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Under sections 245 and 246 of the Property Law Act 2007, a landlord can cancel a lease after serving notice on a tenant for non-payment of the rent or a breach of other obligations under a lease (such as the obligation to pay outgoings). The recent High Court case of SHK Trustee Company Limited v NZDMG Limited serves as a warning to landlords who intend to cancel a lease for non-payment of rent and outgoings during an emergency.
 
The landlord leased an office and a warehouse space to a kitchen manufacturer under two separate leases. The leases were on the widely-used Auckland District Law Society (ADLS) deed of lease, which includes a “no access in emergency” provision at clause 27.5. The tenant ceased rental payments from the first day of the first alert level 4 lockdown on 26 March 2020 and claimed a rent abatement under the “no access” clauses in the leases.
 
In August 2020, the landowner served a notice on the tenant informing the tenant that it was in default of its obligation to pay the rent and outgoings and requiring that the outstanding sums be paid within 30 working days. The notice made no allowance for the required abatement of rent and outgoings due to the “no access in emergency” clauses. After the tenant did not comply with the notice, the landlord cancelled the leases, took possession of the premises and later commenced summary judgment proceedings to recover the rent arrears.
 
The High Court declined the landlord’s application in respect of the amounts claimed as the landlord had failed to provide for an abatement of the rent in light of the ongoing pandemic.
 
As this was a summary judgment application for unpaid rent, the Court was not able to assess what the “fair proportion” abatement should have been (as this is “an evaluative exercise that cannot be done on a summary judgment application”) or determine whether the landlord’s breach notice was invalid. If the breach notice was invalid, the cancellation of the leases would have been unlawful. The Court stated that it was arguable that the breach notice was invalid on the basis that it did not make an allowance for the required abatement of rent and outgoings under clause 27.5 of the leases. The Court recommended that the landlord ought to have obtained an authoritative determination of the rent payable by suing the tenant and obtaining a formal judgment of the unpaid rent, or to have only served the breach notice for the undisputed rent arrears.

The case is an illustration of the risks involved in serving breach notices. Where claimed rent arrears relate to a period during which the rent abates under the terms of the lease or due to a statutory entitlement, landlords must draft breach notices with caution. Landlords might choose to rely on outstanding rent or outgoings payable in respect of non-abatement periods, agree the abated “fair proportion” with tenants or obtain judgment through legal proceedings as to the amount owing under the lease during the abatement period. Landlords also need to consider statutory interventions due to the COVID-19 pandemic (such as the COVID-19 Response (Management Measures) Legislation Bill) – relying on the words of the deed of lease alone may not be sufficient.

October 2021

The Covid Bill amends several pieces of legislation. In this note, we focus only on the proposed amendments to the Property Law Act 2007 (PLA).

This is the second attempt at implying rent abatement provisions into commercial leases since Minister Little’s proposals in 2020, which did not make it beyond a Cabinet paper.

The Bill has received criticism both within and outside of Parliament for cutting across existing commercial leasing contracts, and the press release by the Government announcing the Covid Bill did not indicate the extent to which a lack of rent abatements is a problem in commercial leases.

The Property Council and a number of significant figures in the property industry have come out in opposition, noting the issues around defining the quantum of a rent abatement. Interestingly, the Property Council is seeking to gather information from its members about abatements or deferrals already agreed. The results may be a useful indicator as to whether there is a widespread problem necessitating Government intervention, or otherwise.

Key proposed changes to the PLA
 

• From 28 September 2021 a “no access in an emergency clause” (implied clause) is implied into leases that do not include such a clause that covers an epidemic: Unamended ADLS leases from 2012 onwards already contain a similar clause and will not be affected by the proposed legislation, but other forms of leases such as Property Council leases and bespoke leases will need to be considered on a case by case basis.

• The implied clause is triggered when a tenant “is unable to gain access to all or any part of the leased premises to conduct fully their operations from all or any part of the leased premises, because of reasons of health or safety related to the epidemic”:  What “fully” conduct means is to be determined and may cover situations where the tenant is operating in the premises sub-optimally, such as restrictions to capacity, customer access or social distancing requirements.

• The implied clause provides that a fair proportion of rent and outgoings will abate under the lease during the period of the tenant’s inability to access all or part of the leased premises, backdated to 28 September 2021 (but possibly earlier), and ending when the inability ceases:  A “fair proportion” is not defined and nor is there any guidance on this. Much will depend on the circumstances, and negotiated outcomes will vary depending on the nature of the tenant’s business, the premises and the terms of the lease.  The provisions around when the abatement commences are unclear.  We expect these will be further developed in Select Committee.

