Current Deed of Licence Guide

Your Upper Selwyn Huts Deed of Licence: What you have agreed to

This guide is here to help you understand your current Deed of Licence and what it means for you as a licence holder at Upper Selwyn Huts. While it doesn’t cover every detail of the licence, it highlights some of the key responsibilities, conditions, and upcoming changes that are important to be aware of. While the terms and conditions themselves have not changed, we have received feedback that a short summary of key terms and conditions may help support understanding.

For full legal terms and obligations, please refer to your signed Deed of Licence.

Your licence at a glance

• Your licence gives you the right to occupy a specific lot on Crown-owned reserve land, which is managed by Selwyn District Council.
• Your current licence, dated 1 July 2015, has been extended several times and is now due to expire on 30 June 2025.
• To allow time for the Council to consult with the community on a future Deed of Licence, make decisions, and plan next steps, the Council has approved a 12-month extension of your current licence through to 30 June 2026 with certain conditions.
• If your licence fee and rates are fully paid by 30 June 2025, your licence will automatically be extended for the full 12 months to 30 June 2026.
• If you have an outstanding balance, your licence will be extended for six-months until 30 December 2025, to give you time to pay. Once the balance is cleared, your licence will then be extended through to 30 June 2026.
• All other terms and conditions of your licence remain unchanged for the next 12-months.

Key responsibilities under your licence

As a licence holder at Upper Selwyn Huts, you are responsible for following the terms and conditions of your Deed of Licence. These responsibilities help ensure the land is used safely, sustainably, and respectfully by everyone. By meeting these obligations, you help protect the environment, maintain community standards, and support the fair and effective management of the settlement.

Your responsibilities include:

Payments

• Paying your licence fee and rates on time. The Council is here to support you with options around payment plans, please contact us if you need assistance.
• Covering your own utility costs (e.g. electricity, phone) and any other charges related to your occupation of the lot.

Maintenance

• Keeping your hut, fences, and any structures in good condition.
• Getting the Council’s approval before making any changes to your hut or site, including building fences.
• Ensuring your hut meets building and safety standards.

Water and sewer connections

• You must get Council approval before connecting to water or sewer mains.
• You are responsible for maintaining your own lateral pipelines in good condition.
• Shared lateral pipeline costs are split between affected licence holders.

Environment and safety

• Keeping your site clean and tidy.
• Disposing of waste properly.
• Avoiding any activity that could harm the environment or create a nuisance to others.
• Following fire safety rules and not lighting fires without permission.

Vehicles and use

• Only parking up to two vehicles on your lot.
• Ensuring all vehicles, trailers, and boats are registered and roadworthy.
• Not subletting or renting out your hut without the Council’s written consent.
• Subletting vehicles (including buses and campervans) is not allowed but temporary use of vehicles  is allowed (including by friends or family), but not for payment and not beyond four weeks.

Compliance

• Following all Council bylaws, including those related to pets and noise. Dogs are not allowed on the lot under the terms of the licence, in line with Council bylaws.
• Not transferring your licence to anyone else without the Council’s written consent.

What happens at the end of your Licence?

• You must leave the site in good condition.
• Council may ask you to remove your hut and improvements at your own cost.

Licence fees and charges

Your current licence fee is $1,389 (including GST).

The Council has agreed to keep this fee unchanged for the 12-month period from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

This fee covers annual operating and maintenance costs, including essential services provided to the Upper Selwyn Huts area.

The breakdown is as listed:

Looking ahead: Licence charges likely to change

From 1 July 2026, your licence fee is expected to increase.

The Council is currently reviewing the actual costs of managing and servicing the Upper Selwyn Huts settlement. This work includes financial modelling and service investigations to ensure that future licence charges more accurately reflect the true cost of providing services, particularly around the wastewater treatment pipeline and related service charges.

The Council plans to consult with the community next year regarding the wastewater service charge and the potential for this to be moved to a district-wide rate. Decisions made during that process may also influence future licence charges.

Financial modelling will be shared for the Council’s consideration and deliberation in September 2025. In the meantime, your licence fee will remain unchanged for the 2025/26 year to allow time for this process.

Need help or have questions?

We’re here to support you. If you have questions about your current Deed of Licence or payments, please contact us:

Email: huts@selwyn.govt.nz

Phone: 0800 SELWYN (735 996)