• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • Christchurch Ph +64 3 348 8480
  • Hokitika Ph +64 3 755 8673
  • Rolleston Ph +64 3 348 8480
Parry Field Lawyers
  • Home
  • Our People
  • Services
    • Property
      • Residential
      • Construction
      • Subdivisions
      • Commercial
      • Leasing
    • Advisory
      • Sale & Purchases
      • Financing
      • Governance
      • Technology/IT
      • Capital Raising
      • Employment
    • Disputes
      • Court, Tribunals and Arbitrations
      • Estates & Wills
      • Divorce & Separation
      • Insurance
      • Employment
      • Family
      • Company & Shareholding
      • Debt Collection
      • Construction
    • Trusts & Asset Planning
      • Wills & Enduring Powers of Attorney
      • Estates
      • Succession Planning
    • Charities/Social Enterprises
      • Not for Profits
      • Churches
      • Sports Groups
      • Social Enterprises
      • Impact Investing
      • Community Groups
    • Immigration
      • Work Visas
      • Family Visas
      • Skilled Migrants
      • Business and Investment Visas
      • Potentially Prejudicial Information
      • Employer Assistance
      • Overseas Investment
  • Resources
    • Guides
      • COVID-19 Legal Handbook
      • Buying & Selling Property
      • Death & Estates
      • Family Trusts
      • Churches Handbook
      • Start Ups Legal Toolkit
      • Social Enterprises in New Zealand Handbook
    • Articles
      • Tomorrow’s Board Diversity: The Role of Creatives
      • Charting the Future: A framework for thinking about change
      • Resources for COVID-19 Related Issues
      • The new Finance Guarantee Scheme: Could it help your business during Covid-19?
      • COVID-19: Paying your employees
      • COVID-19: Key Legal Issues for Charities
      • Making Employees Redundant – The Importance of the “Why”
    • Videos
      • Force Majeure” clauses in Contracts and COVID-19
      • Buying your first home: Key issues (a practical guide from a first home buyer)
      • Property sale and purchases and COVID-19
      • COVID-19 and Commercial Leases
      • Seeds Podcast
    • Templates
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Terms and Conditions Including Software
      • Non-Disclosure Agreement – Two Way
      • Independent Contractors Agreement
      • Shareholders’ Resolutions – Written resolution
      • Share Transfer
      • Incorporation – First Shareholder Resolutions
      • Incorporation – First Directors’ Resolutions
      • Non-Disclosure Agreement – One Way
  • Careers
  • About
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

Buying or selling a house during the COVID-19 lockdown period

 

Many people across New Zealand have agreed to purchase and sell property with settlement scheduled during the COVID-19 lockdown period (level 4). This poses several issues that need to be taken into consideration:

  1. Pre-Settlement Inspections

If you are purchasing property, you will not be able to complete a pre-settlement inspection in person. You could however agree to do one via video-call.

  1. Signing Documentation

The usual process is that you would meet with your lawyer in person to sign your settlement documentation. This is no longer possible due to the lockdown restrictions which means that clients will be needing to meet with their lawyers via videoconferencing to sign their documents.

  1. Issues with moving house

While you may be able to complete settlement in the monetary sense and title to the property can still be transferred, you will not be able to physically move into the house. Further, vendors may not be able to move out of the house which means that they cannot give vacant possession upon settlement.

In some instances this won’t be an issue, such as where the property is tenanted and the tenants are staying on or you are purchasing or selling bare land.

What can you do?

We would suggest that you get in contact with your lawyer to discuss your particular situation. You may need to negotiate a delay in the settlement date. It has been suggested that both parties could agree to defer settlement to the 10th working day after the Government reduces the COVID-19 level to level 2 or below. Ultimately, however, it will depend on your particular situation.

As noted above, there will be situations where it will be fine for settlement to go ahead during the level 4 lockdown period.

It was noted by the New Zealand Law Society that, “Lawyers need to counsel clients accordingly. Admittedly that will be difficult for some to understand and accept, but it is the reality in which we find ourselves”.

Questions?

This article is not a substitute for legal advice and you should consult your lawyer about your specific situation. If you need any assistance with a purchase, sale or other property matters please feel free to contact Paul Owens – paulowens@parryfield.com, Luke Hayward – lukehayward@parryfield.com or Judith Bullin – judithbullin@parryfield.com at Parry Field Lawyers.

Related Lawyers

Paul Owens
Email Paul
+6433488480
View Profile
Luke Hayward
Email Luke
+6433488480
View Profile
Judith Bullin
Email Judith
+6433488480
View Profile

Christchurch

PHONE: +64 3 348 8480
FAX: +64 3 348 6305

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
1 Rimu Street, Riccarton,
Christchurch 8041

POSTAL ADDRESS:
PO Box 8020, Riccarton,
Christchurch, 8440

Hokitika

PHONE: +64 3 755 8673
FAX: +64 3 755 8073

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
26 Weld Street,
Hokitika 7810

POSTAL ADDRESS:
PO Box 44,
Hokitika 7842

Rolleston

PHONE: +64 3 348 8480
FAX: +64 3 348 6305

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
68 Rolleston Drive,
Rolleston, 7614

POSTAL ADDRESS:
PO Box 8020, Riccarton,
Christchurch, 8440

Make an enquiry

Parry Field Charitable Foundation

Parry Field charitable members of NZ LAw, Global Cross Legal and SCLA

Newsletter signup

70 Years of Excellence logo

© Copyright Parry Field Lawyers. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Engagement Brought to life by Happy Monday Ltd
Suspending a contract: What is ‘Force Majeure’ in a contract, and what does... The Role of the Notary Public in New Zealand
Scroll to top