Publications

We produce a range of articles, legal publications and resources on a wide range of legal subjects and hot topics critical to our clients needs. These include briefings on key legal issues, newsletters on practice areas and industry developments via the below headings.

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 26 results

Residents' Associations part of new regime

Residents' Associations fall under the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022 changes. The new Act looks to modernise and regulate the law relating to incorporated societies, which will have a big impact on all existing incorporated societies, particularly Residents' Associations. Three key More »

Unit Titles Act Amendments - strengthening governance

The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act ( Amendment Act ) received royal assent on 9 May 2022, though the changes to the Unit Titles Act 2010 will be implemented over the following two years and will be in force by 9 May 2024. As the name suggests, More »

Residential buildings – buying off the plans

We all know it’s getting pretty tricky to buy a property these days. However, with a record number of building consents being issued, there are more properties on the market to buy “off the plans”. A great opportunity, but one that comes with risks. Buying off the plans allows you More »

Tenants in common: when one wants to sell

Property sharing agreements are becoming more prevalent as individuals seek certainty of outcomes, where unforeseen circumstances intervene after property purchases. The form of property ownership known as ‘tenancy in common’ is becoming more popular due to this. This form of ownership More »

Webinar: Building and construction law update

There have been a number of law changes and events over recent years that have impacted on the building industry, including but not limited to, building supply shortages, COVID-19, subcontractor contract issues, the evolution of prefabricated building products and the recent introduction of More »

Tax changes on investment properties

Yesterday, the Government announced a range of measures designed to address supply and demand in the housing market, including a number of tax changes. In a significant departure from previous practice some of these tax changes were announced as having almost immediate effect, including: The More »

Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill – summary of key changes

The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill passed under urgency on 5 August 2020. It will now be sent for Royal Assent to become law. The Bill makes significant changes which landlords of residential properties will need to be aware of. These changes are due to come into force six months after the More »

COVID-19 and construction contracts

As of 26 March 2020 it is only essential services on site construction work that is permitted to continue. This is defined as works which: relate to essential services e.g. hospitals and supermarkets; relate to critical infrastructure; or are needed to maintain human health and safety at home or More »

Tax issues that may arise on renegotiation of leases

Commercial landlords and tenants across New Zealand are currently negotiating changes to lease terms, including in relation to rents. While tax considerations are unlikely at the present time to be a priority, the outcome of these negotiations may have a tax timing impact and be either advantageous More »

COVID-19 Alert Level 4 and Commercial Leases

As the country entered into an Alert Level 4 “lockdown” at 11:59 on Wednesday, 25 March, landlords and tenants of commercial properties are asking questions about what this means for their leases. Under Alert Level 4, many tenants will be unable to run their businesses from their More »

When the rent stops

The market over the past 12 months has seen a lot of new and exciting businesses being created and taking spaces in the city as well as some well-established businesses unexpectedly fail. The failure of any business has wide reaching implications including affecting leases. At the start of a lease More »

Caveats explained

The word caveat is Latin and translates to “let him or her beware”. A caveat can be lodged against someone’s property title to protect the lodging party’s right or interest in the property and it prevents the registered owner of the property from selling, mortgaging, and More »

What to know when building a house with a building company

Building a house can be a stressful, expensive and intimidating prospect for both new and experienced customers. As such, ensuring you are aware of not only your rights and obligations, but also those of the builder, is crucial. Prior to even hiring a builder, you should complete your own due More »

An overview of mortgagee sales

If you buy a property at a mortgagee sale, be aware that you are entering a contract that is quite different in its nature to an agreement entered into in other circumstances. The agreement is likely to be weighed heavily in the mortgagee’s favour because mortgagee sales involve factors More »

Rental property standards

The Residential Tenancies Act 1986 requires landlords to provide and maintain rental properties in a reasonable state of repair for the tenants. When deciding what is a ‘reasonable state of repair’ one must consider the age and character of the property and how long it’s likely to More »

Unit title developments – adding real value

Unit title developments are becoming increasingly common as cities grow and become more high density. We identify some key areas where real value can be added to both new and existing unit title developments. Voting rights While surveying, planning and fire safety requirements are dealt with during More »

Repair covenants in leases: get it right

A recent case¹ has again highlighted the importance of clear drafting in relation to lease provisions and the danger of not documenting these correctly, relying on standard forms or covenants implied by statute. One of the common areas for disputes between landlords and tenants both during the More »

Earthquake prone buildings – a new era approaches

The new national framework for managing earthquake prone buildings ( EPBs ) is effective from 1 July 2017. This brings with it a national register, new forms of EPB notice that must be displayed prominently on all EBPs and set timeframes for assessment and strengthening. The Building (Earthquake More »

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Displaying 1 - 20 of 26 results