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Property briefs

Commercial, House, Property
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Unit titles legislative updates

Unit titles are most commonly used for apartments or townhouses that share amenities such as lobbies, lifts or driveways with other owners in the same building or on the same property.

The latest amendments to the Unit Titles Act 2010 came into force on 9 May 2023. These include broadening the scope of information that sellers must provide to prospective buyers, and bolstering the governance structures for body corporates that manage unit title buildings or developments.

These changes have prompted amendments in the unit title provisions in the standard ADLS Sale and Purchase Agreement. The amendments reflect the increased disclosure obligations: the wording in respect of the warranties has been updated to expressly refer to any pre-contract disclosures made by the seller.

The ADLS form has also been updated in respect of courses of action available to buyers where they don’t receive a pre-settlement disclosure statement at least five working days prior to settlement. The options available to buyers haven’t changed in themselves. Rather, the agreement clarifies where the buyer elects for settlement to take place without delay that this constitutes a waiver of any right for that buyer to delay or cancel the settlement.

The purchase process of unit title properties is different from buying other sorts of properties. If you are considering buying or selling a unit title property, these changes may impact on your rights or obligations.

 

First Home Grants thresholds increase

On 15 May 2023, the price cap thresholds across the country for Kāinga Ora’s First Home Grants (FHG) saw a number of increases. The rises were not limited to main centres; 37 areas had their price caps for new builds increased including Southland and Central Hawke’s Bay.

Similarly, the KiwiBuild caps were also raised. Notably Queenstown’s threshold increased to $845,000 and Hamilton’s rose to $860,000.

These increases reflect the rapid rise in house prices and land in the last few years which meant that in certain areas the caps were so low that they became almost inaccessible for prospective FHG applicants.

With interest rates still rising, the latest round of price threshold increases should help a wider group of first-home buyers into new or existing homes.

To find the price thresholds for existing homes or new builds in your region, click here. The Kāinga Ora website also has information on eligibility and where the territorial boundaries lie to determine which regions the thresholds apply to. We can help you in determining both your eligibility and how to access the FHG.

 

Loan to value restrictions eased

In November 2021, the Reserve Bank imposed more restrictions on banks in respect of their lending in order to help curb the rapid rise in house prices in the previous few years. This caused difficulty for potential borrowers (both owner occupiers and investors) to obtain finance.

Eighteen months on, the Reserve Bank has eased the previous restrictions on bank lending to lower equity borrowers and investors. The easing measures took effect from 1 June 2023.

Previously, banks could only allocate up to 10% of their total lending towards owner occupiers with a loan to value (LVR) ratio of less than 80%. The 1 June changes saw this increase from 10% to up to 15%. This means that banks now have more funds available for borrowers with smaller deposits.

With national house prices falling around 17% since the November 2021 LVR restrictions took effect, the Reserve Bank believes that the risks that prompted the tightening on bank lending to low equity buyers have reduced.

This is good news for first home buyers who may not be able to save a 20% deposit despite being in a position to service the loans required to enter the property market.

The increase in availability of loan funds for low equity borrowers, the increases to FHG price caps and a general easing of the property market could be signalling a turning of the tide for buyers.

To see how you may be able to take advantage of these market factors and get onto the property ladder, you could contact us or a lender to understand what assistance or options could work for you.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Owning a heritage building

Commercial, House, Property
0

A burden or a boon?

Owning a piece of New Zealand’s history may be a dream come true for some property owners, but it could be a nightmare for others. Whether ownership of a heritage building is a boon or a burden to you will depend on how your plans fit within the rules and whether you make the most of incentives available to heritage building owners.

In this article, we outline some things you need to think about when owning or buying a heritage building.

 

Defining a heritage building

The term ‘heritage building’ usually refers to a property on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero.  Anyone can apply to list a building, but Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga makes the final decision on whether that building is significant enough to be included. All heritage buildings are categorised according to their heritage values. ‘Category 1 Historic Places’, for example, are places of special or outstanding historical or cultural significance, while places categorised as ‘Wāhi Tapu’ are places sacred to Māori. The full list of existing heritage buildings and places can be found here.

