Guides
Due diligence guides
How to check a New Zealand company before you sign, pay or take it on. Practical steps anyone can follow.
Due diligence basics
How to check a company in New Zealand
Before you sign, pay or take on a new supplier, it pays to know who the company really is. Here is a simple order of checks that works for any New Zealand company.
Checklists
Supplier due diligence checklist
Taking on a new supplier means taking on their problems too. This checklist keeps the basics tight so a supplier issue does not become your issue.
Checklists
Company due diligence checklist
One checklist that works whether the company is a supplier, a customer, a partner or a counterparty. Adjust the depth to the size of the decision.
Reference
Understanding the NZBN and company numbers
The NZBN and the company number are the two identifiers that let you pin down exactly which legal entity you are dealing with. Here is what each one is.
Reference
Company status explained: registered, in liquidation, removed and more
Company status is one of the most useful signals on the public record. Here is what the common statuses mean and what each one should prompt you to do.
Due diligence basics
Red flags in company records, and what they really mean
A red flag is a prompt to ask more, not a conclusion. Here are the signals worth noticing in company records and how to read them fairly.
Credit risk
How to vet a new customer before giving credit
Giving credit means trusting a customer to pay later. A quick check on the legal entity before you agree terms lowers the chance you are left chasing money.
Monitoring
Why a one off check is not enough
A check tells you where a company stands today. If you deal with it for months or years, today is not the question that matters most.
Comparison
Checking a company by hand vs a single report
You can check any New Zealand company yourself from public records. The question is what that costs in time once you do it often. Here is an honest side by side.
Comparison
The Companies Register vs a company report
The Companies Register is the official source and is free to search. A company report brings the register together with other public sources and adds monitoring. They work together rather than competing.
Comparison
One off check vs ongoing monitoring
A one off check answers where a company stands today. Monitoring answers what changes next. Which you need depends on how long you deal with the company.
Check a company before you commit
Run due diligence on any New Zealand company and see the full picture in one place.