New retirement villages laws

The new laws for retirement villages are here.

If you live in a retirement village, the changes give you stronger protections and clearer rights and responsibilities.

If you’re considering a retirement village, the new laws provide clearer information to help you understand your options and make an informed decision.

About the new laws

For current residents

If you live in a retirement village you have:

• stronger rights and clearer rules around community issues. