SANZ
Subdivision Advocacy NZ Limited
Challenging Infrastructure Overcharging.Safeguarding NZ Property Development.
Subdivision Advocacy NZ Limited (SANZ) documents and challenges cases that SANZ considers to be excessive infrastructure charges and unjustified service restrictions (red-zoning) by Auckland Council, Watercare, Veolia and Vector. We stand up for fair development costs to keep housing reachable for New Zealanders.
Getting the balance right: a fair path for Auckland's new homes
Watch: featured video
Who is SANZ? We Check the Numbers
September 2026
DC increase, Inner Northwest
0%
Upfront infrastructure cost per home
$0
Members
0+
Infrastructure charges challenged
$0 m+
Three tests every charge should pass
Fair Process
SANZ considers charges are being set without a published methodology or a clear right of reply. We want the workings shown.
Fair Charges
Growth charges must reflect real, attributable infrastructure cost. SANZ considers some current charges go beyond that into unrelated council budget items.
Affordable Homes
SANZ considers every dollar of unjustified charge lands on the price of a first home. Fair charging is a housing issue.
You build the homes. We fight the charges.
Add your name and your project to a growing evidence base councils can't ignore.
Submit ComplaintSANZ is committed to a fair deal for new homes.
We invite developers to submit cases of overcharging or denial of infrastructure services to our Complaints Register. These are compiled into case studies to present to regulatory bodies such as the Commerce Commission, or to support potential litigation.
Submit Complaint- Advocating for affordable home builders and buyers by promoting fair and equitable local government charges.
- Preventing home builders from bearing excessive costs that SANZ considers are imposed by organisations with monopoly market power.
- Championing better leadership in government and local infrastructure spending while highlighting poor planning and financial mismanagement to improve housing affordability.
- Holding local authorities accountable for meeting their statutory obligations regarding infrastructure investment.
- Ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and sound decision-making in development contributions and infrastructure spending.
You build the homes. We fight the charges.
Add your name and your project to a growing evidence base councils can't ignore.
Driving change through transparency
At SANZ, we advocate for a viable future for housing and infrastructure growth by shining a light on what SANZ considers to be Auckland Council's flawed approach and unrealistic development levies, and by publishing documented case studies where SANZ considers utility providers have charged fees or withheld services unfairly.
We face issues head-on and bring community voices together to share their experiences. We lobby Government for regulation and oversight to drive affordable urban development to benefit our citizens and future generations.
Create awareness of issues threatening property development.
Sustainable urban growth that benefits everyone.
Transparency, collaboration, integrity and innovation to find practical solutions for the future.
A voice for change, backed by independent evidence.
SANZ is a not-for-profit organisation set up by a group of concerned developers to support home builders and ratepayers. We have commissioned independent economic and legal reports, which identify errors and, in SANZ's assessment, overinflated pricing charged by Auckland Council and its suppliers. None of the management team receives any payment. We are all volunteering our time.
Multimedia content & webinars
More recorded webinars and explainers on infrastructure providers and development charges.
What costs go into an affordable 3 bedroom home in Auckland
September 2026
Good housing is a human essential. New houses must be built to keep the supply running. SANZ is a watchdog. We are evidence based and we are a network of interconnected people: now well over 16,000. Together we look for fairness. We also inform.
Small homes subsidise large homes for water connections
August 2026
Talking about things that are happening in residential property development. The stories and observations are real and current: feasibilities, good things that happen, disputes, infrastructure challenges, interesting related travel, and council planning. By sharing our collected experiences and of others we hope to make our collective property developments easier.
The only solution was to underground the wires, until they had to pay!
August 2026
Talking about things that are happening in residential property development. The stories and observations are real and current: feasibilities, good things that happen, disputes, infrastructure challenges, interesting related travel, and council planning. By sharing our collected experiences and of others we hope to make our collective property developments easier.
Latest News
Infrastructure issues and insights affecting property developers.
WHEN THE MONOPOLY IS THE ASSESSOR AND THE ENFORCER
I am a property developer in Auckland. I also help run Subdivision Advocacy NZ, a group with around 16,000 small developers, real estate agents, suppliers, and their consultants. This article is a cas…
KAITIAKITANGA IS BEAUTIFUL. ARE WE THE LIVING CURRENT GUARDIANS? OR, DO WE TAKE THE CASH NOW?
Last week a language app named kaitiakitanga the most beautiful word in the world. Guardianship. Caring for what we have so it is still there for the ones who come after us. A fitting choice, they sai…
A WATERCARE DISCONNECTION: $11,996.07 TO CAP A WATER METER
A water meter. One of the new electronic ones, no bigger than the old brass type. It sits on private land, about 1.5 metres back from the kerb. The job was to disconnect it and cap it off. Charge to c…
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Help us build the evidence base councils can't ignore.
Submit evidence, contribute to independent reports, or get in touch with the SANZ team.