Official Council Document
LIM Report
LIM Report Auckland | Land Information Memorandum for Auckland Properties
Quick Answer
An Auckland LIM Report answers one question: what does Auckland Council know about this property? That covers the consent history, the zoning rules applying to the site, the services connected to it, and recorded hazards such as the Auckland volcanic field. It is a disclosure of council-held information, not an inspection.
Unconsented work is the most common problem found on Auckland properties, and it is invisible until someone reads the council file. The council holds that file, and a Land Information Memorandum releases it — consents, zoning, drainage, rates, and hazards including the Auckland volcanic field. In a district characterised by cross-lease and unit-title properties, apartments, and intensification sites under the Auckland Unitary Plan, the gap between what exists on site and what the council approved is worth closing before settlement, not after.
Key Facts
Location
Auckland
Online Delivery
Delivered online via email
What Is This Document
A Land Information Memorandum is a formal statement issued under section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. In practical terms, the council takes everything on file for an Auckland address and issues it as one document: the consent history, the zoning and any overlays applying to the site, rating information, the water, wastewater and stormwater position, and recorded hazards including the Auckland volcanic field. It is the regulatory picture of the property, compiled by the body that holds it.
Which Document Do I Need
They answer different questions and most buyers need both.
| Situation | Recommended Document |
|---|---|
| What the council knows. | LIM |
| Who owns the land and what legal interests are registered against it — easements, covenants, mortgages, cross-lease or unit title structures. | Record of title |
| If you are assessing physical condition | Building inspection |
to commission; a LIM records what was consented, not whether the work was done well or has since deteriorated.
What Information Is Included
The council compiles the Auckland report from its property file
consents and permits with their compliance status
zoning and overlays under the district plan
rating information
water, wastewater and stormwater connections and any drainage plans held
special land features and hazards — in this district the Auckland volcanic field and flood plains feature regularly
resource consents where they apply
and any requisitions, orders or notices registered against the property
Why People Order
Vendors order before listing to find problems while there is still time to fix them.
Buyers order during the conditional period, because that is the only window in which the information can still change the outcome.
Solicitors order to advise on conditions.
Owners order when refinancing, subdividing or planning work — all situations where the official record decides what is possible.
Real World Use Cases
A first-home buyer in Auckland orders on the day their offer is accepted, finds a garage conversion was never consented, and uses the conditional clause to require it be regularised.
A family buying cross-lease and unit-title properties checks the drainage position and finds the property is on an on-site system the agent had not mentioned.
An owner refinancing supplies the official record to their lender to resolve a query about an extension.
Council & Property Context
It maintains the property file, processes building and resource consents, and issues the LIM. New Zealand's largest and most complex property market, with the widest range of title types. That local context shapes what appears on an Auckland LIM: the Auckland volcanic field, flood plains, overland flow paths and coastal inundation are the hazard categories most likely to be recorded, and the district's housing stock — cross-lease and unit-title properties, apartments, and intensification sites under the Auckland Unitary Plan — determines the kind of consent history you should expect to see. An Auckland LIM reflects that district's records specifically; it does not carry information held for any other district.
Common Mistakes
Buyers routinely under-read two sections.
The consent history — where what matters is the code compliance certificate, not the consent itself, because an open consent is an unresolved obligation.
the hazard entries, where the Auckland volcanic field in this district can affect insurance terms in ways that change the arithmetic of the purchase.
Both reward slow reading.
When Not Sufficient
A LIM answers the council question and only the council question. It says nothing about structural soundness, weathertightness, or the condition of services on site. It does not confirm ownership or reveal what is registered against the land. And it is not legal advice — your solicitor interprets what the official record means for your particular contract.
How To Order
Enter the Auckland address, choose residential or commercial, and order. We obtain the full the council property record and deliver it to you by email. Ordering for more than one Auckland property works the same way — each is reported separately, and you track them together.
Turnaround & Delivery
Delivery for an Auckland property runs to a standard 15 working days from order confirmation. Add Fast Track Processing (NZ$299) and your order is prioritised, with delivery targeted within 10 working days. If you are buying at auction or your due-diligence clause has a fixed end date, choose Fast Track and order at the start of your window.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does volcanic hazard appear on an Auckland LIM?
official records volcanic hazard information where it holds it, which in this district can include ashfall, lahar pathways and proximity to identified hazard zones. It affects both planning rules and insurance assessment, and it is disclosed as council-held information rather than as a site-specific risk rating.
Does a flood notation on an Auckland LIM affect insurance?
It can. Insurers increasingly price flood exposure directly, and a notation on the official record is the kind of information an underwriter will ask about. Obtain the LIM before your finance and insurance conditions expire, so a revised premium is something you can act on rather than absorb.
Do I need a LIM for a cross-lease property in Auckland?
Yes, and arguably more so. Cross-lease titles frequently carry alterations made without the other owners' consent or without council consent, and the official record is where the consent side of that shows up. The title documentation covers the legal side — you need both.
How does a LIM work for an Auckland apartment or unit title?
The LIM covers the property as official records it, including consents and code compliance for the building. For an apartment you also need the body corporate records and the unit title disclosure documents, which come from the body corporate rather than the council and cover the things a LIM does not.
How long does an Auckland LIM take given council volumes?
The statutory maximum is 10 working days from a complete application. High-volume urban authorities like the council process large numbers of requests, and periods of peak demand can push actual timeframes out. Order early if you are working to a conditional date.
What is the difference between an Auckland LIM and a title search?
The LIM is the council's record — consents, zoning, rates, hazards. A record of title, held by Land Information New Zealand, shows legal ownership and registered interests such as easements and covenants. Different bodies, different information, and most buyers need both.
Order Your Auckland LIM Report
Enter the Auckland address and we will obtain the full Auckland Council record for the property. Residential NZ$1,299. Commercial NZ$2,499. Fast Track Processing NZ$299.
Get Your LIM Report - AucklandProperty Records Team
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