News
Water charges and what landlords and tenants need to know
Property owners across Wellington, Porirua, Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt are now receiving water services invoices from Tiaki Wai following the transfer of water services on 1 July 2026. The change means property owners will receive a separate Tiaki Wai water services bill in addition to their council rates invoice. However, it's important to understand that the introduction of Tiaki Wai ...
Failure to pay PAYE deductions to Inland Revenue
The Commissioner is issuing this Revenue Alert to highlight the criminal penalties that may apply where employers do not pass PAYE and other amounts deducted from an employee’s salary or wages to Inland Revenue by the due date. Making deductions and failing to pay them to Inland Revenue is a serious offence carrying a maximum sentence of up to 5 ...
Upcoming ACC levy changes for business from 1 April 2026
Important ACC Levy changes from 1 April 2026 1. No Claims Discount is ending The No Claims Discount is being removed as it hasn’t delivered the expected health and safety improvements and has been subsidised by other businesses. What’s changing: Levy invoices will no longer include a 10% discount or a 10% loading based on claims history. Employers will see this change in the provisional ...
Lead-free and dezincification resistant copper alloy plumbing products
As part of the 2022 Building Code update consultation, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) proposed to limit the allowable lead content in plumbing products which contain copper alloys and are intended for use in contact with potable water. This consultation also proposed clarifying that copper alloy water supply system components must be dezincification resistant to reduce the risk ...
Proactive compliance: Key lessons for landlords from Dunedin
Recent inspections of Dunedin student rentals by MBIE’s Tenancy Compliance and Investigations Team (TCIT) show why staying proactive is essential for landlords. Of the 53 properties checked, TCIT issued 23 warnings and 12 improvement notices. While issues were ultimately resolved, most could have been prevented through earlier maintenance and clearer communication. The Dunedin operation shows most landlords want to get things right ...