Listed buildings, however, are not the only ones that may be subject to special protections. Councils can recognise the heritage values of any building in their district plans. Property owners (or potential owners) should take care when checking whether a building is protected by a district plan as the rules may not necessarily use the words ‘heritage building.’ A building described as ‘a site of interest’, as being of ‘special character’ or in similar words may also be protected.

The status of a heritage building is not affected by its condition. Even buildings in need of serious repair could have heritage status. Also, there is no rule that a building must be of a certain age to be considered heritage; do not rely on age as the sole indicator of a building’s status. The best way is always to check the list and the district plan.

 

Effect of heritage status

If you own a heritage building, you must be cautious when dealing with your property. These buildings come with greater restrictions aimed at preserving their historic values. For example:

  • You must operate within district plan rules and seek council consent where necessary: Being on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero does not automatically protect a building. Instead, some relevant restrictions can be found in the local district plan. The scope of these restrictions could range from the removal of interior fixtures, to exterior design changes and/or to demolition.  Related bare land of potential archaeological interest or notable trees may also be protected in this way. Even where your proposed work is approved, the council may impose conditions requiring that the work be carried out in a manner in keeping with the building’s heritage or overseen by experts. Obtaining a consent and meeting such conditions can significantly increase your project’s cost and timeframe.
  • You must seek special authorisation from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga where work on or use of a heritage building may affect a pre-1900 archaeological site or land subject to a heritage order: Importantly, this authorisation is in addition to any council consents. While heritage orders can be found in the district plan, authorisation for disturbing pre-1900 archaeological sites is required regardless of whether that site is recorded. Again, the authorisation may come with conditions.
  • Overseas buyers may need Overseas Investment Office consent before buying a heritage property: Property with a listed heritage building or subject to a heritage order is likely to be ‘sensitive land’ under the Overseas Investment Act 2005.

On the bright side, owning a listed heritage building also comes with benefits designed to encourage history preservation and enhance the character of the area. For example, you may be entitled to:

  • Funding or other assistance: There are grants available to assist with the costs of preserving heritage buildings, such as the National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga also offers wider support services to heritage building owners, including advice on alterations and consent processes, and
  • Fee waivers: Some councils are willing to waive consent fees for work involving heritage buildings.

As changing the status of a heritage building can be difficult and failing to work within the rules can result in criminal prosecution, it is essential that you have all information upfront before buying or working on a heritage building.

Please contact us if you need help checking whether a property has heritage building status and/or navigating the relevant rules and consent processes.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Kāinga Ora First Home Partner scheme

House, Property
0

A co-ownership option

In the Winter 2022 edition of Property Speaking we discussed what to consider when co-owning a property with friends or family. Another co-ownership option to consider is the Kāinga Ora First Home Partner scheme (FHP).

The scheme supports first home buyers, who do not have a sufficient deposit, or who may struggle to service a low-equity mortgage, to buy a property partnering alongside the government. Kāinga Ora (KO) can contribute up to the lesser of $200,000 or 25% of the purchase price.

 

How does it work?

It’s easiest to explain by using an example. You want to buy a property costing $800,000. You have a 10% deposit ($80,000) but your lender will only offer a mortgage of $600,000. This leaves a 15% shortfall of $120,000. KO will help you buy the property by contributing the additional $120,000 in exchange for being the registered owner of that 15% share.

You must live in the property and will be responsible for meeting all the mortgage payments and outgoings. You must gain KO’s consent before making any improvements, alterations or renovations to the property. KO requires you to live in the property for a minimum of three years and you must gain KO’s consent before you sell the property.

You agree with KO to use your best endeavours to buy out their share within 15 years from settlement (it can be  extended up to 25 years). You will meet annually with KO to review your financial circumstances and make sure you will meet the goal. KO owns a share of the property and the price you need to pay for their share will change as the value of the property changes.

To secure both your and KO’s interests:

  • You both enter into a shared ownership agreement that incorporates the points in the paragraphs above. In addition, the agreement includes enforcement and dispute resolution procedures
  • A covenant is registered against the property title in favour of KO; a second covenant is registered against the property title in your favour, and
  • Under the covenants you each agree to comply with the terms of the shared ownership agreement. The covenant also serves as notice to the public. For example, a prospective buyer would look at the title to your property, note KO’s covenant, and would know that you need KO’s consent to the sale.

