*Recorded Webinar* Category 3 weather buy-outs – information session for property lawyers in Tāmaki Makaurau |Auckland

This is a recorded webinar. The live webinar took place on 28 November 2023.

PLS Deputy Chair Kristine King will host Kathryn Hickling (Principal Legal Counsel (Property) Auckland Council), Kelly Davis (Legal Counsel (Property), Auckland Council) and Nick Wilson (Partner, Simpson Grierson) for a one-hour webinar to inform practitioners who will or may be acting for owners of Category 3 properties about the buy-out process.

Auckland Council has agreed with Crown a buy-out programme for Category 3 properties affected by the Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.   Categorisation work is underway and buy-out offers are being made. This seminar walks practitioners through the programme rules and buy-out process.

The 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle have had a devastating and lasting impact on many communities, families and individuals across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Flooding and landslides have damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and changed people’s lives. 

In response to the scale of damage across Auckland and other parts of the North Island, the government announced a locally-led, centrally-supported recovery package, with co-funding to be agreed between the government and affected councils.

Part of the package addresses the removal of risk to severely affected residential properties through voluntary buy-out. Under the agreement with Government, Auckland Council is responsible for setting the technical assessment criteria and buy-out rules.

Auckland Council anticipated buying-out around 700 properties in a relatively compressed timeframe.  The council is aware that affected owners have already been through so much, and are keen for the buy-out process to run as smoothly as possible for owners.  It will benefit all parties involved if property practitioners understand what the council is doing, why they are doing it, and how they are doing it.