Who are the top 4 property accountants in New Zealand?

If you're a property investor in New Zealand, you need a property accountant.

Not just because you have to submit a tax return each year ... a property accountant should also save you money. They’ll make sure you don’t overpay your tax.

But it’s hard to tell the difference between accountants. How do you know if someone deeply understands property? Are they just a general accountant?

Both will come across like they know what they’re talking about, and they’ll use technical words we don’t understand.

So, who’s the expert? How do you tell them apart?

In this article you’ll learn who the top 5 property accountants in New Zealand are: these are the people we back who are experts in their field.

Do you have a question or comment about our top property accountants? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section at the end of the page.

Opes Accounting | Auckland & Christchurch

First up is Opes Accounting. Yes, that’s us. And I know it seems a bit biased to put us as at the top of the list,but hear us out. 

Opes Accounting officially re-branded from Momentum Property at the start of the 2024. 

This brought all our businesses under the same brand so you can get your accounting, property advice, mortgage and property management all in one place.

Now, here’s the reason we put ourselves on this list. People often come to us after they’ve already tried other accountants. They say things like, “I wish I had known about Opes Accounting sooner.”

So, instead of burying ourselves further down the list, we want to make sure you know we are an option. 

If you’re looking for a more streamlined experience, we might be exactly what you need,

although if you’d prefer to use another accountant, here are four others.

Gilligan Rowe and Associates | Auckland

Gilligan Rowe and Associates (GRA) is one of the largest property accountants in NZ. 

They work with over 8,000 clients and a team of approximately 100 staff. 

They’re based in Newmarket and GRA has established itself as a go-to firm for property investors. 

The firm claims to have never lost a case against the IRD. That’s where the tax department has challenged returns filed by one of the firm’s clients.

Founder Matthew Gilligan has been a stalwart in property investment for decades. He is the author of Property 101 and Tax Structures 101. 

However, his investment portfolio spans the entire country. At a seminar in 2019 he stated he was increasingly investing in Christchurch.

Matthew has built a sizeable property portfolio and is a trusted name in the industry.

More from Opes:

• 7 things accountants are plain wrong about (Article)
• Trust vs Company vs Own name - How should I own my investment property (Article)
• What taxes do property investors need to pay? (Article)

BDS Accountants | Auckland

BDS Accountants is a boutique accountancy firm founded in 1996 by Peter Taylor. 

The firm has a team of 14 staff, making BDS one of the smaller boutique firms on this list.

This may mean it’s the right fit if you like to work with the senior partner within a business.

You're more likely to get face-to-face time with a smaller practice owner than one that is 5-10 times the size.

BDS also has a more general accounting approach than the first two brands featured on this list. They don’t pitch themselves as property accountants; instead they offer services to all sorts of businesses.

That can be attractive if you also run a business and want all your accounting needs taken care of by one practice.

Clients love Peter Taylor. I’ve had a lot of good feedback about him from my clients who have used him. He loves to laugh and is a real character. 

Peter is an extraordinarily successful investor in his own right. He’s invested in residential and commercial property and also holds art as part of his investment strategy.

BDS Accountants are based on Albert Street, in Auckland’s CBD.

NEXIA | Christchurch

Nexia is based on Victoria Street in Christchurch Central, and they work with property investors throughout Canterbury and beyond. 

Nexia is also the only firm here affiliated with an international group – Nexia International. They have 727 offices across 122 countries. That global reputation gives clients extra reassurance.

Jane Jackman is a partner and director at Nexia Christchurch and brings over 30 years experience to the table. 

She has a lot of knowledge in property tax strategies; she’s all across things like home offices and depreciating chattels. This makes her a sought-after adviser for investors looking to pay the right amount of tax (and no more). 

If you’re in Christchurch, Jane and her team are an excellent choice.

PKF Withers Tsang | Auckland

PKF Withers Tsang used to be called Withers Tsang. They are a well-established accountancy firm based in Ponsonby, Auckland. 

It’s the second-largest firm on this list. They have a balance between personalised service and the heft of a mid-sized company. 

They focus on property tax and asset protection. This ensures their clients get specialised advice tailored to their needs.

Mark Withers, a founding partner, has recently stepped back from being a director. He’s now an associate. He is a prominent figure in the property investment community. 

He is a life member of the Auckland Property Investors’ Association and has been a regular contributor to NZ Property Investor magazine. Mark is also the author of Property Tax: A NZ Investor’s Guide. This was the first book in NZ about property investor tax strategies.

How have these property accountants made the list?

We work with hundreds of property investors each year here at Opes. That means we get to meet a lot of property accountants.

Many are good … others, not so much.

All the property accountants on this list were chosen because we’ve met them, we’ve worked with them and we can, hand-on-heart, say we would use them again.

It’s important to note, though, that this list is not in order from best to worst. All these accountants have a reputation for quality and are worth considering.

Which property accountant should I use?

Having got to the end of this list, you may be wondering, “Which of these property accountants should I use?”

The truth is each professional will give you quality advice and will have a team that can file your tax returns. That’s why they’ve made this list. But there are small differences that may make one of them a slightly better fit for you. It depends on your individual situation and what you prefer.

Let’s say you have complex accounting needs because you’re a business owner or maybe you use lots of trusts and entities. In that case, going with a full-service brand may be the right fit.

Similarly,  if you have a simpler situation (just you and a few properties) going smaller, to a more affordable firm, may make sense.