Retirement Village Residents Association of New Zealand
Retirement from work is no longer retirement from life. In fact, it’s the opposite - a ‘second life’ where growth, learning and discovery become more important, not less. People can enjoy the retirement village lifestyle whether they are 65 or 90 years of age.
Retirement villages offer access to facilities and services that lead to improved health outcomes and greater social interaction than would be possible in a general residential setting. The RVRANZ protects the rights of retirement village residents in New Zealand
The focus is on the Retirement Villages Act 2003 and the Retirement Villages Code of Practice 2008. The Act defines the rights of retirement village residents when they commit to a Occupation Right Agreement with the owner of the retirement village, in which they purchase a licence to occupy a villa, cottage, or apartment. It’s important that RVRANZ spokespeople have a genuine mandate to speak on behalf of the resident body, rather than pursuing issues of importance to an individual. The RV Industry and the RVRANZ ActivitiesThere are now about 450 registered retirement villages with another 81 under construction.
The industry provides housing solutions for a substantial number of senior citizens, but unfortunately the Retirement Villages Act 2003 and the Code of Practice 208 (COP) promulgated under this Act, provide far less protection for the rights of residents than would reasonably be expected from consumer legislation, which is what this Act purports to be. Occupational Rights Agreements (ORA) contain provisions that are blatantly unfair and unreasonable, while those provisions are sanctioned by the COP. Changes are imperative and urgent to provide proper protection of residents’ rights. The last newsletter contained detailed information of the amendments to the Code of Practice, proposed by RVRANZ. Submissions have been made to the Retirement Commissioner, Policy Advisors at the MBIE and the RVA, the operators. This year also a review of the role of the Statutory Supervisors was conducted and we were invited to meet with the FMA to air our concerns. Needless to say, the sub-committee charged with preparing and delivering all these concerns, has had a very busy few months. Our grateful thanks go to sub-committee chairman Anton Coetzee from Omokoroa, for the countless hours he contributed. The final meeting was the fourth Stakeholders Forum hosted by the Retirement Commissioner on 20 November, with about 100 attendees from all sections of the retirement village industry, including officers from MBIE and the FMA. The focus at the Forum this year was the RVRANZ proposals. As expected , the proposals were challenged by the operators and their colleagues. However, we are hopeful that some results will eventuate.The next step is for the Retirement Commissioner to forward their recommendations to the Minister. Check out the New Eligibility Guide
Not sure what help you might be eligible for?
Then check out the new online eligibility guide from the Ministry of Social Development. The guide will take you through a series of simple questions about your circumstances, your family, children, income, health, expenses and living situation. Once you have answered all the questions you will get a list with details of the services you may be able to get, along with an estimate of how much you might qualify for. You can then view further information about these services and how to apply. The guide is very user-friendly and will work on any computer or mobile device. It does not keep any of the information you enter. Need extra help? Some people may be eligible for extra help with their NZ Super, like the Accommodation Supplement, Disability Allowance or Temporary Additional Support. In these situations, the guide is a great first step to understanding what may be available to you, and how to access it. If you don’t have access to a computer, you can contact the Seniors line on 0800 552 002. For more information or to access the guide go to http://check.msd.govt.nz 
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Contact us if you would like to talk about any matter concerningWe are interested in hearing your views.
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Please Click Here forDecember 2018 Newsletter
Assistance with Downsizing Cheaper Doctors Visits Financial Abuse Advice New Residential Care Rates JLL Report on the Retirement Sector Future Care and Assistance Enduring Power of Attorney (EPA) Travelling Overseas Lending Money to Family Elder Abuse Click here for Region details
Residents Associations
Village residents are encouraged to form a local village association if you have not done so. To assist with this, please find a Model Constitution for you to adapt and adopt
Community Service Cards
From 1 December, changes to Community Services Card benefits mean many Community Service cardholders will pay less to visit their doctor. If your SuperGold card has "CSC" on the back you can use it for health services as well as SuperGold discounts. You can get lower cost visits to your general practice for health, injury, and more. Many medical practices are now offering lower fees for enrolled Community Services Card holders and more will join in March and April next year. Make sure you always carry your card to make it easy to get the benefits, like paying less to see your doctor. You can also use your card for any children in your care who are under 18 (13 and under are already free). If you don't have a Community Services Card, it's worth checking if you can get one. You can find out more through the Work and Income website |
