Official Council Document
LIM Report
LIM Report for the Chatham Islands
Quick Answer
A Land Information Memorandum for a Waitangi address is the formal release of the property file held by Chatham Islands Council. It shows what has been consented and closed out, how the land is zoned, and what the council records about coastal erosion and other hazards affecting the site.
Buying in Waitangi means buying whatever is on the council file along with the land. Chatham Islands Council records the consent history, the district plan position and any hazards it is aware of — for this district commonly coastal erosion. Those obligations transfer to the new owner regardless of who created them. With a local market of island settlement housing and pastoral holdings, a LIM is how you find out what you are inheriting while you can still act on it.
Key Facts
Location
Chatham Islands
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. For a Waitangi property the records are those held by Chatham Islands Council. The report draws together what the authority holds on its property file: consent records, rating information, drainage and services data, district plan zoning, and any hazard information it is aware of. It is a disclosure at a point in time — not an inspection, and not a valuation.
Which Document Do I Need
They answer different questions and most buyers need both.
| Situation | Recommended Document |
|---|---|
| What Chatham Islands 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
A Waitangi LIM from Chatham Islands Council typically covers
building consents, permits and code compliance certificates held on the property file
the district plan zoning and any overlays or designations affecting the site
rates information and any outstanding amounts
stormwater, wastewater and water supply connections, including drainage plans where held
hazards known to the council — for Waitangi commonly coastal erosion, tsunami exposure and extreme weather
and any requisitions, notices or orders issued against the property
Why People Order
Buyers in Waitangi order a LIM to find out what has been consented before they commit.
Unconsented work is the most common discovery, and it transfers to the new owner along with the obligation to resolve it.
Lenders and insurers increasingly ask about hazard exposure before confirming terms, and since the natural hazard provisions came into force in October 2025 councils record that information more fully than they once did.
Real World Use Cases
A buyer in Waitangi finds a deck and a carport on the property file with no code compliance certificate, and the vendor is asked to close out the consent before settlement.
A purchaser discovers the site sits in an area affected by coastal erosion, which changes both the insurance quote and the lending conversation.
An owner planning a subdivision checks the zoning and services position before committing to survey costs.
Council & Property Context
Chatham Islands Council is the territorial authority responsible for Waitangi. It maintains the property file, processes building and resource consents, and issues the LIM. New Zealand's most remote territorial authority, with a very small transaction volume. That local context shapes what appears on a Waitangi LIM: coastal erosion, tsunami exposure and extreme weather are the hazard categories most likely to be recorded, and the district's housing stock — island settlement housing and pastoral holdings — determines the kind of consent history you should expect to see. A Waitangi LIM reflects that district's records specifically; it does not carry information held for any other district.
Common Mistakes
Assuming a LIM covers physical condition — it records what Chatham Islands Council holds, not what a builder would find.
Assuming that because a structure exists it was consented.
Relying on a LIM the vendor obtained months earlier, when council records have since changed.
Leaving the order until the final days of a due diligence period.
reading a clear LIM as a guarantee, when it confirms only that the council holds no record of a problem.
When Not Sufficient
A LIM is not enough on its own. It will not tell you who owns the property or what is registered against the title — that requires a record of title. It will not identify defects, weathertightness issues or structural problems; that is a building inspection. It does not value the property. For a full picture of a Waitangi property, a LIM sits alongside a title search and an independent building report.
How To Order
Provide the Waitangi property address and confirm whether you need the residential or commercial report. Complete the order and we take care of the rest — we obtain the full Chatham Islands Council record for the property and deliver your completed LIM Report electronically as soon as it is ready.
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. Chatham Islands Council works to that statutory timeframe. Processing can take longer where a property file is complex or the council is dealing with a volume peak, so allow more than the minimum if you are working to a deadline. Fast Track Processing is available for NZ$299 and moves your order to the front of the queue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Waitangi LIM cover coastal erosion and sea-level rise?
Where Chatham Islands Council holds that information, yes. Coastal councils increasingly map erosion setbacks and inundation zones, and those overlays can restrict what may be built or rebuilt on a site. The LIM discloses what the council knows — it is not a coastal engineering assessment of the property.
How is erosion recorded on a Waitangi LIM?
As a special land feature where Chatham Islands Council holds the information. In this district erosion is a recurring entry and can affect both what may be built and how the property is insured.
What does a Waitangi LIM show for a rural property?
The consent history for dwellings and farm buildings, the zoning and any rural overlays, rating information, and the water and wastewater arrangements Chatham Islands Council holds. On rural land the services section is usually the most valuable part, because on-site systems are rarely documented anywhere else.
Can I order a LIM for a Waitangi property?
Yes. Chatham Islands Council maintains property records like any other territorial authority and the same statutory framework applies. Ordering is remote and the report is delivered electronically, so location is no obstacle.
Can I get a LIM for a Waitangi property I do not own?
Yes. A LIM can be requested by anyone for any property — you do not need to own it or have the owner's permission. That is precisely what makes it usable for pre-purchase due diligence.
Should I still get a building inspection if I have a Waitangi LIM?
Yes. They answer different questions. The LIM shows what Chatham Islands Council consented; an inspection shows the physical condition of what was built. A well-constructed unconsented extension passes an inspection and still becomes your problem.
Order Your LIM Report Now
Enter the Waitangi address and we will obtain the full Chatham Islands Council record for the property. Residential NZ$1,299. Commercial NZ$2,499. Fast Track Processing NZ$299.
Get Your LIM Report - Chatham IslandsProperty Records Team
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