31.03.22
Emerging trends from WorkSafe New Zealand indicate that the mental wellbeing of staff should fall under an employer’s obligation to provide a ‘safe’ workplace. How are you doing as an employer, and how can employees help make sure everyone is safe?...
30.03.22
Sometimes the legal boundaries do not match up with structures (such as a fence or a building) on that property. What happens when the title does not match what is literally ‘on the ground’?...
25.02.22
The trusty Kiwi “She’ll be right” approach is often manifested in a reluctance to formally document intra-family lending arrangements. Catch cries of “I trust the kids to sort things out between themselves after I’m gone” and .......
03.02.22
What are the rules around annual leave and overseas holidays now that Covid-19 makes everything so uncertain? Can employers legitimately deny leave if their staff disclose an intention to travel internationally? What happens when employees are stranded .....
22.11.21
You may have heard that ‘Marriage is betting someone half your stuff that you’ll love them forever’. But what happens about the ‘stuff’ you own before you formally say “I do”?...
20.10.21
A practical guide for people starting a business...
13.09.21
Choosing the premises from which to operate your business can be daunting; it is essential that you know you are entering into the right type of agreement to suit your intentions. Leases and licences are common contractual arrangements. ...
03.09.21
The American entertainer Britney Spears’ conservatorship has recently been in the headlines. She is asking American courts to reconsider the conservatorship which has been in place for some years....
24.08.21
KiwiSaver members may use their funds to help buy their first home; this is straightforward. What happens, however, if you want to buy your first home and you are already a trustee of a trust that owns property?...
08.07.21
What is buying off the plans? Buying off the plans is when you sign an agreement to purchase a property sight unseen, typically from a developer, before construction has been completed or, in some cases, even before the build has begun. ...
18.06.21
In March 2021, the government announced three changes to property tax rules that are likely to affect anyone with residential property investments....
31.05.21
This fact sheet summarises changes the Government intends to make to the taxation of residential property. Once legislation is enacted, more details will be available at ird.govt.nz/property...
23.05.21
Your employee doesn’t want a Covid vaccination? While many Kiwis are queuing up and eagerly awaiting their Covid vaccinations, not everyone is willing to take ‘the jab’. ...
20.04.21
Treat your friend as if he might become an enemy (Publilius Syrus, 85-43 BC)...
01.04.21
The need to protect a family’s assets is not a recent phenomenon. For hundreds of years people have wanted to safeguard their family’s assets by sheltering them in a trust. ...
18.03.21
The current combination of increasing living costs, rising house prices and low interest rates has seen more than property-seekers signing up to home loans. ...
01.03.21
The Trusts Act 2019 came into force on 30 January 2021. One major topic of discussion arising from the new Act has been the provisions governing disclosure of trust information to beneficiaries. ...
05.02.21
The COVID pandemic has paved the way for innovation, and many New Zealanders spent 2020 investing time and money into their new or existing businesses. ...
19.11.20
In 2020, many couples have found themselves cashing out what would have been their big OE savings stash and using it for a house deposit....
19.10.20
Before you buy a property it is important that you understand exactly what you are purchasing. Your property title records (or should record) all of the interests that affect your title. ...
21.08.20
When entering a second or subsequent relationship, it is common to want to keep assets safe from relationship property claims....
01.07.20
One of the most significant pieces of new legislation introduced last year was the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019, more commonly referred to as the ‘Zero Carbon Act’. The legislation outlines the government’s targets over the ne...
19.06.20
Due to the COVID lockdown and the ensuing impact on the country’s economy, the government has made temporary changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. These changes restrict a landlord’s ability to increase the rent or to end residential tenancies. ...
18.05.20
Many New Zealand employers are scrambling to maintain solvency while balancing their employer obligations during the COVID-19 lockdown; thousands of businesses accepted the government’s COVID-19 12-week wage subsidy as a necessary lifeline. ...
24.03.20
You have decided to quit your job, and go out on your own to run your own business. Do you form a company or trade in your own name? We outline some of the pros and cons of these two options to help you make a decision....
19.02.20
The Family Protection Act 1955 allows children to bring claims against the estate of a deceased parent on the basis that their parent did not adequately provide for their ‘proper maintenance and support’. ...
18.11.19
The Trusts Act 2019 will come into effect on 30 January 2021. Much of the Act updates or restates existing law. However, there are a number of changes about which trustees and people with trusts should be aware....
01.11.19
The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019 came into force on 27 August 2019. This legislation affects both landlords and tenants in a number of ways including limiting a tenant’s liability for careless damage in rental properties....
01.09.19
Subdivisions are more common than you think. A subdivision can range from the carving up of hundreds of acres of rural land for housing, developing land in a prime commercial area, selling half your section or simply wanting to extend your boundary....
01.08.19
As much as we like to think we are living in the modern day, there are still a large number of relationships that follow the more ‘traditional’ practice of having one party act as the ‘homemaker’, while the other acts as the ‘breadwinner’. ...
30.07.19
Looking to purchase a business? We can help! There are a number of steps involved in buying a business, and working your way through them can seem quite overwhelming, particularly for first time buyers. ...
08.06.19
Making sure everyone you care about gets a fair share of your property after you die is an issue most of us grapple with. This may also have additional complications when you have a blended family....
01.06.19
Generally speaking, GST on a property sale and purchase between two GST-registered entities results in a ‘GST neutral’ position for both the seller and the buyer. ...
01.04.19
Most people are now aware of the importance of having an enduring power of attorney (EPA). If you are unable to make decisions for yourself at any stage (either temporarily or longer term) it is important there is someone in place to act on your behalf. ...
01.01.19
There are many tasks to complete before you move into your new home. Here we have a list of jobs to be done in the coming weeks. Tick these off as you go!...
01.12.18
New Zealanders love to talk about property. There are a multitude of topics relating to property that Kiwis have an intimate knowledge and understanding about which form the topic of water cooler and dinner conversation. ...
01.09.18
If you have a family trust set up a number of years ago, it’s good practice to review it to ensure it is still ‘fit for purpose’. Leading on from that is the question that is often asked of us, “Should I bring my trust to an end?” ...
01.04.18
The final step before you settle your property purchase is to undertake a ‘pre-purchase inspection’. This gives you the right to inspect the property one last time and raise any last-minute issues about the property....
01.01.10
Buying and selling a home can be an exciting time. There’s an opportunity to realise your hopes and dreams, and perhaps to begin a new part of your life. ...
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