23 April 2024
Raja
[FYI request #26220 email]
Dear Raja
Thank you for your email dated 25 March 2024 to Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities,
requesting the following information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
If a Kiwibuild home was purchased in December 2020 and its delivery was
postponed by the developer for 2.5 years, the homeowner is required to occupy
the residence for 3 years, totaling approximately 6 years before selling.
Are there any exemptions for homes that are handed over more than 2.5 years
later than the originally scheduled settlement date?
I can advise you that the settlement date for KiwiBuild homes, and any variations to it, are
part of the contractual agreement between vendors (developers) and homebuyers.
Whether a settlement date in a sales and purchase agreement is met or postponed, the
Minimum Ownership Period for KiwiBuild homes begins from a property’s actual date of
settlement, when buyers take ownership and can occupy their home.
While the role of Kāinga Ora is to administer the KiwiBuild programme on behalf of the
Government and ensure homebuyers meet the KiwiBuild eligibility criteria, we are
empathetic towards the situation of buyers who have had their settlement date postponed.
Al buyers of KiwiBuild homes, can make a request for an exemption to the Minimum
Occupancy Period and they wil be assessed on a case-by-case basis. We encourage
homebuyers wanting to discuss the options available to them to contact the KiwiBuild
team via email at:
[email address].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this
response. Information about how to make a complaint is available online at
https:/ www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phone on 0800 802 602.
Please note that Kāinga Ora proactively releases our responses to official information
requests where possible. Our response to your request may be published at
https://kain
gaora.govt.nz/publications/official-information-requests/, with your personal information
removed.
Yours sincerely
Rachel Kelly
Manager Government Relations