A new rental system for South Island high country pastoral lease holders takes effect this week.
Rents for the 221 pastoral leases held over Crown land are reviewed every 11 years.
The first 17 have been reassessed under new legislation which calculates rents on the earning capacity of the land and not on the value of the land exclusive of improvements, as the old system did.
Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson said the new rents will be higher than they were before, but leaseholders accept it's a fairer system than what was originally proposed.
Mr Williamson said the new rent system also brings significant costs savings for the Crown and lessees, who won't have to seek costly expert valuation advice for rent reviews.
Between 15 - 25 pastoral leases will come up for review each year.
