Community
Latest News
Scope of the Review from MHUD
You can view the actual PDF here, or read the contents below. [UNCLASSIFIED]Scope of Review of the Retirement Villages Act 2003At a broad level, the review will consider whether the Retirement Villages Act 2003 (the Act),associated Codes, and Regulations remain fit...
More good press! Latest eye-catching news articles for RVResidents
The Waimea Weekly and The New Zealand Herald have both been active participants on the topic of retirement villages during their most recent editions. Reporting on Brian Peat's recent well attended meeting in Stoke, The Waimea Weekly warmly commented on the progress...
‘Ten ‘unfair’ retirement village practices: Government review under way’
NZ Herald Article 10 Mar 2023: "Ten 'unfair' retirement village practices: Government review under way", discusses the retirement village practices RVResidents Association has collated which we are currently concerned about in relation to the unfairness of the...
‘We’re not scared of a review’…
Stuff article 21 August 2022: “We’re not scared of a review”, says retirement village owner Graham Wilkinson, as the sector faces a Government probe into whether two-decade-old consumer protections for village residents need beefing up.
They may not be scared, but they aren’t pleased about it, and feel their sector is being unfairly criticised, or the “radical” law changes some are calling for.
Retirement village owners fight back
Stuff Article 3 Sept 2022: Retirement village owners have come up with a package of “voluntary reforms” they hope will stave off the threat of government regulation.
It includes a crack-down on unfair terms in retirement village contracts, and on village operators who take too long to return capital to residents moving out of a village…
RVResidents President’s Update 14 February 2022
It will be no secret that the Covid situation is frustrating our ability to visit you and explain our advancements to a large group of members at any singular time. To get over this hurdle, we are moving with the times to produce an electronic update which, when you...
Case Studies
Consultation – and what residents can do if it’s not happening!
The RVR receives emails from members relating to decisions being made within their village, without proper consultation, if any. While operators have a business to run and decisions need to be made and actioned, the process of consultation is in the Code of Practice to ensure residents have the opportunity to be heard and be a part of any process that may have a direct impact on their lives within the village.
Operator Puts Money Before Promise
From 2016 residents were ‘verbally’ told that plans were underway for a new facility with apartments and care and that once this was built that they would likely be demolishing the old poorly insulated cottages. Over the next 5 years they were given multiple verbal...
How residents can influence the outcome of a decision within a village
A village was upgrading its community facilities. This included a large hall, small hall and proposed shared kitchen and toilet facilities. Plans were drawn up and presented to the residents. While 2 toilets were included off the main hall, the new design lacked a...
RVRANZ Village contact a huge help to fellow residents when operator tries to pull 5 year promise at the eleventh hour
What do you do if you’re promised something by the operator for 5 years, only to have it withdrawn by them in less than 5 weeks? That was the situation a few residents found themselves in last month. This story involves an old Christchurch village with 22 independent...
Ongoing Nightmare
Residents in a South Canterbury village are finding out, firsthand, the futility of the current legislation to fix the systemic failure of poorly designed villages. Nearly two dozen accidents have occurred at this village due to the poor construction of roading, kerbs...
Below are some examples of actual retirement village resident complaints lodged with the RVR. Note: Names have been changed to protect identities.
Confusing Wording in ORA
A residents ORA states, "The resident will pay all costs incurred by the operator in restoring any damage to the interior of the unit (including the garage doors, plumbing and electrical fittings and fixtures) and keeping the appliances in good order, repair and...
Lack of Management Training, Advocacy or Enforcement
A resident entered into her ORA when there were Campervan parks designated on the plan. Clause 33.3 of her ORA - states that motorhomes are to be parked “in the designated areas set aside for this purpose”. The ORA also requires the resident to seek permission if...
Operator Charges Exorbitant ‘Transfer Fee’
A couple decided on an apartment (paying $1.3 mill) but soon realised that it was too small for their needs. They asked if there was a larger one and were told one may be coming up. They stayed on and were later able to secure an application for the larger apartment...
