Conveyancing - the good, the bad, the ugly and the practical 2025 - Legal Executives - On Demand

Package includes:

On Demand Module  | Electronic booklet  |  PowerPoint Presentation

Note: Access to the online files is via your "My CPD" page. If you would like to purchase multiple packages, please contact us here.

On Demand Module

This module will cover conveyancing hot topics including:

• Brightline test – is shorter better?
• Renting right – key changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1986
• It rained, it poured and now what – let’s dive in:
– Questions to ask when acting for vendors or purchasers
– Flood mapping overview
• Cash in on the Compensation Clause (cl 10):
– Explanation of this clause under ADLS/REINZ Agreement
– Practical examples of its application
• GST under agreements:
– Understanding GST implications in property transactions
– Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
• LINZ is WHAT?
– “Prover”, the silent sidekick – introduction to Prover and how it can support property transactions.

Learning objectives

By completing this module you will:

• Understand common conveyancing hot topics.
• Apply this knowledge in your practice.

Electronic paper 

Author: Sandy Donaldson
Published: 2 September 2025
Pages: 20

Introduction

The bright-line test, introduced by the New Zealand Government in 2015, was designed to target property speculation by requiring certain residential property owners to pay tax on any profits made when selling their property. The original rule applied to properties bought and sold within a two-year period, meaning if you sold a property within two years of purchasing it, you were potentially liable to pay income tax on the profit.

In 2018, this period was extended to five years, and in March 2021, it was further extended to 10 years for properties acquired on or after 27 March 2021. However, from 1 July 2024, the bright-line threshold was reset to two years for all residential properties – meaning any property sold on or after that date will be taxable only if sold within two years of purchase.

These changes have made the rules increasingly complex, varying based on acquisition date:

• properties bought on or after 27 March 2021 and sold before 1 July 2024 were subject
to a 10-year test (or five years for new builds);
• those bought between 29 March 2018 and 26 March 2021 had a five-year period;
• and now – from 1 July 2024 onwards – the rule applies only to sales within two years,
unless an exemption (such as the main home, rollover relief, or other reliefs) applies.

PowerPoint Presentation

These are the slides included in the presentation.