Solving stuff: Ripped off or ignored? Tell us what’s bugging you and we’ll investigate

Tuesday, 21 April 2026

We want to hear from you on the issues affecting your life so we can investigate with our series, Solving stuff.

Have you got a problem that needs solving, New Zealand?

Maybe it’s the street light blinking outside your bedroom window every night.

Or perhaps it’s something a little more serious, like a dodgy home build that’s turned into a nightmare of shoddy workmanship and vanishing builders.

You might have been sold a “lemon”, or had a bad experience with a service that no-one’s taking responsibility for.

Or you’ve repeatedly asked for that pothole outside your home to be fixed.

Has a pothole outside your home cost you a new tyre, but no one seems to care? Let us know and we’ll see if we can solve your problem.

Whatever’s ticking you off, big or small, Stuff is here to help.

Because when you’re on the receiving end of a product failure, with a business that refuses to play fair or you’re up against bureaucratic nonsense it’s exhausting and confusing. It feels like you’re shouting into a void.

If you’re wondering whether your story fits the bill, here’re a few examples of what’s on our radar:

Product failures and duds: The appliances that break the day after the warranty expires, the 'lemon' vehicles or the pre-inspection report that misses a blatant defect, and the businesses that hide behind 'terms and conditions' to avoid doing the right thing.

Senior journalist Natalie Akoorie wants to help solve your problems.

The corporate cold shoulder: When you’re stuck in an automated phone loop or ghosted by a company that’s already taken your money.
The business of unfairness: Hidden fees, misleading 'specials', and monopolies that charge top dollar for bottom-tier service.
Systemic failures: Government departments or councils that have buried your complaint under a mountain of red tape.
The unjust outcomes: The online scams, the shoddy repair job, the tricky advertising, a sketchy bit of road that cost you a new tyre.

The investigator

This isn’t just a venting session. This is an investigative mission led by senior journalist Natalie Akoorie to delve into your complaints, to right wrongs, to serve the public interest and act as a deterrent. Natalie doesn't just ask questions; she follows the money and the paper trail. She’s here to act as your advocate, digging into the 'how' and 'why' behind the unfair treatment Kiwis face every day.

We’re going to show you the hard graft of investigative journalism - the Official Information Act (OIA) requests, the confrontational calls, and the facts the bullies would prefer kept secret.

Tell us your story: If you’ve been ignored, ripped off or pushed around, we want the receipts. We want the emails, the text messages, the photos of the dodgy workmanship, the video evidence, all of the details you can provide.

The New Standard: If it’s unfair to you, it’s fair game for us.

Use the form below to tell us who is giving you the runaround. Or email natalie.akoorie@stuffdigital.co.nz

The bigger the Goliath, the harder we’ll work to even the score.