Being approached by agents working on behalf of the New Zealand Transport Agency or the Council and informed that your land is required as part of an infrastructure project can be overwhelming and extremely stressful. It is important that you know that you have the right to receive support to guide you through the acquisition process.
All landowners are entitled have their reasonable costs covered when it comes to reaching agreement for the acquisition of your land. It may be that you are faced with compulsory acquisition, however even if this is the case, you will still need to deal with the determination of the compensation due to you for the loss of your land.
Compensation extends beyond the market value of the land. You may be dealing with the interruption to a business operating on the property, it may be that your business needs to be relocated, it may be that your operations are temporarily disrupted, and you suffer an element of business loss, or in extreme cases your business may no longer be viable to continue and will be closed down completely.
Not matter what your individual circumstances are, having the right team around you can make all the difference to what will undoubtedly be a stressful situation.
We have been working in the Public Works Act space for many years and our experience is recognised by Land Information New Zealand who are the administrators of the Act. We are concerned about making sure that landowners receive fair compensation and are supported in the process. In addition to legal advice on the agreement, our expertise is particularly valuable when it comes to compensation entitlements.
We have valuation and property experience and are able to scrutinise the reports that will be put on the table. These are independent and unbiased opinions, and they will always differ. Our job is to assist to resolve any differences so that agreement can be reached and you can move on with your life.
Supporting landowners with
When it comes to compensation, valuers are independent professionals who provide their expert opinion as to the value of your land. It is not their job to advocate to get the best possible outcome for their instructing party. We are unashamedly in your camp and will advocate on your behalf to resolve any differences of opinion with the goal of reaching agreement as to your fair compensation entitlements.
Supporting Landowners with
We will take the lead in communicating with the authorities in all matters relating to the acquisition of your land. We will be the point of contact when it comes to drawing up an acquisition agreement and resolving compensation issues.
We will liaise with any other professional advisors who need to be brought on board to gain a full understanding of the impact of the project on your property and try to eliminate as much stress as possible for you.
It cannot be overstated how stressful a compulsory acquisition can be. Having support in place through this process can make a huge difference.
Supporting landowners with
We have extensive knowledge of compensation entitlements under the Public Works Act and work tirelessly to ensure the fair and equitable settlement of compensation.
We are able to scrutinise valuation reports for compliance and push back on your behalf where differences of opinion exist. We can also negotiate terms of an agreement for acquisition and make sure that everything relevant is covered off.
Compensation entitlements include
Your reasonable costs associated with negotiating an agreement to acquire your land are covered as part of your compensation entitlements under the Public Works Act. It is standard procedure for the acquiring authority to pay these costs as they are incurred as long as they pass the tests associated with reasonableness.