Latest articles
New Unit Titles Act 2010 – What does your body corporate need to do?
Thursday, 27 October, 2011
Author: Shiree Blackwell
The Unit Titles Act 2010 came into effect on the 20th of June 2011 (the “2010 Act”). Accordingly, it would be advisable that the obligations and duties of your body corporate and how the body corporate is run are reviewed. Together with the 2010 Act the Unit Titles Regulations 2011 (“2011 Regulations”) prescribe new operational rules for the Body Corporate whether your Body Corporate is new or existing.
Pre-1990 forest land – Exemption or Allocation?
Tuesday, 30 August, 2011
Author: Dan Harrison
Owners of pre-1990 forest land should decide whether to apply for an exemption under the Emissions Trading Scheme or whether to apply for an allocation of emission units. Neither option is automatic. Landowners should make a choice and apply. The earliest application deadline is 30 September 2011.
The New Unit Titles Act and Mortgagees
Monday, 27 June, 2011
Author: Dan Harrison
The Unit Titles Act 2010 poses some new issues for mortgagees when selling security property that is unit titled. Harkness Henry's Dan Harrison discusses these issues and suggests some steps mortgagees can take prior to drawdown to ensure they are better placed to comply with their new statutory obligations in a mortgagee sale situation.
Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 ("the Act")
Monday, 6 December, 2010
Author: Annette Edwards
The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2010 came into force on 1 October 2010 which clarifies rights and obligations of landlords and tenants.
Some of the key changes to the Act are as follows:-
Landlord must appoint agentIf the landlord is absent from New Zealand for longer than 21 consecutive days the landlord...
Potential pitfalls for purchasers of small residential units
Wednesday, 29 September, 2010
Residential properties with more than one unit on them, are attractive for property investors wanting to maximise their return from a particular property. It is easy to see why – the more people you can accommodate on a site, the more you can charge in rent.
By property investors, we are...
Guarantees - What they mean to you as the Guarantor
Wednesday, 14 July, 2010
Author: Shiree Blackwell
What is a Guarantee
A guarantee is a promise from you that you (the guarantor) will meet the obligations of another party should they default in any arrangement with a third party. They are commonly used by lenders and banks. As guarantor, you agree with the bank that if the borrower...
A Simple Way to Protect Some of Your Assets
Thursday, 1 July, 2010
Author: Matthew Peploe
If you own your business, you need to think about protecting your personal assets from your business risks. Trading through a company and using a family trust are two popular options. Another option is to register your home as a joint family home.
The Joint Family Homes Act 1964 allows married...
Who Pays For Damaged Land?
Monday, 29 March, 2010
Author: Matthew Peploe
Land ownership continues to be an important goal for many New Zealanders. It promises freedom and independence and can be a symbol of material success. It is easy to forget that land owners do not enjoy complete freedom over their land.
There are a number of laws that restrict how land...
Terminating a Tenant’s Lease
Monday, 23 November, 2009
Author: Matthew Peploe
Property investment is a risky business: prices fluctuate, tax rules change and tenants can fail to perform. If you are a landlord, you may not be able to influence prices or taxation policy but you do have some ability to manage a difficult tenant.
If you have a tenant that is...
