Disputes Tribunal NZ: How to Find the Correct Respondent Name

Name the wrong respondent on your Disputes Tribunal application and you could win the hearing but walk away with an unenforceable order. A Referee can only make orders against the party named in the claim — if you sued "Smith's Plumbing" but the registered company is "J.A. Smith Ltd trading as Smith's Plumbing," any attempt to enforce through the District Court hits a dead end.

This is one of the most common procedural mistakes self-represented claimants make, and it's entirely avoidable if you spend ten minutes on the right register before you file.

How to Search the Companies Office Register

The New Zealand Companies Register at companies-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz is free to search and gives information about a company respondent. Search by company name, company number, or NZBN (New Zealand Business Number).

For each registered company, the register shows:

• The exact legal name including the corporate suffix (Limited, Ltd, or Tapui)
• The company number (a unique identifier, more reliable than the name if the company has been renamed)
• The registered office address — this is where the Tribunal registry will send the Notice of Hearing, so confirm it's current
• The company status — whether it is registered, removed, or under external administration
• Directors' names — useful for confirming who the current directors are

If the company is struck off or in liquidation, winning a Tribunal order against it may be worthless. Check the status before paying your filing fee.

Naming Rules by Entity Type

The Disputes Tribunal requires the respondent's full legal name, not the brand they operate under. The correct format depends on the business structure:

Individual: Full legal name — first name, middle name(s), surname. Not a nickname or abbreviation.

Sole trader: The individual's full legal name followed by "trading as" and the business name. For example: Jane Mary Doe trading as Doe Plumbing Solutions.

Partnership: All individual partners' names followed by "trading as" and the partnership name. For example: Arthur Brown and Charles Davis trading as Brown & Davis Builders.

Registered company: The exact registered name from the Companies Office including the suffix. For example: J.A. Smith Limited (not "Smith's Plumbing" or "JA Smith Ltd" with different punctuation). Include the company number or NZBN.

Trust: Trusts aren't separate legal entities, so name the individual trustees in their capacity. For example: Robert Taylor and Sarah Taylor as Trustees of the Taylor Family Trust.

Using the NZBN Register

The NZBN (New Zealand Business Number) register at nzbn.govt.nz is a second verification source. Companies and other organisations are automatically assigned NZBNs; sole traders, partnerships, trusts, and charities can apply for one. It's particularly useful for checking sole traders and partnerships that don't appear on the Companies Register when they have an NZBN.

Search the NZBN register to confirm the entity type (sole trader, partnership, company) and cross-reference the legal name against what you see on the Companies Office register. If the NZBN shows one name and the Companies Office shows another, use the Companies Office name — that's the legally registered entity.

What If You Can't Find Them?

If the respondent doesn't appear on either register, they're likely an individual or an unregistered sole trader. In that case, you need their full legal personal name and a physical address for service. Check any contracts, invoices, or emails you have — the respondent's legal name usually appears on at least one document from the original transaction.

For individuals who've used only a first name or a pseudonym (common with tradespeople found through social media), you may need to ask the Registrar for advice on identification before filing. The Tribunal can't issue a valid order against "Dave the builder from Facebook Marketplace."

Getting the respondent's name right is the foundation of the entire claim. It costs nothing to check and saves the frustration of winning a hearing but being unable to collect. The NZ Disputes Tribunal filing guide includes a respondent verification worksheet that walks through the full identification process for each entity type.

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