Waikato District Council is updating its Land Information Memoranda (LIMs) to reflect legislative changes that require clearer disclosure of natural hazard and climate-change risks for individual properties.
The national amendments to the Local Government (Official Information and Meetings) Act 1987 (“LGOIMA”) and accompanying regulations now set out how councils must present information on natural hazards such as flooding, erosion and land instability in LIMs.
What is changing?
From Friday 17 October onwards, LIMs issued by WDC may include the natural-hazard information held by Council, and will also bring in relevant information held by other authorities. The intention is to give property owners and prospective buyers clearer, more usable information about known hazards affecting a site.
Which parts of the district are most affected?
While the exact number of properties impacted is not yet available, any property in Waikato District located in an area recognised as having hazards may be subject to the updated disclosures. Key areas include:
- Low-lying river corridors such as around Huntly, Ngaaruaawahia and Te Kauwhata
- Coastal and harbour communities including Raglan and Port Waikato
- Areas with known land-instability, subsidence or erosion risk
These locations are more likely to appear in the “natural hazards” section of the updated LIM.
What homeowners and buyers can expect
When a LIM is requested, it may now include:
- Flooding risk
- Coastal erosion or inundation (including sea-level rise considerations)
- Landslides or slope instability
- Ground subsidence or collapse
- Earthquake faulting and liquefaction risk
- Volcanic or geothermal activity (where relevant)
These disclosures are drawn from WDC’s records, district and regional hazard maps, scientific assessments and data supplied by regional authorities.
Will property values be affected?
These changes reflect new legal obligations and disclosure practices. Council has no information about how property values might be affected by the inclusion of additional hazard information in LIMs.
Why Council supports this change
WDC considers the clearer disclosure of hazard information to be important for transparency and decision-making. With these reforms, property buyers and owners are better informed about known risks. The standardised format across councils also supports consistency, public safety and risk-management for property owners and communities.
What you should do
If you are purchasing a property or seeking a LIM:
- Be aware that the new hazard information will now form part of the LIM issued by Council.
- Review any hazard information carefully and consider discussing it with a professional adviser (e.g., surveyor, engineer, insurer).
- The inclusion of hazard information does not impose new restrictions on your property, but helps you and your advisor understand existing known risks.