• The implied clause will not apply where the parties have already agreed contractually to vary the rent payable if access to the premises is restricted because of an epidemic (a “pre-commencement rent variation agreement”) and the agreement applies to the period covered by the implied clause: The implied clause might therefore apply for some of the period not covered by the pre-commencement rent variation agreement.

• Until the landlord and tenant determine what a fair proportion is, a landlord cannot terminate a tenant’s lease for non-payment of rent and outgoings:  Section 246 of the PLA has not been amended so, a landlord may still cancel a lease for breach of other covenants of the lease.

• Any dispute about what is a “fair proportion” is to be referred to arbitration under the Arbitration Act 1996. Arbitration could be expensive and lengthy: This does not preclude the parties from agreeing other methods of dispute resolution.

• This rent abatement is specific to the COVID-19 epidemic:  It is expressly repealed when the Epidemic Preparedness (COVID-19) Notice 2020 expires or is revoked.

• The implied covenant may be negatived, varied or extended by express agreement after 28 September 2021:  Relying on clauses in existing leases which exclude implied terms in the PLA will not be sufficient to exclude this implied covenant.

What can a landlord or tenant do?
Until the Covid Bill achieves Royal assent, landlords are not legally obliged to offer a rent or outgoings abatement where they do not have clause 27.5 of the ADLS lease (or a similar clause) in their leases. This is obviously a hard-nosed approach to be taken by landlords, but not an illegal one. Though the Covid Bill is only proposed legislation, tenants have been given a certain level of bargaining power to start discussions to achieve a rent and outgoings abatement and landlords can expect to see an increase in requests of this nature. Similar requests occurred shortly after Minister Little’s announcement in 2020.

Regardless of the passing of the Covid Bill, landlords and tenants are still free to come to agreement on a rent and outgoings abatement. Provided they agree from 28 September 2021, this will exclude the implied rent relief provisions in the Covid Bill entirely, perhaps in return for some other consideration. One particular incentive for the parties to agree an abatement is the lack of guidance over “fair proportion”. It is our experience that parties often pre-agree fixed discounts that will apply for Alert Levels 3 and 4.

We strongly recommend that landlords do not take any action to terminate leases for non-payment of rent and outgoings without seeking advice first. Particular caution should also be exercised as to whether a landlord calls on a bank guarantee or other security in respect of rent and outgoings, which may later be found to be properly subject to abatement from 28 September 2021. The Courts have regularly made decisions favourable to tenants, where landlords have acted aggressively in uncertain situations.

What leases are intended to be caught?
Leases which already contain a “no access in an emergency clause” are excluded from rent abatement provisions in the Bill.

The proposed wording of the “no access in an emergency” provision is close to, but not the same as, the wording used in clause 27.5 of the ADLS lease. However, by way of example, the equivalent clause 7.5(c) of the Property Council office lease is less clear in that:
 

• the concept of “no access in an emergency” has slightly different triggers (such as the narrower concept of “inaccessibility”); and

• there is also an additional requirement before a tenant may obtain rent relief, being that the landlord must be able to collect loss of rent insurance.

Is clause 7.5(c) of the Property Council office lease a “no access in an emergency clause” for the purposes of the Covid Bill? It is questionable and will likely be the subject of legal debate. However, the overall intention appears to be that, if there is a clause in a lease that operates akin to clause 27.5 of the ADLS lease, the implied clause proposed pursuant to the Covid Bill will not apply.

Watch this space
The Covid Bill is proceeding quickly through the Select Committee process and we can expect some strong submissions and public comments to be made before the Covid Bill is passed.

If you would like any further information about the effect of the PLA changes or how to deal with them, please contact Antonia Shanahan, Steve Woodfield, Mark Hay, Simon Mee or any of our experienced property lawyers.

October 2021

Construction Contracts (Retention Money) Amendment Bill

In early June Parliament introduced the Construction Contracts (Retention Money) Amendment Bill which, if passed, will further amend the retention regime under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA). The proposed changes address shortfalls in the current regime, such as situations where an insolvent contractor has co-mingled retention funds with its working capital, and its subcontractor is barred from recovering the full sum.

The headline changes are:

• Retention money must be held on trust in a New Zealand bank account established and used solely for the purpose of holding retention money (or held in the form of complying instruments such as a bond or guarantee). Bank account names must include “retention money trust account” and identify for whom the money is held. The bank must also be notified that the account is holding retention money under the CCA;
• Contractors must disclose information to subcontractors regarding retention monies when money is first retained, and then at least every three months thereafter; and
• The introduction of offences for failing to comply with the new requirements. Contractor companies can be liable to fines for up to $200,000 whereas directors (or persons who act as a director) can be liable for up to $50,000.

