"No Interest" Tree Notices
An owner or occupier of any land on which a tree is growing adjacent to a line before the commencement of regulations may give a "no interest" tree notice to a line owner. A "no interest" tree notice may be given whether or not the owner or occupier has received a hazard warning notice or a cut or trim notice.
The purpose of a "no interest" tree notice is to notify a line owner that the owner or occupier of the land on which the tree is growing has no interest in the tree. The line owner is then entitled to have the tree removed or trimmed, if it first obtains permission to enter the land on which the tree is growing.
If a line owner receives a "no interest" tree notice and fails to remove the tree within 20 working days of receiving the notice, and the tree subsequently causes damage to any line, the owner who gave the notice is not liable for the costs of the damage.
Where a tree is owned by a local authority and is subject to pruning restrictions in a district plan, the "no interest" notice is of no effect.
The regulations will not affect the maintenance of power lines crossing land managed by the Department of Conservation, including reserves, national parks and conservation areas, or reserves managed by local authorities or other administering bodies. This preserves the existing practice whereby line owners are responsible for trimming work, with an appropriate permit from the administering body.
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