When the government acquires your land, it provides its own valuation, which is not prepared with your interests in mind. Getting an independent property valuation establishes what you are entitled to and lets you negotiate from a position of evidence. Key takeaways The acquiring authority’s valuation is prepared in its interest, not yours. An independent…

Receiving a Notice of Intention to Resume is the government’s formal way of telling you they plan to take your property, and it triggers a series of rights, deadlines, and decisions you need to act on quickly. This notice doesn’t mean you’re powerless. It means the clock has started, and knowing your next steps makes…

Getting a resumption notice is a gut punch. One letter, and suddenly the home you’ve built your life around, or the property you’ve worked years to own, is being taken from you by the government. What you receive in return, your fair compensation, covers far more than what your property is worth on the open…

When a government authority decides it needs your land for a new highway, a school, or a railway line, compulsory acquisition (also called property resumption) can turn your world upside down almost overnight. It can happen to any property owner, in any state or territory. One day everything is normal; the next, you’re being told…

Finding out the government wants your land is a deeply unsettling experience, and you’re not alone if your first reaction is “can they actually do that?” The short answer is yes, they can. Across Australia, all levels of government have the legal power to acquire private land for public purposes. Think new roads, schools, rail…