This article aims to give some guidance on who is eligible to apply for overseas investment consent and also some practical legal guidance on application procedures, timeframes and costs involved.

If you are about to embark on a building project, you will be reassured to hear that the Building Act contains consumer protection measures for residential building work.

On 22 October 2018, Labour delivered on its promise to ban foreign ownership of New Zealand residential land. The restrictions in the Overseas Investment Act now apply to all residential land in New Zealand.

The Auckland Unitary Plan, may provide various options for the development of your land that you may not have previously had.

Over the last few years it has been tougher and tougher for young people to purchase their first home particularly in Auckland. Therefore, a lot of first home buyers are looking to parents for financial assistance.

There has been significant publicity surrounding over 30 Auckland apartment developments where, despite having been sold to purchasers prior to construction, the development is now not proceeding.

Many kiwis will, during their lifetimes buy and sell property. Propertytransactions are not simple; nor should they be. The importance and valueof a property transaction alone necessitates a degree of complexity and care.

Recently the government announced an expansion to the eligibility for applicants in relation to KiwiSaver HomeStart grants.

P contamination is no longer something that just happens to other people in dodgy parts of town, It's something that all property purchasers now need to consider and take sensible precautions to protect themselves against.

The Government has recently passed new legislation that from1 October 2015 all persons selling or purchasing residential land arerequired to complete a tax statement as part of the transaction.

When building a new home, there are several important steps in the process that have potential to delay final completion date.

Recent changes to the Building Act 2004 affect you. Here is a summary of how these measures will affect you.

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.

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.

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.

Many New Zealanders are capable of conducting DIY (do-it- yourself ) repairs, maintenance and redecorating to their homes - and many are not. No matter what the capability of a person some will still have a go. However, it is important to be aware of the restrictions, standards and possible penalties imposed by law.

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.

Not everyone acting for a buyer or a seller in a real estate transaction is a lawyer. This article looks at the differences between lawyers and conveyancers.

When you enter into an agreement to sell your property, it is almost certain you will be giving warranties to the purchaser. The scope of these warranties can often be underestimated and lead to significant financial woes for the vendor in the event of a breach.