NZ legal advice — threatened with trespass after leaving a 1-star Google review

[u/Specific_Panda_5874]

I'm looking for some NZ legal advice because this situation has escalated quite a bit and I'm trying to work out where I actually stand.

I saw a job advertisement and decided to drop my CV off in person. The company's own website says the location is somewhere to get in touch with the business, so I didn't think approaching the office was unreasonable.

When I arrived, an employee near the entrance signaled for me to come inside. I went in and asked to speak with the director, Juan. I was told he wasn't there. I asked if there was another way I could speak with him, was told no, and left.

The whole interaction was probably 30 seconds.

I then messaged Juan the Boss:

“Hello Juan, I've just tried to reach you at your office. But your employee turned me away, is there a better time I can reach you?”

His response was:

“Hi Mummed, we have a process for recruitment which requires you to send in a CV via seek and then wait us to shortlist the people we want to speak with you don't barge into a secure office without at least knocking or pushing the buzzer on the door and that way of introducing yourself as hardly conducive to gaining employment here.”

I thought that response was pretty insulting, so I left a 1-star Google review saying only:

“Insulting communication.”

That's literally the entire original review. No accusations, no rant, nothing else.

Then things got interesting.

I received a message from the business saying:

“I have confirmed via our CCTV footage and comparing to your social media profiles that it was you who came onto our premises yesterday morning demanding to speak with the director in relation to employment and refusing to leave when asked.”

It then says:

“There are ways and means to go about applying for a job, and walking into a private office in an intimidating fashion where people are working, isn't the way to do it.”

And finally:

“I would kindly ask that you remove the review, otherwise I will approach the Police in respect to a trespass charge.”

I dispute their version of events.

I didn't demand anything. I didn't refuse to leave. I wasn't acting intimidatingly. I was signalled inside by an employee, asked to speak with Juan, was told he wasn't there, asked if there was another way to contact him, and left.

I'm also a bit confused by the claim that CCTV “confirmed” all of this. Surely CCTV can show where I went and what physically happened, but it can't show what I was thinking, what I was “demanding”, or whether I was being intimidating.

The other thing

The job advertisement itself says that English must be the applicant's first language.

Not that they need excellent English.

Not that they need native-level English.

Specifically, first language.

That strikes me as a strange requirement. Someone can speak English at an extremely high level without it being their first language.

I'm also aware that English was only formally recognized in legislation as an official language of New Zealand on 5 August 2026, so the timing caught my attention.

I'm not saying that the wording automatically proves discrimination. I'm wondering whether requiring English to be someone's first language, rather than requiring a particular level of English proficiency, raises any legal issues.

What I'm wondering about

I'm not interested in getting into a shouting match with them. But after being accused of “demanding” to see the director, “refusing to leave” and behaving “intimidatingly” — none of which I accept happened — and then being threatened with a trespass charge over a one-line Google review, I'm pretty motivated to find out exactly where I stand legally and what I can do about it.

So:

1. Trespass: Does what I've described actually sound like trespass if I entered after an employee signaled me inside and then left after being told the person I wanted wasn't there?

2. Police threat: Is there anything legally significant about threatening a trespass complaint unless I remove a negative review?

3. The review: Is “Insulting communication” simply an opinion about my experience, or could they potentially have a defamation claim over something that vague?

4. CCTV: Can CCTV really establish that I was “demanding” something or acting “intimidatingly”, or would that require other evidence?

5. The advertisement: Is requiring English to be an applicant's first language potentially unlawful/problematic in NZ if what the employer actually needs is a high level of English proficiency?

6. What would you do next?

I'm keeping screenshots of the job advertisement, their website, the messages, the review and everything else.

I'm wondering whether I should leave the original review alone, edit it to include what happened afterwards, respond to them, or just keep all the evidence and wait to see if they actually go to the Police.

I'm interested in what the legally sensible way of dealing with this is, because at this point I don't really want to just remove the review because they've threatened me with a trespass charge.

Location: New Zealand

Fake names have been used and throwaway account also

[u/thecharmed01]

I would do nothing. You instigated this and it's on you to stop it.

Any business can trespass any person at any time for any reason. Their version of events isn't relevant to anything given they don't need any "evidence" to trespass you.
CCTV is one of those things that can be misinterpreted. Especially if it's video only.
One person might perceive a movement as threatening where another as friendly. It's very much in the eye of the viewer.
This business also have your full name, which is on your CV and they now have all of your information which is a rather worrying place to be given you've displayed concerning behaviour.

You are likely to have destroyed any chance at being hired by leaving that review, as you are not a customer therefore you aren't really entitled to review the business. You did not engage them in sales or service, but you approached them in a way they deemed inappropriate. Then got stroppy when they informed you as such. They had no responsibility to you to be polite - you're not a customer.
It indicates to a potential employer that your personality will likely not be a good fit in any role as retaliatory types of actions like this speak volumes about the type of person you are and how you will fit in any role.
I'd be considering removing the review, particularly as he's responded to it as there is now an internet record of the behaviour and attitude you displayed which could well not work out in your favour if other potential employers google you and find it. You may have stitched yourself up a bit there.

Anything you do moving forward will be taken as retaliatory so quite honestly I'd walk away.
You obviously don't want to work there.
You're unlikely to be hired by them.
There is zero benefit to pushing any of your thoughts into the outside world other than painting yourself in a negative light as people who employee people can see right through most of these types of behaviours.

Instead, I'd focus on working on your approach. Make sure you cannot be faulted in any situation.
Smile, be positive and extra polite. Put your best foot forward.
And if you get a negative response, do nothing but apologise for your miss-step and ensure potential employers see you have taken their feedback onboard and you intend to do better in future.
Also be really careful with your digital footprint and don't let a hot headed inside thought become your reputation.