I
think I need some help here
Many options today can help you find out more about the property you like, including what you can do to it and what others can do (or are doing) around it.
Professional services
Talk to a property valuer
A property valuer will often:
- provide basic zoning information
- look at general activities allowed on the site.
They will sometimes – not always – pick up any special features like heritage clauses or designations.
Ask them what level of information they provide as part of their service.
Ask your lawyer
Basic conveyancing services from a lawyer won’t automatically include a check on zoning, what your neighbour can do, or what other developments are planned. You'll need to ask them.
Ask your lawyer whether their fee includes checking out any zoning or property information that the council holds.
Can the council help?
Make an appointment with a planner
You can pop into any council’s customer service counter. But it is more efficient to ring and make an appointment with a planner.
Tell them why you want to meet and what information you want. Give them the property details and the details of any other property that you want to check out.
You can also get information over the telephone
If you don’t have the time to go in to the council personally, you can ring and get information over the phone. Remember to get the planner’s name in case you want more information.
Check which services are free and which you will have to pay for.
You may have to pay to view any files that have been archived.
Ask to see the planning files and the building files
If you’re making an appointment, ask the planner to bring the planning files for the site and any others that you want to check.
You may want to ask about checking the building files at the same time.
Planning and building information is normally filed separately so if you want to see both you will need to specifically ask for them. If you’re concerned about other sites you also need to specifically ask to view their files.
When I checked the building property files I discovered previous owners had done alterations without obtaining a building consent. A fireplace had also been installed without a firewall. If the house had burnt down my insurance would not have paid out, as I had illegal works.
Look for permissions or resource consents that allow an activity to be done
The files will tell you some of the history of your property and those around you.
You can also see if there are any historical problems in the area, such as the current or previous owners making complaints about a nearby activity.
You will not be able to take this information away, but you will be able to sit and read the files and make photocopies.
Ask your council for a LIM report
A LIM (Land Information Memorandum) report can also be obtained from your council. This will give you much of the information the council holds about your property. A LIM can cost between $80 and $400 and takes between one and ten days to process. This saves you going through the files yourself.