1. All persons who provide professional engineering services must be registered. This would ensure all professional engineers obtain a practicing certificate and are subject to a code of conduct, mandatory CPD, and a complaints and disciplinary process;
2. The introduction of a licencing regime for high risk engineering disciplines. Discipline classes would be established based on the potential for significant harm resulting from subpar engineering work. MBIE recommend making it an offence to practice in a restricted field without a licence, which could be issued by examination, evaluation of work, interviews, and track records; and
3. Establishment of a regulator to oversee the regime. This independent regulatory board would be accountable to the Minister for Building and Construction and monitored by MBIE. Funding for the regulator would come from registration and licencing fees as well as levies.

The case confirms that landowners can be liable for damage caused by their trees despite the trees being outside the “growth limit zones” imposed by the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 and despite the owner of the electricity line not having a registered easement for the line.

The electricity line was constructed in the late 1960s or early 1970s by a predecessor electric power board to the current owner of the line, Unison Networks Limited. Section 22 of the Electricity Act 1992 permits Unison Networks to keep the line on the land, and section 23 allows Unison Networks to have access to the land to maintain the line. No registered easement is needed for the line.

The property was acquired by the current owner in the early 1990s and converted to forestry in 1994.

The Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 sets growth limit zones measured out from electricity lines. The growth limit zone for the line here extended only for 2.5 metres. Under those regulations, line owners can require that tree owners cut or trim trees which extend into the growth limit zones. Here, however, the trees were located outside the growth limit zones, with damage to the line caused by trees falling over during or following adverse weather.

The Court of Appeal agreed with the earlier High Court judgment that the tree owner was liable to the line owner in “nuisance”. A nuisance is an ongoing or recurring activity or state of affairs that causes a substantial and unreasonable interference with the plaintiff’s land or the plaintiff’s use and enjoyment of that land.

Normally a nuisance occurs in the context of neighbouring properties; the defendant will cause something to emanate from the defendant’s land, like smoke or noise, which interferes with the plaintiff’s use of adjoining land. Here, the lines and trees were on the same land but both the High Court and Court of Appeal were comfortable that the tort of nuisance could apply in this situation. As noted by the Court of Appeal, the trees were, in effect, emanating from Nottingham Forest’s land and causing damage to Unison’s property.

The key factor here was the repetitive nature of tree falls. A succession of trees, which had grown to a height greater than their distance from the line, fell onto the line and caused damage. Given the inevitability of tree falls, the Court of Appeal had no doubt that it was unreasonable for Nottingham Forest to allow trees to grow to the height at which they would cause damage to the line if they fell. By creating this state of affairs, Nottingham Forest was strictly liable for any resulting damage, and could not avoid liability by showing that all reasonable precautions had been taken.

This was a novel case, although it pulled together strands of settled law, and could have widespread application especially to commercial forest owners. It clarifies that the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 do not oust common law liability for damage to electricity lines caused by trees and that, in circumstances involving a series of events, landowners could be strictly liable for that damage. As shown in this case, liability can exist where the trees are outside the “growth limit zone” but within falling distance of the line, where the trees are otherwise healthy and where the line is protected by a statutory right rather than a registered easement.

Julian Smith from Greenwood Roche advised Unison Networks on this claim, and has advised other electricity lines companies on tree management issues – amongst other things – for more than 20 years. We can also advise forestry companies on their obligations here and the impact on potential plantable areas.

June 2021

What are retentions?
 
Retentions secure performance obligations under a construction contract. A retention is used as a form of security for a party such as a Principal to ensure that the other party (Contractor) performs its obligations under the construction contract. Retentions are generally held until final completion or until the end of the defects liability period.
 
Issues have arisen where the party holding a retention (Party A) has become insolvent, and the party whose funds are being held (Party B) is left unable to access those funds due to the being comingled with the holding party’s other funds.
 
The Bill purports to deal with these types of scenarios.
 
Key Proposed Changes
 
If the Bill passes in its current form, it would mean any party holding a retention, Party A, must hold that retention:

• as soon as possible, either:
  • in a separate bank account or accounts at a registered bank in New Zealand; or
  • in the form of a complying instrument (such as a guarantee or insurance policy) that requires an insurance company or a bank to pay to Party B an amount equal to the retention money if Party A does not pay the retention money to Party B when required by the construction contract;
• on trust (thereby placing fiduciary obligations on Party A as a trustee);
• with adequate recording measures; and
• along with updates to Party B on the status of the retention every three months after first advised.

Associate Finance Minister David Parker said in a statement on 25 May 2021, that “our successful management of the health impacts of the pandemic and the recovery of the economy, with lower unemployment and stronger growth than forecast last year, mean we can remove the temporary protection.”