 

Eligibility criteria

KO has criteria you must meet to be eligible for the FHP scheme. These include:

  • Being over 18 and eligible to buy residential land in New Zealand
  • Having a total household income of $130,000 or less with a good credit rating
  • Being a first home buyer. If you have previously owned a property but no longer do so, you may still be eligible
  • Not having previously received shared ownership support from KO
  • Having a minimum deposit of 5% of the purchase price, and
  • The home you want to buy must be:

– A new build: a completed home with a code of compliance certificate issued within the previous 12 months that has not previously been lived in, or

– An off-the-plan purchase: a home still to be built, the sale and purchase agreement must cover both the land purchase and the build.

In each of the above cases, the home must be habitable from the settlement date/the date that title and code of compliance issue, and

  • You must also meet the lending criteria of a participating bank. At the time of writing the participating banks are Westpac, BNZ, Kiwibank and SBS.

 

Where to start

Check your eligibility and apply for the FHP here. Gather these documents before applying: photo ID, proof of income and evidence of your deposit.

Once confirmation of eligibility has been received, you need pre-approval from one of the participating banks. A mortgage broker can be an asset in navigating this.

It is important to note that you cannot enter into a sale and purchase agreement for a property under the FHP scheme until both requirements above have been satisfied.

The FHP scheme can be a great way for first home buyers to get on the property ladder. It is essential, however, that you understand how this ownership structure will affect you, and you are aware of your rights and obligations.

If you are considering applying for the FHP scheme, we can guide you through the process.

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Property briefs

House, Property
0

Updates on legislation

There are several new pieces of legislation relevant to property owners, buyers and developers that are moving slowly through the House. As these bills are still subject to the final stages of the parliamentary process, the proposed laws could change before coming into force – or be discarded altogether. Nevertheless, as some of these bills move closer to their final form, it is useful keeping an eye on their progress.

If you have long-term development plans, feel free to talk with us about how these proposed law changes may affect you and we can help you factor these potential changes into your plans.

 

Changes to LIM information

Somewhat timely given the recent flooding events across the country, the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Bill is set to clarify the natural hazard information available through local councils.

A Land Information Memorandum (LIM) is a critical document for property buyers to review as it contains information held on council files about a particular property. It is common for property purchases to be subject to the buyer approving the LIM or for real estate agents to provide the LIM upfront to buyers.

As a component of New Zealand’s National Adaptation Plan regarding climate change, the bill aims to ensure that LIMs across the country have clear and consistent information to help property buyers and owners understand the natural hazard risks for a property, including the potential impacts of climate change. It introduces clearer requirements in law for councils to provide information in LIMs about natural hazards that affect, or may affect, a property and the effects of those hazards. It formalises information-sharing responsibilities between regional and local councils given that regional councils often hold natural hazard information.

 

Replacement of the Resource Management Act 1991

There is a suite of bills expected to progress through the House that will replace the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).

Together, the three bills aim to significantly update the existing resource management regime by addressing some current complexities as well as taking better account of issues such as climate change, and the need to improve housing supply and infrastructure.

The three key pieces of proposed legislation are:

  1. Natural and Built Environment Bill: This is essentially the main replacement for the RMA. Amongst the bill’s many changes, it proposes to shift the resource management regime’s focus from managing adverse effects on the environment to achieving positive outcomes.
    The proposed legislation would also see the vast array of national policies and standards consolidated into one single National Planning Framework, and local policies and plans into 14 natural and built environment plans. Once in effect, these changes will alter your approach to applications for resource consents.
  2. Spatial Planning Bill: The bill proposes the establishment of regional planning committees involving central government, local councils and Māori. These committees will be responsible for long-term regional spatial strategies which will include certain areas in each region being earmarked for development, protection and restoration, or infrastructure improvement.
    The strategies should also identify which areas are vulnerable to natural hazards and climate change. As the strategies will be relevant to, say, resource consent decisions, they may affect the likelihood of any plans for the development or use of property being approved.
  3. Climate Adaptation Bill: This proposed legislation will address climate change issues such as the funding to move communities to avoid natural hazards such as flooding or erosion.

