Official Council Document
LIM Report
LIM Report Wellington | Land Information Memorandum for Wellington Properties
Quick Answer
Wellington property records sit with Wellington City Council, and a LIM Report is how they are released. The report covers building consents and code compliance certificates, zoning and overlays, rates, water and drainage connections, and any hazard information the council holds for the land.
A Wellington property comes with a regulatory history, and the council is the only body that holds it. Consents granted and consents left open, the zoning that governs what can be done with the site, drainage and services, and hazard information covering seismic activity on the Wellington Fault. A Land Information Memorandum is the formal release of that record. In a district defined by hillside housing on steep sites, apartments, and heritage buildings subject to earthquake-prone notices, it is the document that turns assumptions into facts.
Key Facts
Location
Wellington
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. It is a disclosure obligation, not a discretionary service: where a request is properly made, the council must provide the information it holds about the property. For a Wellington address that covers consents and code compliance, zoning and overlays, rates, services, and hazards such as seismic activity on the Wellington Fault. What it does not cover is the physical state of anything built on the land.
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 report is organised around what's on the official file. Consents
every building consent, permit and code compliance certificate on file, which is where an unclosed consent becomes visible
Planning: the zoning, overlays and designations governing what the site may be used for
Services: water, wastewater and stormwater connections with drainage plans where held
Land: hazards recorded for the site, in Wellington typically seismic activity on the Wellington Fault, slope instability, tsunami exposure and sea-level rise
Plus rates, and any notices outstanding against the property
Why People Order
Three reasons dominate in Wellington.
First, confirming that what stands on the property was actually approved — official records the consents, and the absence of one is what buyers look for.
Second, hazard exposure, which for this district commonly means seismic activity on the Wellington Fault and directly affects insurance and lending.
Third, satisfying a solicitor who needs the council position in writing before advising on a conditional offer.
Real World Use Cases
A vendor preparing to list in Wellington orders early, finds an outstanding the council notice from work done years earlier, and clears it before it surfaces in a buyer's report.
A purchaser reviewing the hazard section sees seismic activity on the Wellington Fault recorded against the site and obtains an insurance quote before going unconditional.
An investor confirms a converted space was consented — it was not, and the offer is renegotiated.
Council & Property Context
It maintains the property file, processes building and resource consents, and issues the LIM. The capital's market, where earthquake-prone building notices and slope stability dominate due diligence. That local context shapes what appears on a Wellington LIM: seismic activity on the Wellington Fault, slope instability, tsunami exposure and sea-level rise are the hazard categories most likely to be recorded, and the district's housing stock — hillside housing on steep sites, apartments, and heritage buildings subject to earthquake-prone notices — determines the kind of consent history you should expect to see. A Wellington LIM reflects that district's records specifically; it does not carry information held for any other district.
Common Mistakes
The expensive one is timing: ordering late in a conditional period so the report arrives after the decision it was meant to inform.
After that, treating presentation as evidence of consent — in Wellington as everywhere, well-executed unconsented work is common.
Then assuming the agent would have mentioned a problem, when consent gaps are frequently unknown to everyone in the chain, vendor included.
When Not Sufficient
Three gaps matter. Ownership and registered interests — easements, covenants, the tenure type — appear only on the record of title. Physical condition appears only in a building inspection. And anything done to a Wellington property with no council involvement at all leaves no trace on the the council file, which is precisely why an inspection remains necessary alongside it.
How To Order
Start with the address. Select residential or commercial, add Fast Track Processing if you are working to a date, and complete the order. We obtain the official record and deliver the finished report by email. If you have a deadline, tell us when you order and we will confirm whether it is achievable before you commit.
Turnaround & Delivery
Most Wellington LIM Reports arrive within 15 working days of a confirmed order. Fast Track Processing is available for NZ$299 — your order is prioritised to the front of the queue and targeted for delivery within 10 working days. A complex file can occasionally take longer, so build in margin if you are working toward an unconditional date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a Wellington 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.
Does a Wellington LIM cover land stability and slope risk?
Where the council holds it. Slope instability is recorded as a special land feature, and on hillside sites it can carry consent conditions or restrictions on further building. A LIM discloses the council record; a geotechnical report is the separate engagement that assesses the ground itself.
How does a LIM work for a Wellington 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.
Does a Wellington LIM show heritage listings and restrictions?
Yes, where the council holds them. Heritage scheduling and character overlays appear in the district plan information, and they materially affect what can be altered, demolished or extended. On older Wellington housing stock this is one of the first sections to read.
Why are Wellington LIMs taking longer than 10 working days?
Reporting through 2026 indicates the council has been averaging between 18 and 28 working days against a statutory maximum of 10, and its expedited option has been suspended. If you are buying in Wellington, build that into your conditional dates rather than assuming the statutory figure.
Should I still get a building inspection if I have a Wellington LIM?
Yes. They answer different questions. The LIM shows what the 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 Wellington LIM Report
Enter the Wellington address and we will obtain the full Wellington City Council record for the property. Residential NZ$1,299. Commercial NZ$2,499. Fast Track Processing NZ$299.
Get Your LIM Report - WellingtonProperty Records Team
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