Latest updates

10 August 2025

Rural eSpeaking - Winter 2025

In the Winter 2025 issue of Rural eSpeaking: Understanding workplace accommodation and service tenancies - complex legal obligations; Shearing the love - Focus on New Zealand Wool; Over the Fence: Health and Safety on farms in the wet season; Changes to the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme; Foot and mouth disease agreement.

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7 August 2025

Behind the Bargain: The hidden costs of buying a property through a mortgagee sale

A recent High Court case in Pāpāmoa Beach has drawn attention to the legal and emotional challenges of mortgagee sales in New Zealand.

9 July 2025

Property Speaking - Winter 2025

In the Winter 2025 issue of Property Speaking: Vacant possession: What does it mean?; GST and land transactions: Understanding your tax obligations; Property briefs: Healthy home standards; Sunset clauses; Real estate agent commission - claim or not to claim?

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9 July 2025

Rural eSpeaking - Autumn 2025

Inside the Autumn 2025 issue of Rural eSpeaking: Emissions Trading Scheme: A change in Approach?; Firearms reform 2025: Government considers current legislation to be outdated and overly complicated; Over the Fence: Employer obligations - mental health; Consumer Guarantees Act vs fair Trading Act; America's threats of tariffs.

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17 June 2025

Deed of Lease Seventh Edition

The Seventh Edition Deed of Lease brings substantial updates to reflect modern leasing challenges, including economic volatility, health and safety reforms, and lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic. This guide outlines key changes—covering rent reviews, outgoings, insurance, emergency access, seismic ratings, and more—and explains what they mean for both landlords and tenants. Understanding the new lease terms is crucial before signing on the dotted line.

21 May 2025

A Driveway Dispute - What Property Owners Need to Know

A recent case of a rural couple facing criminal charges for using their neighbour's driveway without permission or legal rights has hit the headlines in New Zealand. We discuss the law around this case.

17 March 2025

Property Speaking - Autumn 2025

In the Autumn 2025 issue of Property Speaking: New deed of lease documentation - Landlords and tenants should be up to date; Issues affecting finance and settlement - Insurance and natural hazards and unconsented works; Updates to the residential tenancies legislation - Tenancy terminations and pets.

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12 November 2024

Property Speaking - Summer 2024

In the Summer 2024 issue of Property Speaking: Neighbourhood subdivisions: What is going up over the fence?; Assignment of commercial leases: When your tenant sells their business; Property briefs: Break fees: repaying your mortgage early – Refixing your mortgage interest rate – Refinancing mortgages: switching to a different lender.

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4 July 2024

Property Speaking - Winter 2024

The latest in legal property news in New Zealand. Inside this issue: Commercial leases: Reinstatement obligations for tenants; Pre-settlement property inspection: The week before settlement; Property briefs: Finance condition in the agreement – LIM condition – Building report condition.

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20 May 2024

Change to Bright-line property sale rules

The government has announced changes to the "bright-line" income tax rules affecting the sale of residential land, effective from 1 July, 2024.

13 May 2024

Rural eSpeaking - Autumn 2024

In the Autumn 2024 issue of Rural eSpeaking, our rural legal newsletter: Significant Natural Areas: Suspended while government overhauls RMA; Live animal exports: Government intends to lift the ban; Over the fence: Contract grazing – 90 day trial periods available again for all employers – Minimising phosphorus in waterways.

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25 March 2024

Property Speaking - Autumn 2024

In the Autumn 2024 issue of Property Speaking: Commercial leasing and landlord consent: Tenants wanting to alter the premises for their use; Easements: Rights of way, draining sewage and water, and conveying utilities; Property briefs: The new government has brought in significant changes to the property sector: Bright-line test changes; RMA legislation; Rental and tenancy updates.

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26 September 2021

Property Sharing Agreements - Forcing a Sale

When you’re buying a property as tenants in common (see the article Joint Tenancy vs Tenancy in Common), it’s particularly important that you have a property sharing agreement that includes provisions on what to do if your property sharing relationship breaks down.