Residents Charged to Repair Operators’ Old Chattels
Many residents are responsible for the repairs and maintenance costs of the operator's chattels - but if it needs replacing then that is the cost of the operator. However, many villages do NOT have a replacement policy. An 82 yr old gentleman and his wife were...
Capital Loss Clauses
Some villages have residents sign up to a capital loss clause - even when they get no share in the capital gain (i.e. if the value of their unit dips, then they must cover the loss plus all other fees). One Otago village has the capital loss clause so well hidden that...
Operator Not Bound to Make Changes. No Enforcement.
A couple in a Canterbury Village have spent nearly two years trying to get the village to rectify the road and path hazards which have caused more than 20 resident accidents - one involving hospitalisation. Their disclosure statement says that the village complies...
Events Calendar
October 5, 2023
Workshops / Seminars
EXISTING RESIDENTS – “Best Practice / Show Me the Money” is a 60-90 minute workshop for existing residents in retirement or lifestyle villages. It looks at the RVR’s Resident-Led, ‘Best Practice’ Guidelines for the sector, including a look at sharing capital gain vs getting your money back quicker. If you’re a member of the RVR, then this workshop is free. For non-members it’s a $10 donation – with the full amount refunded if you become a member or associate member on the day.
Admission Cost: $30 single (or $40 with single take home magazine – Save $10). $40 couple (or $50 with single take home magazine – Save $10). TO REGISTER for PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS ONLY – VISIT: https://www.agedadvisor.nz/seminars
WORKSHOPS
< Check back again for updates on future workshops >
Webinars
COVID
LATEST VILLAGE UPDATE – 07 December 2021
The Retirement Villages Association (RVA) has prepared the following COVID-19 information for retirement village residents and families.
Note that this advice has been prepared based on the information on the Business New Zealand website and the RVA have not yet had the opportunity to check that this information is consistent with the Public Health Order released on Wednesday 1 December 2021. They are reviewing the PHO now.
Traffic Light Guidance for Residents and Families
Under these instructions, there are opportunities for villages to offer mixed options for both vaccinated and non-vaccinated residents, understanding that capacity limits will differ. There is also the option to switch between requiring My Vaccine Pass and not requiring it. This would allow villages to offer access to facilities at alternative times. We will aim to offer more comments going forward.
COVID has been the daily news topic for over 100 days now. And if there’s one thing that’s certain – it’s that the rules for managing it are very blurred. While we wait for a Government Health Order to be released (at time of publication), Retirement Village residents are left wondering what they can do and who is allowed to use communal facilities. One thing remains constant and that’s the need for village operators to consult with residents on any changes surrounding access to or the use of communal areas for any residents. Recent stories have emerged where some village operators have banned residents from entering areas unless they can prove having received 2 jabs of the Pfizer vaccine. While this may be regarded as a move for the ‘greater majority’ – there is (at the time of writing this article) no government requirement to ban residents that are not double jabbed from entering communal areas. 28.2b of the Code of Practice (CoP) requires operators to consult residents “about the content of any proposed rules if not already established by the operator, or any proposed amendment or addition…
- What refund of fees should the resident(s) be entitled to from their weekly fees?
- If a resident decides that this is a breach of their ORA then what options are available to them?
- Should a resident (now restricted from access to services they bought in to) be given the opportunity to a full refund of their capital sum due to services not being available?
Quiz Questions
Quiz questions and answers are available to purchase. 30 quiz sessions, each with 30 questions, for a $30 donation.
That’s 900 pre-formatted questions and answers involving general knowledge that have been compiled and tested by Allan, a resident at Anthony Wilding Retirement Village. Only $30 donation, for their Resident’s Committee.
Below is a sample of some of the types of questions and answers you can expect to receive. Allan’s contact details are in the Sample Quiz Questions document.
Our Sponsors
Please feel free to use this form to contact us through the
RVR website