FAQ
Q. When is the right time to make a move into a retirement village?
A. Only you can decide when the time is right to move into a retirement village. Most people choose to move once they have retired and want to downsize the family home because it's becoming too much to maintain. Retirement villages are specifically designed to meet the accommodation, social and recreational needs of over 55s. The reality is, however, that many move into a village post retirement at 65 or over.
Q. Will I own my villa in a retirement village?
A. Specific legislation in each State protects your right to occupy your home. Different villages use different legal forms of tenure such as strata title ownership, leasehold estates, licenses to occupy or company share arrangements with related residency entitlements.
Q. Will I have access to a low care or high care residential facility if need be?
A. Some villages have an aged care facility attached or connected to it while others offer ongoing personal care and home help services to residents in their own private unit on a fee-for-service basis. The Aged Care Assessment Team who independently determines eligibility and the level of care required.
Please refer to ACCV for more information. http://www.accv.com.au/
Q. Can we have guests stay with us?
A. Generally you are more than welcome to have family and friends stay over. However depending on the length of their stay, you may be required to obtain written approval from the Village Manager. This is to ensure the safety and security of all residents. You should ask the Sales Consultant or Village Manager for the rules relating to the village of your choice.
Q. What is the minimum age to live in a retirement village?
A. Under the Retirement Villages Act, residents must be over the age of 55 or be eligible to apply for a Centrelink or Department of Veterans Affairs aged pension. If you are part of a couple, it is a requirement that only one of you must be over the age of 55.
Q. What sort of ownership rights will I have?
A. Tenure is the term used to describe the different legal basis for the various forms of occupation or ownership rights used in the industry. All forms of tenure are controlled by specific legislation to ensure your right to occupy is secure. Different villages use different legal forms of tenure. In many cases you will enter into a life long lease, which gives you security as if you had a title.
Q. How do people secure or purchase a unit, apartment or villa?
A. Effectively you purchase a guaranteed right to occupy the home for as long as you need. These rights are secured under the Retirement Villages Act. It means that there are no individual titles for individual homes.
A deposit is required to secure your choice. The Sales Consultant or the Village Manager will discuss with you, the details of the deposit, how it is appropriately held and how it is refunded. Most villages generally allow up to three months for you to sell you own property. This should be sufficient time to market your property and they will keep in communication with you during this time to discuss any matters as they might arise.
Q. What if I change my mind after I move in?
A. In some regions the Retirement Villages Act recognises that this may happen and allows a period of 90 days, called the Settling-In Period, for you to change your mind. You do need to be aware that some charges may apply.
Whilst this does not happen often, the village will understand that circumstances do change and endeavour to work with you to fully explore other options. This way you have the chance to make an informed decision in the first place.
Q. Can I rent a retirement village?
A. The RVA does not deal with rental villages as they fall under the Residential Tenancy Act. We only deal with villages that fall under the Retirement Villages Act. That said there are a number of excellent rental style villages in Australia.
Q. Do you have a list of the Retirement Villages in each State of Australia?
A. Please visit the Village Finder section of our web site to search for retirement villages in your preferred location.