Company directors should be aware of the changes to the Companies Act 1993 (the Act) that became law on 24 June 2014. Some changes took immediate effect while others will be implemented later this year. This article focuses on two key changes: new criminal offences and registration of companies.
Having been in effect for several years, there have now been a number of successful prosecutions under the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007 (the “Act”) resulting in fines of up to $500,000 to a company and $200,000 to an individual.
Raechel joined Turner Hopkins in 1999 and is a valued member of the Estate Planning and Conveyancing Team and is a registered Legal Executive, Fellow of the NZ Institute of Legal Executives Inc.
From time to time, issues arise with employees in workplaces that cause employers concern. These issues are many and varied but can include concerns about possible employee misconduct.
From 6 June 2015 all lenders (including banks and third tier lenders) now have increased responsibilities when lending money for consumer purposes and repossessing goods over which they have security.
We always need to be careful with how much we drink if we are going to drive after. However, there are changes to the drink driving limits coming into effect on 1 December 2014.
When buying or selling property, fixtures are generally included automatically, chattels are not. This can cause difficulty as it is not always clear whether something is a fixture or a chattel.
In a perfect world, you and your neighbour should be able to resolve any problem by discussing it together. The law is careful to balance one person’s right to enjoy their land with a neighbour’s right to be protected from interference.
The reputation of your business may be its most valuable asset. You have worked hard to develop your brand, so it makes sense that you also know how to protect it.
Disputes with neighbours can arise over many things; noise, fences, trees and animals etc. Ideally, you and your neighbour should be able to resolve any problem by discussing it and acting reasonably.
The impending arrival of two large-scale international competitions to our shores in 2015 (the Cricket World Cup and FIFA Under 20 World Cup) has brought into question whether New Zealand's current legislation provides adequate tools to prosecute match-fixers.
In some circumstances a certificate of acceptance may be issued by your local Council for unconsented works that have been completed on your property if the Council is satisfied that those works comply with the building code.
The way in which the Family Court deals with applications to do with the parenting of children has changed dramatically. Most significantly there are changes to how certain applications are made to the court, how parties are represented by their legal counsel and the format of documents filed.
Most house buyers enter into conditional agreements. For example, the current REINZ/ADLS Agreement includes (if selected) a Builder's Report condition, which allows the purchaser to cancel, if on an objective assessment, they do not approve a Builder's Report.
“To Michael Robinson – I wanted to thank you and your colleagues for many years of excellent service to the Bank. You have an outstanding business that has proved to be one of the most reliable and ethical businesses that Collections have dealt with in the almost 9 years I was with the Bank.”
~ Head of Collections
“I can't speak highly enough of Jenny. She got everything done in a timely manner and when my ex-husband threw a spanner in the works at the eleventh hour she got the required documentation to his lawyers and settlement back on track.”
~ Tracey
“John is very easy to talk to, he never makes you feel dumb, and never makes you feel like you are wasting his time for asking questions. He explains everything very clearly, every time. John's support staff are also very efficient and so easy to deal with. No detail is missed when dealing with them. My husband and I are fans of them all :)”
~ Jess
“Joy, we cannot thank you enough for your help with our purchase! You have been wonderful to deal with and so proactive (and patient with my numerous emails). We will be visiting NZ in April so will make sure we drop in to thank you in person.”
~ Mia
