A look at New Zealand’s Age of Majority When does someone legally become an adult in New Zealand? Is it when you get your driver’s licence or when you can vote? New Zealanders may find this ‘age-old’ question difficult to answer. According to the Age of Majority Act 1970, the age at which a person is…
When Should You Update Your Will? Creating a will is a crucial step in ensuring your estate is managed according to your wishes after you pass away. However, drafting a will isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. Life changes, legal updates, and evolving personal circumstances can all require revisions. Knowing when and how often…
Land covenants are a legal mechanism that restrict one landowner’s freedom to do with their property as they wish, and typically provide a benefit to another landowner or person who wishes to control a property that they do not own. In New Zealand, land covenants are often used to fill large gaps in planning rules.…
With the recent flooding and slip events experienced by Auckland and in various regions of the North Island, landowners need to be aware what their responsibilities are to their neighbours and what rights they might have. Under the common law there is a natural right of support between owners of land. This imposes a duty…
Congratulations to Meg Skilton and Kate Bennett who were admitted to the bar at the High Court in Tauranga on Friday 5th August. The admission ceremony is a culmination of commitment to hard work and study over a number of years, and once the final paperwork is done, will see them practicing as fully fledged…
From today, eligible employees will receive an increase in the maximum weekly payment from $621.76 to $661.12 per week gross. The 6.33% increase is in line with the rise in average weekly earnings which is adjusted annually. Self employed parents will receive $200 to $212 gross per week, to reflect the minimum wage increase from…
Perhaps you have a lawyer for a friend. Or, maybe your gym buddy’s friend’s cousin’s boyfriend’s aunt is a lawyer. It may be tempting to ask for free legal advice. Lawyers are often approached for opinions and advice by people out of hours. This is a risky practice and here’s our top four reasons why;…
It’s clear that New Zealand is in the depths of a housing crisis, with the lack of supply and new development in our main urban centres in particular. Many commentators have proposed several solutions to try to fix this and there is merit to many of these solutions. However, without properly understanding the underlying causes…
What happens if you do not have Enduring Powers of Attorney? We all know (or should know) that a valid Will is important to have. A Will comes into effect on your death, appoints who will administer your estate, deals with your assets and liabilities and if valid, prevents an intestacy. Equally important and while…
As of 1 April 2021, new rules will govern the allocation of the purchase price for a business sale and purchase. For context, the current rules allow vendors and purchasers to allocate different amounts of the purchase price to the same assets. This has left scope for exploitation, with each party being free to make…
The swift advancements in the information technology space in the last couple of decades have rendered the Privacy Act 1993 outdated and not fit to effectively regulate the current ways in which we gather, store and use information. To address this, New Zealand has a new Privacy Act on the way. What are the key…
Making the decision to live with your partner is an exciting time. It is a big step, but also requires some legal foresight. The law in New Zealand creates a legal duty between boyfriends/girlfriends/partners who are in “de facto” relationships. A de facto relationship is where two people live together similar to a married couple.…
Sharp Tudhope are delighted to congratulate commercial partner, Richard Hoare on being named as one of NZ Lawyer Magazine’s Rising Stars for 2020. The Rising Stars 2020 list celebrates young professionals who have made an impact in their firm and the wider profession during their career to date. Richard is an experienced M & A…
Recent amendments to the Takeovers Act 1993 and Takeovers Code will be a welcome relief to many small Code companies. These changes add a threshold below which the Code will not apply to unlisted companies. This will save small unlisted companies (and their lawyers) from the rigours of deciphering the Code and the associated compliance…
Often, we think of the elderly when considering putting enduring powers of attorney in place – but the reality is that everyone should have one. Having an EPA means you choose upfront who you would like to make decisions on your behalf if you are no longer able to make them for yourself due to…
House and land packages are a commonplace transaction in Tauranga due to the amount of residential subdivisions in our region. We are seeing increasing numbers of our clients buying off the plan and it is important to get good legal advice before you sign anything. A number of items should be checked out to ensure…
If you’re are a commercial landlord, the requirement to have an Asbestos Management Plan in place may have slipped under your radar. New legislation was introduced on 4 April 2016 (the Health and Safety at Work (Asbestos) Regulations 2016) and, from 4 April 2018, a Landlord can face a fine for being in breach of…
Did you know that if you die without a Will, the law says what will happen to your assets AND there is no guarantee your wishes will be carried out? Even the best laid plans can see family left behind dealing with more stress than they need to. Here’s our top 5 things to think…
Negotiating and completing a business transaction, whether buying, selling or recording a commercial arrangement can be anything but a simple and speedy process. As energetic as you may be at the commencement of negotiations, a condition commonly referred to as “deal fatigue” is likely to feature and drive you and your team to unwittingly giving…