Resource consent help for homeowners: in plain English
If a letter from the council has just landed and it might as well be written in another language, Section 92, AEE, resource consent, take a breath. These letters are normal, thousands of Christchurch homeowners get them every year, and there's a straightforward process for dealing with them. CiviEase translates council paperwork into plain English and handles it for you. Send us the letter (a photo on your phone is fine), and we'll tell you what it means, what your options are, and what it will realistically cost before you commit to anything.
Holding a council letter you can't decode?
Send it through. We'll review it and respond with a clear scope, usually within one working day.
The letter, decoded
Most council letters to homeowners are one of two things:
- A request for more information (an RFI, or "Section 92"). You've applied for a consent and the council needs something clarified before they can finish processing it. The important thing to know: the clock on your application stops until you respond, so it needs a proper answer, not a quick guess.
- A letter about work that needed consent. Sometimes about something you've built, sometimes about something a previous owner built years ago. It feels alarming; it's usually fixable.
Either way, the letter is the start of a process, not the end of the world. Our resource consent support exists for exactly this moment. You don't need to learn what an AEE is; that's our job.
The jobs we help homeowners with most
Minor dwellings and granny flats: the 2026 rule change, honestly
You've probably seen the headlines: from 15 January 2026, small dwellings up to 70 m² no longer need a building consent. That's real, but it's only half the story. Resource consent is a different system, and its triggers still apply. Setbacks from boundaries, site coverage limits, flood management areas and other overlays can all still mean your granny flat or minor dwelling needs resource consent even though no building consent is required. Before you order the kitset, let us check your address. It's a quick answer and much cheaper than finding out afterwards.
Driveways and vehicle crossings
A new or widened driveway involves the council twice: the planning side (whether the access and layout comply with the district plan) and the road side (the crossing where your driveway meets the street. That strip is council's road corridor, so work there needs a Corridor Access Request, usually a traffic management plan, and a council inspection of the finished crossing). Our guide to new driveways and crossings walks through the whole chain in order.
Decks, fences and retaining walls
Some of this work is exempt and some isn't, and the lines are specific: decks where you'd fall less than 1.5 metres are generally fine, fences up to 2.5 metres are generally fine, but retaining walls, taller structures, and anything near a boundary or in a special zone can trip the rules. A five-minute check beats a council letter later.
Work that was built without consent
Whether you built it yourself or inherited it when you bought the house, unconsented work has a fix-it pathway: a retrospective resource consent, a Certificate of Acceptance, or sometimes both. It matters most when you sell: buyers' lawyers look for it. Our guide explains built without consent? your options, or just send us the details and we'll tell you where you stand.
What does it actually cost?
Nobody likes asking this question, so here are honest numbers. For a simple, non-notified resource consent in Christchurch, consultant/planning help typically runs $3,000–$8,000 and council fees around $2,000–$5,000. Straightforward checks cost far less than a full application, sometimes the answer to your letter is a single piece of information. Processing at Christchurch City Council takes about 20–35 working days for a complete application. Full detail is in our guide to what a consent costs.
We'll always tell you the cost before we start, as a fixed-scope quote. If the honest answer is "you don't need us for this," we'll say that too.
Want a straight answer on cost before you commit?
Send it through. We'll review it and respond with a clear scope, usually within one working day.
How we help
- Send us what you have: the council letter, your plans, or just your address and a description of what you want to do.
- We tell you the next step in plain English: what's triggered, what it involves, what it costs.
- We handle the paperwork: applications, council questions, the lot. You get updates in normal language, not planner-speak.
And if your project is being built by someone else, it may be your builder who needs us. We also do consent and council paperwork for builders. And if the property in question is a shop or office rather than your home, see our consent help for commercial property owners. Homeowners are one of six groups we help; the full list is at who we help.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a resource consent? How do I know if my project needs one?
You need one when your project breaks a rule in the district plan: common ones for homes are building too close to a boundary, covering too much of the section, parking or driveway rules, and special zones like flood management areas. The quickest way to find out is to send us your address and what you're planning. We'll tell you plainly whether you need consent and which kind.
What can I build without a consent?
More than you might think: decks where the fall height is under 1.5 metres, fences up to 2.5 metres, and, since 15 January 2026, small dwellings up to 70 m² no longer need a building consent. But resource consent is separate: boundary setbacks, site coverage and overlays can still apply even to "exempt" work. Always worth a check for your specific address before you build.
I've built without consent: what now?
It's common and it's usually fixable. There are two instruments: a retrospective resource consent (for the planning rules) and a Certificate of Acceptance (for the building work). Which one you need depends on what was built and when. It matters most when you sell, so earlier is better. Send us the details and we'll map out the pathway and the realistic cost.
How much does a resource consent cost in Christchurch?
Two pots of money: consultant/planning fees of roughly $3,000–$8,000 and council fees of roughly $2,000–$5,000 for a simple non-notified consent. Costs climb if specialist reports are needed or if the application gets notified. Checking whether you need one at all is much cheaper, and sometimes that's all the help you need.
Paperwork to pavement.
Send us what you have. We'll take it from there.