Date: 28th Sep 2026
Buying a house in New Zealand comes with a fair amount of paperwork, and some of it carries more weight than the rest. A LIM report is one of the most useful documents you can get your hands on, though it's not the only thing you should check before you sign anything.
Here, we cover everything you need to know about LIM reports, and how they fit into the due diligence you'll do during a house purchase.
A Land Information Memorandum (LIM) is a comprehensive report prepared by a city or district council at the request of a buyer, seller, or their representative. It pulls together the relevant information the council holds on a property, like consents, rates, notices, and any requisitions affecting the land, presenting it as a single document.
A LIM reflects what the council knew on the day it's issued. It's not an inspection of the property itself, and won't include anything the council was never notified about, such as previous work on the house that was never reported.
A LIM report can tell you about:
Much of this isn't visible from a walk-through of the property. A council's property records can reveal whether renovations were correctly consented, or whether there's a zoning restriction that could affect what you're able to do with the property down the track.
The way councils report natural hazards in a LIM changed in 2025, and it's worth knowing what that means for you as a buyer.
From 1 July 2025, regional councils have to pass on the natural hazard information they hold to the city or district council preparing your LIM. That includes hazards already on record and potential hazards identified through modelling, which previously might never have made it into a LIM at all.
From 17 October 2025, LIMs also have to present that information in a standardised natural hazards section, so it's easier to find and easier to compare between properties. That section covers known or potential natural hazards affecting the land, the impacts of climate change that could make those hazards worse, and the combined effect of the two. In practice, you're likely to see more hazard detail than buyers did a few years ago, particularly around flooding, coastal erosion, and land instability.
A LIM issued before then won't include this section, which is a good reason not to rely on an older report.
A LIM is one part of the due diligence before buying a house, not the whole process. Buying a property generally involves three other checks:
A LIM flags problems that are otherwise easy to overlook. If work was carried out on the property without the required consent, the council can't issue that consent after the fact. The closest option is a Certificate of Acceptance, which the council can only issue for work it can actually inspect — so anything already closed up behind linings or underground may not be covered. Unconsented work can create real complications for insurance and future resale.
A LIM lets you see this before you're committed, giving you the chance to negotiate a fix with the seller or walk away, rather than discovering it after settlement.
You can apply for a LIM report directly through the local council where the property is located, either yourself or through your lawyer, conveyancer, or the real estate agent handling the sale. Most councils let you request a LIM report online, and you'll need to supply the property address and pay the council's fee upfront before they'll start processing it.
Check your specific council's website for the exact steps on how to apply for a LIM report. Check the council's cancellation policy before you apply, too. Most charge a cancellation fee if you withdraw a request partway through processing, and the amount can depend on how far along the application already is.
Every council sets its own fee, so the cost of a LIM report depends on where the property is and whether you choose standard or urgent processing. As a general guide, expect to pay $300–$600 depending on the council, with urgent processing available for an additional fee where offered.
Since it's your due diligence in buying a house, you'll usually be the one paying for a property LIM report. Occasionally a seller will have one prepared upfront to support their marketing, but buyers and their lawyers will typically still want to check the date and consider obtaining a LIM report themselves.
By law, councils must provide a LIM within 10 working days of receiving a complete application, under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, though some offer a faster, paid urgent service that can bring this down to a few working days. This statutory clock pauses every year over the council shutdown period from 20 December to 10 January, so if you apply for a LIM report close to Christmas, it can take longer than usual.
Yes, and this is exactly what a due diligence condition in your sale and purchase agreement is designed for. Most residential sales in New Zealand use the standard TLANZ/REINZ agreement (formerly known as ADLS/REINZ), which allows conditions such as finance, a building report, and a LIM to be included on the front page.
Some buyers also negotiate a broader due diligence condition into the agreement's Further Terms of Sale, giving them a defined window to investigate the property. How much freedom you have depends on how the condition is worded — some are drafted so the buyer can cancel at their sole discretion, others require the buyer to act reasonably. This is why the wording should be drafted or reviewed by your lawyer.
Either way, the ability to cancel exists because, while a condition remains unsatisfied, the agreement is binding but not yet unconditional. If the LIM shows a problem, or another condition uncovers one you're not prepared to accept, you can generally either negotiate with the seller or cancel the agreement. Just make sure you do so within the timeframe and process set out in the contract. Once every condition has been satisfied or waived, the agreement becomes unconditional, and both parties are committed to completing the sale.
Generally, the buyer pays for their own LIM as part of their due diligence. A seller will occasionally arrange one upfront to support their marketing, but buyers usually still request a LIM report themselves to be sure the information provided is current.
No. A LIM summarises what the council's own records say about the property, including consents, rates, and hazard information. A building report is a physical inspection carried out by a qualified building inspector, assessing the actual condition of the house. Most buyers get both, since each covers something the other doesn't.
Getting one is still a good idea. A LIM will confirm that any consents for the build have been correctly issued and signed off. It will also flag anything else the council holds on file, such as zoning conditions or natural hazard information that could affect the property regardless of its age.
You can look at it, but be cautious. A LIM only reflects information current as of the date it was issued, and an older one may not include recent updates to the council's hazard or consent records. It's also generally addressed to whoever requested it, which can affect how much you're able to rely on it if something in the report turns out to be wrong. Ordering your own is the safer option.
A LIM covers council records about the property: consents, rates, zoning, and hazard information. A title search covers the legal ownership of the land itself, including who owns it and any registered interests such as mortgages, easements, or covenants. They answer different questions, and both are typically checked as part of due diligence when buying a house.
It depends on what the issue is and how your sale and purchase agreement is structured. If your offer is conditional on a satisfactory LIM, an issue such as unconsented work or a hazard notation generally gives you the option to negotiate with the seller or withdraw from the agreement. Just make sure you do so within the timeframe set out in your contract.
No, a LIM isn't a legal requirement to complete a property purchase. It's a standard part of due diligence that most lawyers and agents strongly recommend. It's one of the few ways to check the council's own records on a property before you're committed to buying it.
A LIM doesn't carry an official expiry date, and since it only reflects what the council knew on the day it was issued, its usefulness fades the older it gets. Keep in mind that LIMs issued before 17 October 2025 won't include the standardised natural hazards section.
A LIM report tells you a lot, but as covered above, it's only one part of the due diligence process. Coordinating everything within the timeframes set out in your sale and purchase agreement takes some juggling.
That's where a Tremains agent can help. We can talk you through what due diligence looks like for the specific property you're interested in, and help you understand how the pieces fit together before you commit.
Find a Tremains agency near you, or reach out to us today to begin.
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Your lawyer is the right person to advise you on your specific sale and purchase agreement.
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