Complaints and Disputes

Consumer advice and the Real Estate Authority (REA)

The Real Estate Authority (REA) is the independent government regulatory body for the real estate industry in New Zealand.

Being a Crown entity, established under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 and Real Estate Agents (Audit) Regulations 2009, the REA provides information for buyers and sellers, advice and guidance for agents, and deals with complaints about agents’ behaviour.

We recommend all buyers and sellers visit settled.govt.nz for tips and independent advice.

• Code of Professional Conduct and Client Care
• Real Estate Agents Act 2008
• Real Estate Agents (Audit) Regulations 2009
• Read the REA Guides
• REA Complaints and Dispute Procedures

In-house complaints and dispute resolution procedures

In accordance with Rule 12 of the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 and Professional Conduct and Client Care Rules 2012, Vivacity have a written in-house procedure to deal with complaints and dispute resolution. That procedure is set out below.

You do not have to use our complaints and resolution procedure. You may make a complaint directly to the Real Estate Agents Authority at any time.

You can make a complaint to the Real Estate Agents Authority even if you choose to also use our procedures.

Our complaints and dispute resolution procedures are designed to provide a simple and personalised process for resolving any complaint you might have about the service you have received from our agency.

Step 1

Call us and speak to the company director, Aaron Pero (M: 0275227667) or Licence Holder, Greg Powell (P: 0800 000 727, E: greg@vivacity.nz).

Tell the director or licence holder who you are complaining about and what your concerns are. Let the director or licence holder know what you would like done about your complaint.

Step 2

The manager may ask you to put your complaint in writing so that he or she can investigate it.

The manager will need a brief period of time to talk to the team members involved. We promise to come back to you within 10 working days with a response to your complaint.

That response may be in writing. As part of that response we might ask you to meet with members of our team to discuss the complaint and try to agree a resolution.

Step 3

If we are unable to come to an agreed resolution after a meeting, or if you do not wish to meet with us, then we will provide you with a written proposal to resolve your complaint.

Step 4

If you do not accept our proposal, please try and advise us in writing within five working days. You can, of course, suggest another way of resolving your complaint.

Step 5

If we accept your preferred resolution, we will attempt to implement that resolution as soon as possible. If we decline your preferred resolution, we may invite you to mediate the dispute.

Step 6

If we agree to mediate the complaint but do not settle the complaint at mediation, or we do not agree to mediate the dispute, then that will be the end of our process.

Remember

You can still make a complaint to the Real Estate Agents Authority in the first instance and, even if you use these procedures, you can still make a complaint to the Real Estate Agents Authority at any time.

The Real Estate Agents Authority c/ - PO Box 25 - 371 Wellington 4146 New Zealand

Phone: 0800 for REAA or 0800 367 7322