New Zealand Institute of Investment Property Educators

[SuperDad]

Anyone noticed that PropertyTutors is running a text banner ad at the moment?

Click on the ad and you are taken through to a promo for an upcoming event, which features a photo of a beaming Sean Wood above an official looking logo proclaiming him to be a member of the "New Zealand Institute of Property Investment Educators".

Sounds impressive?

The "institute" is a company (New Zealand Institute of Investment Property Educators Limited), the director of which is Steve Starke, General Manager of Property Tutors. PropertyTutors Limited owns a 33% shareholding in the "institute".

Moral of the story: Beware of fancy sound titles which are designed to make people (or their products/services) sound more legitimate than they actually are.

Paul Flood.
Life Member and President, New Zealand Institute of Superior Property Managers.

[whitt]

Would it be seen by the NZ advertising standards dept as a breach?
It certainly sounds misleading .

[SuperDad]

I thought you would like that one Whitt.

[whitt]

I thought you would like that one Whitt.

I guess someone if they felt it was misleading or false advertising they could complain to ASA and let them decide.

[spaceman]

I'd like to purchase a life membership to New Zealand Institue of Superior Property Managers..... Superdad as Preisdent could you put a good word for me to the selections board??

Cheers
Spaceman

[SuperDad]

I'd like to purchase a life membership to New Zealand Institue of Superior Property Managers..... Superdad as Preisdent could you put a good word for me to the selections board??

Cheers
Spaceman

There is only one member on the selection board - the President.

I'll see what I can do.

[whitt]

New Zealand Institue of Superior Property Managers
NzIospm?

New Zealand society consolidated association managers
NzScam

[SuperDad]

NZIMUI

New Zealand Institute of Made Up Institutes.

[donna]

Sounds like a great idea having an Institute of Investment Property Educators - don't you think? It might provide a code of conduct etc that has been sadly missing in the Industry.

Cheers,

Donna

[whitt]

Do you honestly think it would work? I had hoped it would too but reality is different.

For an institute to work it would need guidelines plus a charter and be run by a non-affiliated organization.

If it was run or organized by an educator or group of them it would be biased and end up a controlled boys club with accreditations been given to only the mates. This in time would have a high chance of being corrupt.

Why would a Non-affiliated organization get involved if there is nothing in it for them?

[whitt]

That is unless a third party like PT wrote and administered the charter.

They pay a yearly application fee to get a PT educator accreditation. With regular reviews and high standard of conduct.

Sorry I cant think of any other organisation which would be independant enough to run it.

[kapitibeanman]

Mad old world, ain't it? Perhaps a free uniform & a whistle would get some suitable person to step up to the plate.

[The_Dog]

Perhaps Sue T could administer the charter?

[cube]

Does the New Zealand Institute of Property Investment Educators have a charter (or a website)? Is it's goal to promote the industry, or to protect the consumer?

How does one obtain membership? - simply by paying a fee, or by achieving some standard of service as well.

Which other NZ Property Educators are members?

It would be great to see an independent body ensuring clear separation from education and property sales - or ensuring that any such link is clearly and unambiguously stated in all communications.

[cube]

Would it be seen by the NZ advertising standards dept as a breach?
It certainly sounds misleading .

I don't think that the advert breaches standards, so long as the Institute exists, and those claiming to be members are.

There is no claim that being a member confers any special ability or advantage - as Superdad points out, what membership actually means is something for the consumer to determine.