Official Council Document
LIM Report
LIM Report Martinborough | Land Information Memorandum for Martinborough Properties
Quick Answer
A Land Information Memorandum for a Martinborough address is the formal release of the property file held by South Wairarapa District Council. It shows what has been consented and closed out, how the land is zoned, and what the council records about river flooding and other hazards affecting the site.
Buying in Martinborough means buying whatever is on the council file along with the land. official records the consent history, the district plan position and any hazards it is aware of — for this district commonly river flooding. Those obligations transfer to the new owner regardless of who created them. With a local market of vineyard blocks, lifestyle properties and village housing, a LIM is how you find out what you are inheriting while you can still act on it.
Key Facts
Location
Martinborough
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. The council maintains a file on every property in the Martinborough district, built up over decades of consents, inspections, notices and plan changes. A LIM is the mechanism that opens it. The report covers consents and code compliance, zoning, rates, services and hazard information — a disclosure of what is recorded rather than an assessment of what exists.
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
Everything the council can tell you about the address, in one document.
For a Martinborough property that means the consent record and its compliance status, the zoning and any planning overlays, rates, the water and drainage position, hazard information covering river flooding, seismic activity and rural water constraints, and any notices the council has issued.
Since October 2025 the hazard section has been recorded more comprehensively than in earlier reports.
Why People Order
A Martinborough property presents well or badly, and neither tells you anything about its consent status.
That information exists only on the the council file.
The same is true of hazard exposure: whether a site is affected by river flooding is not visible at a viewing, but it shapes the insurance quote and can shape whether a lender proceeds at all.
Real World Use Cases
The pattern repeats across Martinborough: something visible on site has no matching entry on the the council file.
A conservatory, a second dwelling, a retaining wall.
Each becomes the new owner's obligation on settlement.
Separately, hazard entries covering river flooding regularly change the insurance position — buyers who find out during the conditional period adjust; those who find out afterwards absorb it.
Council & Property Context
It maintains the property file, processes building and resource consents, and issues the LIM. A wine-country market where vineyard and lifestyle transactions dominate. That local context shapes what appears on a Martinborough LIM: river flooding, seismic activity and rural water constraints are the hazard categories most likely to be recorded, and the district's housing stock — vineyard blocks, lifestyle properties and village housing — determines the kind of consent history you should expect to see. A Martinborough LIM reflects that district's records specifically; it does not carry information held for any other district.
Common Mistakes
Ordering too late to act.
Assuming a new build is safe — recent Martinborough construction has an active consent history and gaps are more common than expected.
Accepting the vendor's copy without checking its date.
Assuming the bank's valuation covers any of this; it does not.
going unconditional while the report is outstanding, which converts a timing problem into a permanent one.
When Not Sufficient
Do not treat a clean LIM as a clean bill of health. It confirms the council holds no record of a problem, which is a narrower statement than it appears. Unrecorded work, deterioration since the last inspection, and hazards the council has not mapped all sit outside it. Pair it with a title search and an independent building report.
How To Order
Enter the Martinborough 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 Martinborough property works the same way — each is reported separately, and you track them together.
Turnaround & Delivery
A Martinborough LIM Report is normally in your inbox within 15 working days of your confirmed order. For deadline-driven purchases, Fast Track Processing (NZ$299) prioritises your order to the front of the queue, targeting delivery within 10 working days. Complex records occasionally take longer, so leave margin around unconditional dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a flood notation on a Martinborough 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.
Will a Martinborough LIM tell me if a building is earthquake-prone?
It discloses what's on the official file, which can include an earthquake-prone building notice issued under the Building Act 2004. That matters for older commercial and multi-unit buildings in particular, because a notice carries a statutory deadline for strengthening work that passes to the new owner.
What should I check on a LIM for a Martinborough vineyard property?
Consents for buildings and any winery or cellar-door activity, the zoning and rural overlays, and the water arrangements official records. Water take consents sit with the regional council separately, and a vineyard purchase generally needs both records.
What should I check on a LIM for a Martinborough lifestyle block?
Services and consents. official records what is connected and what is on-site — water supply, wastewater, stormwater — plus consents for any dwellings, sheds and implement buildings. Unconsented farm structures are common and become the new owner's responsibility.
What is a vendor LIM and can I rely on one in Martinborough?
A vendor LIM is obtained by the seller before listing. You can read it, but check the issue date — official records change, and the report reflects the file on the day it was released rather than today.
Who pays for the LIM when buying in Martinborough — buyer or seller?
Usually the buyer, as part of due diligence. Some vendors obtain one before listing, but a buyer relying on the vendor's copy is relying on a snapshot taken at a date the vendor chose.
Order Your Martinborough LIM Report
Enter the Martinborough address and we will obtain the full South Wairarapa District Council record for the property. Residential NZ$1,299. Commercial NZ$2,499. Fast Track Processing NZ$299.
Get Your LIM Report - MartinboroughProperty Records Team
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