The Local Government Official Information and Meetings Amendment Bill, Natural and Built Environment Bill and Spatial Planning Bill have been moving through the House since November 2022. The relevant Parliamentary Select Committees received public submissions on these bills and are expected to report back to the House on 22 May 2023.

The Climate Adaptation Bill has yet to be introduced to Parliament, but it is expected to begin the process sometime this year.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Subdivision consents

Commercial, House, Property, Rural
0

Recent changes to planning rules

In the Autumn 2022 edition of Property Speaking we discussed different types of resource consents. Since then, the government has released a new National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL), which you can read here. The purpose of the NPS-HPL is to ensure that highly productive land is protected for use in land-based primary production, both now and for future generations. Councils are now required to consider the need to preserve highly productive land when determining any application for a subdivision consent.

Subdivision consent

If you want to change the size of your section by purchasing some of your neighbour’s property and merging it with your own (a boundary adjustment) or you want to split your property into additional property titles, then you will need subdivision consent from your local council.

Requirements

Your region’s district plan sets out the requirements that you must meet in order to subdivide your property. In addition to the requirements being different between regions, the requirements are also different depending on the zone in which your property is located. Properties are divided into zones that consider the standard characteristics expected in that area. The zones are:

  • Residential
  • Commercial/retail/town
  • Industrial
  • Rural lifestyle
  • Rural production, and
  • Special purpose.

The names of the zones may differ between regions but there will be a zone for each of those standard characteristics.

Conditions

Consent for your subdivision is likely to come with conditions.  Your local council may also ask that part of your property is transferred to the council; this is known as ‘vesting.’ Sometimes the council will pay you for that land but other times it will form part of your development contribution.

Areas around waterways may be taken for an esplanade reserve or esplanade strip, whereas areas of land that will become roads may be taken for road reserves.

The council can also require that new subdivisions have certain design specifications which are dictated through the district plan; these are recorded on the property title in a consent notice.

Affected parties

Where your subdivision is not a permitted activity, or it does not fit within the standard requirements for a subdivision in that area, the council may still grant you consent on a ‘notified basis.’ This means that it provides notice to affected people who can then raise any concerns with your proposed subdivision within a specified time.

The council may add further conditions to the development or even refuse the consent depending on any concerns raised.

Highly productive land (HPL)

In addition to the prior considerations that councils had to consider, since 17 October 2022, they now must map the land within their region to determine if it is HPL. In general, land will be mapped as HPL if it is:

  1. In a general rural zone or a rural production zone
  2. Predominantly within an area with a Land Use Capability class of between 1–3. A helpful map shows the current class of land within New Zealand here
  3. Not identified for future development within the relevant district’s district plan as at 17 October 2022, and
  4. Forms a large and geographically cohesive area.

Councils have the next three years to remap all the land within their region. Until that mapping is completed, all land will be treated as HPL if it falls within categories 1–3 above.

Most of the Land Use Capability class 1–3 land is within Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty (between Tauranga and Whakatāne), Taranaki, Manawatu, Canterbury, Otago and Southland, although there are smaller areas of class 1–3 land throughout New Zealand.

If you are applying for a subdivision consent, your local council will consider whether the land is HPL and, where it is, it will be much more difficult for you to obtain a subdivision consent.

Since the NPS-HPL came into force on17 October 2022, it has caused problems for landowners who had subdivision consent applications for land within class 1–3 areas pending on that date. Councils had to reassess applications taking HPL into account. This, in some cases, resulted in consent being refused.

If you are thinking about subdividing your property, especially in a rural zone, do talk with us and your surveyor early on. We can discuss the specific planning requirements that now apply to your property and help assess whether your subdivision is likely to receive consent before you proceed any further on the development.

 

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Storm damage to properties

House, Property, Rural
0

For landlords, tenants and buyers

With historic amounts of rain and flooding in many regions, this year has so far been challenging for many communities in the North Island. It is anticipated that these extreme weather events are likely to become more frequent in the future.

