Information for trespassed clients
If your behaviour poses a risk to the safety of our staff and other people at our offices, we can issue you with a trespass notice. This means you can't visit the office you've been trespassed from. However there are other ways you can continue to work with us.
A trespass notice is issued under section 4 of the Trespass Act. It's valid for 2 years.
If you've been trespassed from our office, your payments will still continue.
When we will issue a trespass notice
We will issue a trespass notice if your behaviour poses a risk to the safety of our staff.
This can include situations of:
- assault
- property theft or damage
- intimidating behaviour, or
- threats of harm to people.
We can issue a trespass notice for one or more of our offices.
How you can work with us
You can't visit the office you've been trespassed from.
However you can still contact us by:
- using MyMSD
- phone
- letter - you can write to your nearest service centre
You can also appoint an agent and/or an advocate who can work with us on your behalf.
Using an agent
An agent is someone who can act on your behalf. They can do this at the site you've been trespassed from.
They can do things like:
- visit the site
- apply for financial assistance
- update your details, or
- get your mail.
You’re responsible for choosing your agent and deciding what they can or can’t do. Your agent can be a person or an organisation. Whoever you choose as your agent must agree to act on your behalf.
You and your agent need to complete an application form to appoint them as your agent.
Having someone act on your behalf
Using an advocate
An advocate is someone independent of the Ministry of Social Development who knows and understands the benefit system, your rights and obligations.
An advocate can work with us to see that you get all the assistance you're entitled to. They can help explain your situation in meetings with us.
How to find an advocate
Contact a Citizens Advice Bureau or Community Law Centre near you for contact details of advocates in your area.
Citizens Advice Bureauexternal
There are also contact details for organisations that offer free legal and benefit advice. You can find their details on the Ministry of Social Development’s website.
Getting free legal and benefit advice in your regionexternal
If you disagree with the trespass notice
If you feel like the trespass notice shouldn't have been given, you can send us a letter outlining:
- the reason you disagree with the trespass notice
- any other information about your situation that you think we need to take into account.
You can post this to your nearest service centre.
If you ignore the trespass notice
If you enter the office you're trespassed from, we can ask you to leave. If you don't leave, we can call the police.
The police can remove you and we may prosecute you for trespassing.
When the trespass notice ends
Trespass notices are valid for 2 years. We can withdraw a trespass notice before the end of the 2 year period.
Once the trespass notice has expired, you're able to visit that office again.