News and views

New Zealanders love to talk about property. There are a multitude of topics relating to property that Kiwis have an intimate knowledge and understanding about which form the topic of water cooler and dinner conversation. The cross lease is just one of those many topics of conversation.

It’s an exciting time watching your business really take off and hit its straps – although, that excitement is usually balanced by the reality of the new challenges and responsibilities that invariably come with growth.

Agri-tourism and food are growing sectors in New Zealand. We have farm tourism where tourists are shown working farms with activities such as sheep dog and shearing exhibitions. Artisan producers are growing their own products and then processing them into, say, cheese, and free-range pigs are becoming salami, bacon and ham.

If you receive a notice from your landlord notifying you of a rent increase on commercial premises, and you don’t agree with the new figure, what can you do?

One of the perennial problems that farmers face is that of stock wandering or stock getting out and interfering with, or causing damage to, neighbouring properties. Generally speaking, the issue of having a small number of stock grazing on your land for a short time until they are put back in the neighbour’s property may not be too great a concern.

Once largely the domain of the well-heeled, personalised agreements about what will happen to assets in a relationship should a couple separate, or one partner die, are becomingly increasingly mainstream.

Death can bring more than mourning for those left behind. Too often it leads to animosity and arguing around the departed loved one’s Will – especially when its provisions come as a surprise.

New Zealand’s ageing population has created a boom for retirement villages, with record numbers being developed. For many looking to retire or slow down, retirement village living is attractive – and it’s not hard to see why. A new apartment or cottage in a secure, well-maintained environment, offering a lock-up-and-leave lifestyle, and providing resort-like facilities such as cafes, gyms, pools, bowling greens, libraries and men’s sheds can be very appealing.