Many properties have been damaged by flooding, landslides and silt. Some of these may be under sales agreements or leased under residential tenancy agreements. We give some advice on what landlords, tenants and buyers (who have not yet settled) can do.

Residential tenancies

The responsibility for repairing damage to a property caused by a weather event or natural disaster, including drying a property that has been damaged by flood water (and paying for the electricity to do so), lies with the landlord.

If the landlord and tenant cannot come to an agreement on the next steps, either party may apply to the Tenancy Tribunal for a way forward.

Is the property completely destroyed? If the property is no longer habitable, rent will reduce accordingly and either party may give notice to the other terminating the tenancy. A landlord must give seven days’ notice and a tenant must give two days’ notice. We recommend taking photos of the damage in case there is a dispute about whether the property is destroyed. Notices from emergency services or council officials (such as red stickers) can also be used as evidence that the property is no longer habitable.

Partially destroyed? If the property is partially destroyed, or part of the property is so seriously damaged that it is no longer habitable, rent will reduce accordingly and either party may apply to the Tenancy Tribunal for an order to end the tenancy. The tribunal may make an order terminating the tenancy if it is satisfied it will be unreasonable to require the landlord to repair the property or the tenant to continue with the tenancy at a reduced rent.

Damaged but can be repaired? The damage should be repaired at the landlord’s cost as soon as practicable. The landlord should ask a building professional whether it is safe for tenants to remain in the property in the meantime. If the tenant can remain in the property while the work is completed, the landlord and/or tenant should consider agreeing to a rent reduction to compensate the tenant for any inconvenience while the work is being carried out.

If the tenant needs to move out, the landlord and tenant should negotiate to reach an agreement. The landlord should let the tenant know how long the repairs are expected to take and when the tenant can move back in.

Bought a property but not settled?

Under the ADLS Agreement for Sale and Purchase of Real Estate, the property and chattels remain at the risk of the seller until possession is given and taken (usually on settlement day). If you have bought a property but not yet settled, the cost of repairing the damage usually lies with the seller.

Property is destroyed? If the property is destroyed or damaged so it is no longer habitable, and is not repaired prior to the settlement date, the buyer must decide to either:

  1. Complete the purchase at the purchase price, less an amount equal to the insurance payment received or receivable by the seller (unless the insurance company agrees to reinstate the property up to the insurance cover for the benefit of the buyer prior to the settlement date), or
  2. Cancel the agreement: the deposit is refunded in full and neither party can make any further claims against the other.

Damaged but can be repaired? If the property is damaged, but is still habitable, settlement takes place on settlement date at the purchase price less an amount equal to the reduction in value of the property.

The reduction in value is deemed to be equivalent to the reasonable cost of reinstatement or repair. If the seller and buyer cannot agree on a reasonable cost of repair, the dispute will follow the compensation dispute procedures under the agreement.

We can help

Insurance companies will be very busy over the coming months assessing properties and processing claims. Given the scale and timing of the extreme weather events this year, this will take some time. There are also likely to be delays in the timeframes for repairs. Both landlords and tenants, and sellers and buyers, will need to be patient, flexible and practical to resolve any issues that may arise. Any agreement made between parties should be recorded in writing.

If you need any help to work through these issues, please don’t hesitate to talk with us.

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Leased land impacted by Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle

House, Property, Rural
0

Some options for lessees

The damage caused to land by the recent weather events across New Zealand has raised concerns about the ongoing viability of leased land that has been impacted by these storms. Depending on a lessee’s particular circumstances, there are options in terms of relief from rental payments or, in the more extreme circumstances, termination of the lease.

If you are a lessee, the Property Law Act 2007 (PLA) and the law of frustration of leases may provide you with options when the land subject to the lease has been damaged or destroyed. ‘Frustration’ in the legal context means a contract that, subsequent to its formation and without fault of either party, is incapable of being performed.

Property Law Act 2007 implied terms

Section 218 of the PLA implies a list of covenants, conditions and powers in all leases. An ‘implied term’ is what is included in a lease by statute. These terms allow a lessee to seek relief from rent payments or to cancel the lease.

