The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand Inc (REINZ), is a body recognised in the Real Estate Agents Act 1976 (the Act) which all licensed real estate agents are required under the Act to belong to.

REINZ has powers under the Act to set in place a Code of Ethics and Rules of Practice. All licensed real estate agents must adhere to these standards. It has a Fidelity Fund to protect deposits and rent collected.

REINZ does not have any jurisdiction under the Act or its Rules to award compensation for damages or to award costs to a complainant and claims for compensation or costs should be dealt with through your solicitor. REINZ is also unable to instruct in contractual matters relating to complaints and this matter should also be dealt with through your solicitor.

How to Complain

If a member of the public considers that a licensed real estate agent has breached one or more of the Rules they are advised to follow the following process:

• The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (Inc) — "the Institute" can only investigate alleged breaches of the Institute’s Code of Ethics and Rules of Practice by members.
  
• As the breach may have been by a salesperson employed by the agent the first action should be to contact the Principal Officer/ Licensee of the office from which the salesperson works. REINZ would expect that Principal Officer/ Licensee to listen to your complaint and take immediate action to address and if possible, remedy your complaint. The Principal Officer/ Licensee is responsible for the actions of his/ her salesperson.
  
• If your complaint remains unsatisfied you may then send a written complaint by post to the office of the REINZ Regional Manager for the region in which the real estate office is located. Contact details for the regions are set out below.
  
• Under its Rules, REINZ will investigate all written complaints through standing complaints investigation committees attached to all Regional Offices. The process involves obtaining a written response from the agent and usually interviewing both agent and complainant. A report is sent to the REINZ National Council for a decision on whether the complaint will be upheld and the member either reprimanded or charges laid in more serious matters.
  
• If charges are laid the complainant must be prepared to give evidence at a hearing before a special disciplinary committee set up to hear the charges.
  
• The Institute is also in the position to take more serious matters involving breaches of the Act or allegations of matters, such as fraud or dishonesty, which are relevant to character of the agent to the Real Estate Agents Licensing Board - RealB. The RealB is the body that licenses all agents and an agent‘s licence or a salesperson’s certificate of approval can be cancelled or suspended or a fine imposed on the company/ individual for these breaches.
  
• The Institute also has the same jurisdiction in respect of complaints between agents.

Under the Act, REINZ is required to have in place a fund for the purpose of reimbursing persons who may suffer pecuniary loss by reason of the theft by a licensed real estate agent and persons employed by that agent in the course of the business of that real estate agent.

Any Fidelity Fund enquiry or claim should be directed to:

REINZ Compliance & Operations Manager
P O Box 5663, AUCKLAND. Ph:(09) 356 1755.

Regional Managers:

• Auckland/Northland/Coromandel —
  Christine Reidy - Regional Compliance Manager
  P O Box 5663, Auckland. Ph: (09) 356-1755.
  
  
• Waikato/Bay of Plenty/ Gisbourne — Sandra Porteous
  P O Box 9341, Hamilton. Ph: (07) 839-5691.
  
  
• Wellington/Hawkes Bay/Taranaki/Manawatu/Wanganui — Alison Lawson
  P O Box 1247, Wellington. Ph: (04) 472-8942.
  
  
• Canterbury/Westland/Nelson — Wayne Beaton
  P O Box 2174Christchurch. Ph: (03) 366-3660.
  
  
• Otago/Southland — Christine McDonald
  P O Box 1062, Dunedin. Ph: (03) 474-1224.