NELSON BUILDING REPORTS
Do I need a LIM, Land Information Memorandum, report from the council?
Yes, you certainly need a LIM, Land Information Memorandum, report from the Council.
A LIM report is a summary of the information the council has on their records. Some things are basic information:
Rateable valuation data
Rates and water charges
Resource Management Plan Overlays
Swimming pool fence and wood burner compliance
Protected buildings and trees, historic buildings
Likely presence of hazardous contaminants
Resource and subdivision Consents
Building Permits and Consents
Building Notices or Orders
Drainage information relating to the sewer and stormwater
That’s all useful to be collected in one bundle but many of these things can be found for free elsewhere, if you know where to look.
The main reason to pay money for the LIM report is to find out the status of Resource and Building Consents, or Building Orders affecting the land or buildings.
You find out the status of the wood burner, or whether the house has been designated as requiring extensive rectification work due to P contamination.
You also learn what building work has been authorised by the Council.
Many houses, maybe even up to 25%, in Nelson have had some work that should have required a Building Permit, prior to 1994, or Building Consent, subsequently.
If there has been an extension to the house this should have been consented by the council. Any Building Consent is clearly identified on the LIM report.
There are two parts to Building Consent.
The initial application for a Building Consent, ie, submission and acceptance of the necessary documentation.
At the conclusion of the work, the issuing of the CCC, Code Compliance Certificate, which shows the council has inspected the completed works and are satisfied it has been done in accordance with the documentation, and at the required standard.
If there is incomplete, or unauthorised work done to a house it can be time-consuming and expensive to regularise this with the council.
And that may affect the insurance situation of the house.
A LIM report from Nelson City Council costs $285. Tasman District Council charges $266.
Is it worth it? Sure thing.
Otherwise you could be buying a bundle of trouble.