Official Council Document
LIM Report
LIM Report When Buying a House
Quick Answer
Order the LIM as soon as your offer is accepted and the due diligence clock starts — or before you make an offer if the property is going to auction. The statutory processing window is 10 working days, which consumes most of a standard conditional period on its own.
Buying a house in New Zealand runs to a sequence, and the LIM has a place in it that most first time buyers get wrong by a week or two. Ordered at the right point it informs your conditions and your negotiation. Ordered late it arrives after the decisions it was supposed to support. This page sets the LIM in the context of the whole purchase, from viewing through to settlement, and explains what it changes at each stage.
Key Facts
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What Is This Document
In a standard conditional purchase, the sequence is: view, offer, acceptance, due diligence period, conditions satisfied or not, unconditional, settlement. The LIM belongs at the start of the due diligence period, alongside the title search and the building inspection. First home buyers accounted for 27.7% of purchases, and it is the group most likely to leave the LIM until the end of the conditional period, when there is no time left to act on what it says.
Which Document Do I Need
| Situation | Recommended Document |
|---|---|
| Three documents, three questions. The LIM | what does the council hold, and was everything consented? The record of title, held by Land Information New Zealand: who owns it and what is registered against it? The building inspection: what physical condition is it in? A conditional offer typically allows for all three, and the conditions should be drafted to give you enough time to obtain and act on them. |
What Information Is Included
For a house purchase the sections that matter most are the consent history, which reveals whether additions and alterations were approved and closed out; the hazard information, which affects insurance and lending; the zoning and any overlays, which affect what you can do with the property later; and any notices or requisitions, which become your responsibility on settlement.
Drainage and services information matters more than buyers expect, particularly on older properties.
Why People Order
Because a conditional offer is the only leverage you have.
If the LIM shows unconsented work, you can require the vendor to regularise it before settlement, negotiate a price reduction, or withdraw — but only while the condition is live.
Once you go unconditional the position is fixed and the problem is yours.
The value of the LIM is not just knowing; it is knowing while you still have a contractual right to act.
Real World Use Cases
A buyer's LIM shows a deck and a carport with no code compliance certificate.
The offer is renegotiated with the vendor closing out the consent before settlement.
Another buyer finds the property sits in a flood-prone area, obtains an insurance quote that is higher than budgeted, and adjusts the offer.
A third finds a cross-lease arrangement more restrictive than expected.
A fourth finds nothing at all and goes unconditional with confidence.
Council & Property Context
New Zealand's conditional purchase structure is what makes the LIM useful — it creates a window in which information can still change the outcome. That window is typically 10 to 15 working days, and the council's statutory processing time for a LIM is 10 working days. The arithmetic is tight by design of neither party, and it is the main reason LIMs arrive too late to be acted on. Ordering on the day the offer is accepted, rather than a few days into the period, is what makes the difference.
Common Mistakes
Ordering mid-way through the conditional period rather than at the start.
Drafting a conditional period too short to accommodate the statutory processing window.
Going unconditional before the LIM arrives because the deadline is approaching — which converts an information problem into a permanent one.
Assuming the bank's valuation includes any of this.
Not reading the drainage and services section, which on older properties frequently contains the surprise.
When Not Sufficient
The LIM is one of three documents and it does not replace the others. It will not tell you whether the house is sound, whether the roof needs replacing, or whether the price is reasonable. It does not confirm ownership or reveal registered interests. And it is not legal advice — your solicitor interprets what it means for your particular contract.
How To Order
Order on the day your offer is accepted, or before auction if the property is going to auction. Enter the address, select residential, and add Fast Track Processing if your conditional period is short. We identify the council, lodge, and deliver electronically. Send it to your solicitor as soon as it arrives.
Turnaround & Delivery
Councils must supply a LIM within 10 working days of receiving a complete application. That timeframe is set by section 44A of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Set against a typical 10 to 15 working day conditional period, that leaves very little margin. Order at the start of the period rather than partway through, and where the conditional window is short, Fast Track Processing at NZ$299 protects the timeline at our end.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I order a LIM when buying a house?
On the day your offer is accepted and the conditional period starts, or before auction day if the property is going to auction. The 10 working day statutory window consumes most of a standard conditional period.
Should the LIM be a condition of my offer?
That is a question for your solicitor, but it is common. A LIM condition gives you a contractual right to act on what the report discloses, rather than simply knowing about it after you are committed.
What if the LIM comes back with problems after I have gone unconditional?
Your position is significantly weaker. Once unconditional the contract stands, and issues the LIM discloses become yours to resolve. That is why the timing matters more than the report.
Do I need a LIM as a first home buyer?
First home buyers were 27.7% of purchases and are the group least likely to have bought before, which makes the council record more valuable, not less. It is also the group most likely to be buying older housing stock.
Can my solicitor order the LIM for me?
Yes, and many do. Ordering it yourself and forwarding it to them is often faster, because it removes a step from the chain.
Does the LIM affect my mortgage application?
It can. Lenders may ask about consent status or hazard exposure, and material consent problems have led to finance being declined. Having the LIM early means knowing before the lender does.
Order Your LIM Report
Order as soon as your offer is accepted. Residential NZ$1,299. Fast Track NZ$299.
Get Your LIM ReportNearby Regions
Property Records Team
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