity to respond to material allegations. Conclusions must distinguish established facts, disputed accounts and matters that could not be established.
NZR aims to provide a written outcome within ten working days of receiving the complaint. If more time is needed, we will explain why before that target expires, give a revised response date and provide an update at least every five working days while the complaint remains open.
These are NZR service targets, not statutory time limits. Working days for these targets are Monday to Friday excluding New Zealand public holidays observed in Wellington. A legal deadline or regulator's requirement takes priority.
The written outcome will address each material issue, explain the findings and reasons, identify any proposed remedy, name the person responsible for action and the completion date, and explain review and external options. Remedies may include an explanation, apology, correction, service action or an authorised financial remedy, depending on the facts. We will not promise a particular outcome before review.
Step 4 — review if you remain dissatisfied
Reply to the outcome or contact a Director, explain what remains unresolved and supply any further information. NZR aims to acknowledge a review request within two working days and provide its review outcome within ten working days, using the same delay and update process above. The review will be handled by an uninvolved Director or the independent arrangement described above.
No internal review deadline removes your legal rights. You do not have to accept a proposed settlement or stop an external complaint to receive an internal response.
External options
You may seek independent advice or use an available external process. NZR's procedure does not stop legal time limits running.
- REA: For matters within REA's jurisdiction, prospective clients, clients and customers may complain directly to REA without first using or completing NZR's process. Using NZR's process does not prevent a later REA complaint. NZR's voluntary adoption of the REA Code does not extend REA's jurisdiction to ordinary residential property management disputes.
REA guidance
- Tenancy Services and the Tenancy Tribunal: These provide routes for qualifying landlord–tenant disputes. A landlord's contractual dispute with NZR as their property manager is a different matter and should not automatically be directed to the Tenancy Tribunal.
Tenancy Services
- A dispute about a property management agreement: Obtain independent advice about the agreement's dispute process and the appropriate civil forum. REINZ can be contacted about its member standards and whether an applicable member process is available; NZR does not promise that REINZ will adjudicate or award compensation.
REINZ contact and support
- Privacy: Raise the concern with NZR and ask for the person responsible for privacy. If unresolved, follow the Office of the Privacy Commissioner's complaints process.
Privacy Commissioner
Records, privacy and follow-through
Keep a restricted company complaint record containing the date received, complainant's details where supplied, issues, property or service reference, assigned reviewer, conflicts and how they were managed, evidence, correspondence, target dates, updates, findings, remedy, review and external referrals. Limit access to those who need it for the complaint, lawful advice or required reporting. Do not promise absolute confidentiality or place complaint evidence in broadly visible property notes.
Preserve relevant records while a complaint, review or proceeding is open. Apply the company retention schedule and legal requirements afterward; do not retain unrelated personal information unnecessarily.
Track agreed actions to completion. Record whether the complainant accepts the outcome; silence is not acceptance. If administratively closing an unresolved complaint, record that it remains disputed, explain the next available options and retain the history. Directors review recurring issues and implement corrective training or process changes.
No person is to receive retaliatory treatment for raising a complaint or exercising a legal right. Staff must not use complaint handling to pressure someone to withdraw a concern.
Licensed agency work — additional duties
Where the REA rules apply, staff must make this procedure available to clients and consumers and ensure prospective clients and customers know about it before contractual agreements. Explain their direct access to REA.
A licensee must notify the employing or engaging agent of the REA complaints, decisions and orders specified in rule 12.4 within ten working days of becoming aware. Rule 12.5 also requires notice to the former agent where applicable. Follow rule 7's reporting duties; internal review must not delay a required report.
Access and policy control
Give a copy of this procedure on request and include it in relevant onboarding information. Staff must read and acknowledge the current version in My Work. Directors are accountable for implementation, reviewer arrangements and review following material legal or service changes.
Version 1.0. Effective 8 September 2026. Review due 8 September 2027.
Official references checked 8 September 2026.