If the land you lease has been destroyed or damaged, the PLA[1] may provide you with rent relief in proportion to the destruction or damage caused. Events that may lead to rent relief include floods and storms. If you are at fault for the event that caused the destruction or damage, such as being responsible for the cause of flooding, you will not be entitled to a rent reduction until the damage is repaired.

If your lease states that the land may be used for one or more specified purposes such as cropping, and during the term of the lease that land can no longer be lawfully used for cropping, you may be able to terminate the lease. An example would be if land was ‘red zoned’ so couldn’t be legally used for cropping any more[2]. As with rent relief, if you are at fault for the land not being able to be lawfully used for the specified purpose, you will not be able to cancel the lease.

Under the terms implied in all leases found in the PLA, you must keep the leased property in the same condition that it was in when the lease term began. However, this does not apply to reasonable wear and tear and events such as floods and storms, unless you are at fault. This means that if the land you lease has been damaged by flood and your lease is due to expire soon, on termination you are under no obligation to restore the land to the condition it was in at the beginning of the lease.

Your lease may include a clause that states any implied terms found in the PLA that are inconsistent with a specific term of the lease will not apply. Before signing a lease, you should review these specific terms to check for any inconsistency with the implied terms set out at schedule 3 of the PLA.

Force majeure

Some leases may include a ‘force majeure’ clause that covers what is colloquially referred to as ‘Acts of God.’ These include events such as floods, earthquakes or, more recently, pandemics. These clauses typically provide for the lease to be terminated, or provide that the parties’ obligations, such as payment of rent, under the lease are to be suspended for a period of time.

‘Frustration’ and rural leases

Recently, leases have been recognised for their contractual nature not just as an interest in land. ‘Frustration’, which is a remedy to cancel contracts, can now be used to cancel a lease.

When there is a radical change in circumstances outside of your control, such as a cyclone damaging the leased land, you may use the remedy of frustration to cancel the lease. Your lease will be cancelled effective from the date of the event. An example of this situation would be if a river changed its course (which did happen in Gabrielle), making it impossible to farm the land, you could claim the lease was ‘frustrated’ so should end from the date the river changed course.

When deciding if a lease could be cancelled via frustration it is important to look at the purpose of the lease and the length of the remaining term. To be successful in using frustration to end a lease, the purpose of the lease will need to be unable to be carried out during the remainder of the lease term. If your lease has a lengthy term remaining, it is less likely it will be frustrated by an event such as a storm that renders the land unusable for a short period of time.

So far in 2023 there have been a handful of severe weather events that have caused significant damage to leased land. As these climate change-related events become more common, we are likely to see frustration being more commonly used to attempt to cancel leases.

 

If you are unsure about the terms of your lease after Hale and/or Gabrielle, or any other the other significant weather events that have recently occurred in New Zealand, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help.

[1] Property Law Act 2007, s4 of schedule 3.

[2] Ibid, s10 of schedule 3.

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Rural eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Rural eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Bank of children

Estate, House, Kids, Property, Relationships, Retirement, Trusts
0

Children helping their parents

Most of us have heard of the expression ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ where parents help fund their children to get onto the property ladder or with another investment.

 

What happens in the reverse situation, however, where children become the ‘bank’ and assist their parents financially?

 

Why would this happen?

In recent years, parents may have assisted their children in allowing their property to be used as security for borrowings by their children, they could have helped fund the deposit for a child’s first property or provided financial support in a number of other situations.

 

Sometimes, the boot is on the other foot when parents retire or have their income reduced. That may be the time for children to repay the favour and assist their parents.

 

Family-wide discussion

If children are considering helping out their parents financially, we recommend that you have a family-wide discussion on what sort of assistance could be provided.

 

It is important that the entire family is aware of any proposed arrangements, especially if not all of the children are going to be involved. Those children who are assisting may become part-owners of their parents’ property as part of the agreement.

 

There are various family arrangements that could apply but some children may already own their own home. Other children may already be living with or intend moving in with their parents. All of these circumstances will need to be considered.

 

Contact your parents’ lender

Presuming the transaction will be funded by a loan, rather than cash from the children to the parents, the next step is for the parents to contact their lender (usually their bank) to discuss its requirements. The lender may require the current lending for the parents to be discharged and an updated finance application in the name of all of the joint owners with new loan documents. Often, the lender requires the added security and details of a child’s income for the application.

