20 October 2026

Property Sales: Changes to the Notice of Change

As of 1 October 2026, new compulsory rules have come into effect under the Rating Valuations Amendment Regulations 2026.

This means that certain property sales information must be provided to the Valuer-General via a Notice of Change in Landonline, the online tool for property transactions operated by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ).

So, what is a Notice of Change?

A Notice of Change is a notice that is sent to the relevant councils and the Valuer-General to let them know when the ownership of a property changes.

What is the mandatory information?

The mandatory information is as follows:

• The sale price
• Agreement date
• Settlement date
• The nature of the sale (market or non-market for example)
• Whether the transaction is subject to GST
• Whether the sale price includes things other than land, buildings, household chattels or minor farm chattels, such as stock

Who provides this information?

The lawyer acting for the seller must provide this information, but the lawyer for the purchaser also has an obligation to check the mandatory information is correct and to provide the contact details for the new owner.

Why have these changes been made?

The reason for these changes is to improve the accuracy of property sales data which is then used to inform the rating valuation system. The aim is to help councils produce more accurate property valuations, so that the rates being paid by property owners reflect the true value of their property.

What does it mean for me?

Not much will change.  Key information, such as the sale price, was already mandatory, so for you, this is business as usual.

So, can I can I keep the price of my sale or purchase confidential?

No. While you may put a term in your sale and purchase agreement to say that the parties agree to keep the price confidential, providing the price is a legal requirement which cannot be contracted out of. More than this, under the changes the Valuer-General now can issue fines for non-compliance.

It is important to remember that this is not a new requirement.  We have always been required to provide the price in a Notice of Change.  What has changed is that the Valuer-General now has stronger powers to deal with non-compliance.

If you have any questions about these changes, do not hesitate to get in touch with the Property Team here at McCaw Lewis.