Council produces LIMs in half the statutory time
June 17, 2005

In the thriving property market of the past year, North Shore City Council processed more than 4000 LIMs (land information memoranda), achieving an average turnaround time of five days - half the time demanded by law.

LIMs are mostly sought by prospective homebuyers seeking peace of mind for one of the biggest investment decisions of their lives.

LIMs are produced by councils and contain a host of information about the property including zoning rules, how much the rates are, what consents have been approved and where to find drains.

North Shore City's chief information officer, Tony Rogers, says the council's LIMs team has consistently processed LIMs within five working days in the face of a heavy load, which increased by 43 per cent on the previous year as the housing boom fuelled demand for the service.

"Five years ago, we had difficulty meeting the 10-day statutory deadline but since we introduced our electronic document management system we've delivered faster, more accurate information to more customers.

"Our council has good records and we work hard to source as much accurate and current data from across our diverse organisation as we can when compiling each LIM.

"A LIM is valuable for so many reasons including finding out what development is being planned for the property next door to the one you're looking to buy.

"It's a useful safeguard popular with vendors and buyers alike to prove the property is legal. A good example is ensuring all alterations such as the new log fire in the lounge have been safely completed, inspected and signed off.

"It's a great peace-of-mind to all concerned and keeps insurance companies happy too," says the long-time Glenfield resident who has used the service himself in recent years.

Applicants need only complete a simple form, supply a copy of the certificate of title and pay the $200 fee which covers the cost of sourcing and collating all the information held by the council about the property. It is a valid document for two days after its creation and is relevant to the person who has paid for it.

"Application forms are within easy reach on our website www.northshorecity.govt.nz and at each of our six area offices where they can be dropped off for processing by our Information Management team," Mr Rogers says.

Applicants can choose to receive their LIM by mail or collect it from North Shore City's Environmental Services' offices at 521 Lake Rd, Takapuna.

The council's research shows increasing satisfaction for the LIMs service from property vendors and buyers, realtors and conveyancing solicitors alike.

The Information Management team is responding to customer feedback seeking electronic access to the service by upgrading the council's website to give people the option of requesting, receiving and paying for a LIM online. It is expected that this additional benefit will be available later this year.

For more information about the LIMs service, people are invited to visit www.northshorecity.govt.nz or call North Shore City Actionline on 486 8600.

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