 

See your lawyer

To prevent any future difficulties and dissention in the family, it is important to arrange suitable documents such as a property sharing agreement. This records each party’s responsibility for who and how the family will use the property, loan repayments, maintenance of the property, rates, insurance and a sale process for the property should there be a breakdown in the parties’ relationship or if one of the parties wishes to sell.

 

A property sharing agreement will be the guiding document for the arrangement. As well as ensuring you have a will in place, the agreement can cover what will happen to the parent’s share of the property when they die. The last thing parents want is a falling out between their children.

 

Other things to consider

Other considerations for both parents and children include:

  • The children’s ability to use KiwiSaver funds in the future to purchase their own home
  • Current and future relationships of the children
  • Parents moving into a rest home and how subsidies could be affected
  • The alternative of a reverse mortgage, and
  • Review of wills and enduring powers of attorney.

 

Conclusion

With increases in interest rates and the rise in the cost of living, more retiring parents may face the difficulty of retaining their family home. Rather than the option of a sale, children may be able to assist with the retention of their parents’ home and keeping past memories alive.

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Fineprint is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Fineprint may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Joyful Husband And Wife Relaxing On Couch In New Home

Vendor obligations after signing an agreement for sale and purchase

House, Property
0

A case heard in the Supreme Court earlier this year presents a cautionary tale for property sellers[1].

In this case, a seller was embroiled in a long legal battle over their last-minute cancellation of an inspection for their buyer’s due diligence condition after the seller became aware of a potential better offer on the property. The buyer argued that, because the seller’s actions had prevented the buyer from gathering necessary information on the property, the seller could not also then cancel the agreement to pursue the better offer when the buyer was consequently unable to satisfy (or waive) the due diligence condition by its deadline. The Supreme Court’s decision came more than two years after the dispute first arose and was only focused on some preliminary legal issues (rather than resolving the dispute fully).

For all sellers, this case signals that even though you have a signed agreement for sale and purchase, there is likely to be more for you to do than just wait for settlement day when money will change hands.

In many agreements, the next stages of the deal are not necessarily left to the buyer alone; there can be obligations that you as seller must meet. If you don’t meet these obligations, you risk outcomes such as being pulled into a lengthy dispute preventing you from selling your property, as in the Melco case, or having your buyer request that money is held back on settlement. In this article, we cover some examples.

 

Meet any express obligations in the agreement

Your agreement might contain some express, deal-specific obligations for you as seller such as conditions you must meet or work you must complete before settlement. If you are using a standard ADLS/REINZ agreement, these obligations will be usually set out in the further terms of sale section.

Most agreements will also contain some warranties about the state of the property. For example, the standard ADLS/REINZ agreements contain warranties about the condition of chattels, rates payments being current and any work you have arranged on the property having appropriate consents.

Hopefully, where possible, you will have addressed any warranties before signing the agreement. If not, however, you must ensure that all warranties and other obligations are met by settlement day, otherwise this can lead to disputes around settlement, including the buyer proposing to retain settlement monies.

 

Help with the buyer’s conditions where necessary

As highlighted in the Melco case, even where there is not an express obligation, you may have an implied duty to assist the buyer with meeting the buyer’s conditions. You can help the buyer by, for example, providing any requested information in a timely manner and allowing access to the property.

The dispute in Melco also shows that even where you want to exit the deal, you should not do things like prevent your buyer from accessing the property for the purpose of gathering sufficient information for a due diligence condition. Taking this kind of action that deliberately blocks the buyer from fulfilling their conditions, or their own obligations under the agreement, could compromise your position.

 

Allow a pre-settlement inspection

Another area where a seller has obligations is pre-settlement inspections. Under the standard ADLS/REINZ agreement, the buyer may visit the property once for a pre-settlement inspection (with reasonable notice in writing). The buyer also is allowed another inspection to check you have met any agreement to carry out work on the property (no later than one day prior to settlement) if your agreement provides for such work.

Where your agreement provides for these types of inspections, you must allow this access, otherwise, the buyer could, for example, seek that money is held back until the inspection can take place.

