Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Public Works Act 1981

Compensation - The claim

83: Serving of claims

You could also call this:

“How to properly send a claim for compensation under the Public Works Act”

If you want to claim compensation under this Act, you need to follow specific rules for sending your claim. The process depends on who you’re sending it to.

If you’re sending your claim to the Minister, you can either post it by registered letter or deliver it in person. You should address the letter to the chief executive of the department that deals with surveys. You can send it to their office in Wellington or take it to the office of the department’s lawyer.

For claims to the Minister of Railways, you can send a registered letter to the General Manager of Railways at the New Zealand Railways Corporation office in Wellington. You can also deliver your claim to that office in person.

If you’re claiming from a local authority, you can send a registered letter to their main office or deliver it there yourself.

When you deliver a claim in person to any of these offices, you have the right to ask for a receipt. The receipt will show the date when they received your claim.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM46928.

Previous

82: Particulars to be inserted in claim, or

"What to include when asking for money after your land is taken"

Next

84: Filing claims in District Court, or

"How to tell the court about your land dispute"

Part 5 Compensation
The claim

83Serving of claims

  1. Claims for compensation under this Act shall be served as follows:

  2. where the Minister is the respondent, by being sent by registered letter addressed to the chief executive of the department within the meaning of the Survey Act 1986 at the chief executive's office in Wellington or by being delivered at the office of the solicitor to the department within the meaning of the Survey Act 1986 in the office of the chief executive:
    1. where the Minister of Railways is the respondent, by being sent by registered letter addressed to the General Manager of Railways at the New Zealand Railways Corporation office at Wellington, or by being delivered at that office:
      1. where a local authority is the respondent, by being sent by registered letter addressed to the local authority at its principal office, or by being delivered at that office.

        1. In any such case, the claimant shall be entitled on demand to receive from the officer for the time being in charge of any such office a receipt stating the day on which the claim was delivered or received.

        Compare
        • 1928 No 21 s 51(2)
        Notes
        • Section 83(1)(a): substituted, on , by section 24 of the Public Works Amendment Act 1988 (1988 No 43).
        • Section 83(1)(a): amended, on , by section 5 of the Survey Amendment Act 1996 (1996 No 55).
        • Section 83(1)(b): amended, on , pursuant to section 120(5) of the New Zealand Railways Corporation Act 1981 (1981 No 119).