Horowhenua StarNew government rules have changed what natural hazard information is included and how it is shown in Land Information Memorandums (LIMs).
A LIM is a report you can get on a residential or commercial property that helps buyers and sellers make informed decisions.
Councils are now required to include all information about natural hazards known to them in LIMs, including information held by other agencies (such as regional councils or central government), with references or links to those sources where available.
This includes hazards such as flooding, erosion, landslides, coastal inundation and sea level rise, and earthquake and liquefaction risk.
The July 2025 amendment to the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, along with the new regulations, is designed to make LIM reports more useful for property owners and buyers.
Horowhenua District Council chief executive Monique Davidson says the changes give councils greater confidence to share a fuller picture of natural hazard information, including clearer explanations and links to information from other agencies.
“The result is that property buyers can access reliable and easy-to-understand reports, helping them make well-informed decisions,” she says.
The regulations, which come into effect in October, also set out clear standards for how natural hazard information should be summarised and presented, creating more consistency across LIMs from different councils.
OTHER STORIES
... loading ...