Confusion can arise if the buyer wants to access the property for other purposes. If you want to allow this, you should be clear about the purpose of any access to avoid disputes about whether the access was for the set inspections under the agreement or for something else.

Failure to meet your obligations as seller can lead to long and costly disputes. Every agreement is different; please contact us for guidance about your obligations under your specific agreement to help avoid an outcome similar to what occurred in the Melco case.

[1] Melco Property Holdings (NZ) 2012 Limited v Hall [2022] NZSC 60

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

Property briefs

House, Property
0

Victims of domestic violence can terminate tenancies

Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 (RTA) came into force on 11 August 2021 allowing a tenant to terminate their fixed term or periodic tenancy if they are the victim of a domestic violence incident.

Domestic violence under the RTA has the same definition contained in section 3 of the Domestic Violence Act 1995 and includes physical, sexual and psychological abuse.

If your tenant is a victim of domestic violence, they may exit from their tenancy agreement by giving you (the landlord) two days’ notice. Your tenant needs to provide you with evidence of the domestic violence. It is important that when you receive notice from a tenant in this situation that you treat this with confidentiality and sensitivity, and meet your obligations under the Privacy Act 2020.

If your tenant is part of a group tenancy situation, they must notify the other tenants within two days after the date the tenancy expires. The remaining tenants are entitled to a two-week rent reduction that is calculated using the formula in section 56B of the RTA.

We can help you navigate the process if your tenant gives you notice to terminate the tenancy after a domestic violence incident.

 

Body corporate rules beefed up

The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2022 became law on 9 May 2022.

The purpose of the amendments is to:

  1. Improve the information which sellers must provide to buyers of unit title properties. To help sellers in providing information, bodies corporate now have a duty to retain records and make information available to owners for the purpose of disclosure
  2. Strengthen the governance arrangements for bodies corporate, which include expressly permitting committee members to attend a body corporate meeting by audio or audiovisual link, specifying that a quorum is met if owners holding 25% or more of the principal units are present (provided that, where there are two or more owners there is a minimum of two owners present for each meeting) and allowing committee members to vote electronically
  3. Increase the professionalism and standards of body corporate managers by introducing a mandatory code of conduct, and
  4. Ensure long-term maintenance planning and funding is adequate, and provide the ability to establish separate utility interests for different expenses. For example, if there are two units in a single storey development and one unit has twice the ground coverage of the other unit, then a separate utility interest could be established so the bigger unit pays for two thirds of the roofing costs.

The changes will come into effect on 9 May 2024 unless an Order in Council is issued to bring some of the changes in earlier.

 

Buying a property with unconsented works

Building work must meet the standards set out in the Building Act 2004 and the building code. Under the current system, there is a two-step process to have your proposed building work consented and signed off:

  1. You must apply to your local council for building consent, and
  2. The consenting council must inspect the work in order to issue a code of compliance certificate (CCC) confirming that the work has been completed in compliance with the building code.

If you fail to obtain the proper consent and the CCC then your building work is unconsented which leads to significant issues when you come to sell your property. Some banks will not lend to buyers of properties that have unconsented work.

What is most important is to check with your insurer to confirm you can get insurance cover before you sign the agreement. A condition of most, if not all, mortgages is that you keep the property fully insured. If your home has unconsented works, some insurance policies will not cover the unconsented area and some will not cover any damage where, for example, a fire originates in the unconsented area, even if the fire spreads to a consented area. In extreme cases, unconsented works could void your cover entirely.

For some situations, there is a process available to obtain a certificate of acceptance which is the council signing off on your unconsented building work. The process to obtain such a certificate changes from council to council. It may also not be available if too much time has elapsed.

It is important to do your due diligence, so you know what you are buying before you sign the agreement.

If you need any guidance on this, please talk with us.

 

DISCLAIMER: All the information published in Property eSpeaking is true and accurate to the best of the authors’ knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this newsletter. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of Edmonds Judd. Articles appearing in Property eSpeaking may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source.
Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2022.     Editor: Adrienne Olsen.       E-mail: [email protected].       Ph: 029 286 3650

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