Transactions entered into from 7 June 2021 will not be subject to the ENR, although transactions entered into prior to this date will still be subject to the notification requirement. Further changes coming into force shortly under the Overseas Investment Amendment Act 2021 mean that the ENR may be reinstated where there is an emergency justifying such reinstatement.

National Security and Public Order Notification regime

The ENR will be replaced by a call-in power – known as the national security and public order notification regime (NSPO).  This regime will apply to transactions entered into on or after 7 June 2021. 

The NSPO regime will apply to investments in strategically important businesses (SIB) that would not ordinarily require consent under the Overseas Investment Act 2005 (Act). The NSPO regime will allow the Government to “call-in” certain transactions and consider whether such investments pose a risk to national security and public order, and gives the Government power to impose conditions on these investments (or if required, to block or unwind the transactions) when it is considered they give rise to significant national security or public order risks. It is intended that the call-in power will be used as a backstop power only and interventions will be rare and only used where necessary. 

Strategically Important Business

A SIB includes a business:

• that researches, develops, produces or maintains military or dual-use technology;
• that is a critical direct supplier to New Zealand’s intelligence and security agencies (refer to LINZ’s website for the list of published critical direct suppliers, but please note that some suppliers will be unpublished);
• involved in electricity generation (with a total capacity exceeding 250 MW), distribution, metering or aggregation;
• involved in drinking water, wastewater or stormwater infrastructure;
• involved in telecommunications infrastructure or services;
• that is a financial institution or involved with financial market infrastructure;
• that is a media business with significant impact; or
• that develops, produces, maintains or otherwise has access to sensitive information (being genetic, biometric, health or financial information) of certain agencies or relating to 30,000 or more individuals.

Keystone Trust’s fundamental goal is to support and enable students who have financial need or have been affected by adverse circumstances to take up tertiary studies in the property sector.

The Trust believe that this can only be achieved by working with others with the same value, vision and integrity – from students to sponsors, friends and supporters. 

Being able to contribute to the future capability and capacity of the property and construction sector through the Trust gives us the opportunity to ‘pay it forward’. Standing alongside a young person as they grow and develop into their potential is an enormously fulfilling experience and one we look forward to doing with Keystone.

As part of this package of initiatives, the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Act 2020 (“Act”) passed its final reading on 22 July 2020 and received royal assent on 6 August 2020. The Act looks to ensure that a lack of funding at local government level does not continue to constrain development. Using the Act, developers can now access a new funding structure that will allow them to raise the funds and finance necessary for large-scale projects themselves (rather than rely on local government), with repayments made by future owners through rates on the developed land.

As noted by Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, “Traditional approaches to infrastructure funding and financing are not working. Constraints on council debt levels means viable infrastructure projects are postponed for years, despite the pressing need for more housing in these high-growth areas.”

The new funding model provides an alternative funding mechanism in a bid to accelerate the development of housing in particular. The Act received cross party support and is designed to complement existing funding tools available to local government.

Milldale Model

The financing structure set out in the Act is modelled on the structure utilised in the Milldale development in North Auckland. For Milldale, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) was set up to oversee a residential development project. The SPV raised initial capital from investors, proposing to pay them back by an annual ‘infrastructure payment’ added to the rates bill. Payments will initially be made by the developer and, in time, by the section owners.

The infrastructure payment obligations are secured by an encumbrance on each title, meaning the obligation to meet the payment runs with the land and binds any subsequent owners. In the Milldale example the payments are $650 + 2.5% interest per annum for apartments and $1000 + 2.5% interest per annum for homes and will last for 30 years.

While the Milldale development is still in the construction phase it is already clear that the model has enabled acceleration of the project and therefore faster delivery of affordable housing in Auckland.

How will The Act Work?

The Act adopts a very similar model to the Milldale model, by allowing the use of multi-year levies in large scale development that place the cost of infrastructure on those who will benefit directly from it. Levies will be able to be proposed for the provision or improvement of the following:
 

• new water services infrastructure;
• transport infrastructure;
• community infrastructure or community facilities; or
• environmental resilience infrastructure.

• The making of a detailed levy proposal to the government;
• The proposal must include, among other matters, details of the SPV proposed, the financing structure and who will be responsible for construction;
• The Minister for Housing and Urban Development as “recommender” will consider the levy proposal with reference to a number of factors and in consultation with the relevant local authorities and make a report to the responsible Minister (a Minister to be confirmed by the Prime Minister);
• The report will include an assessment of the proposal, a recommendation and endorsement from the relevant levy authority;
• The Responsible Minister may then recommend the Governor-General accept the levy (but may not amend the terms of the proposal).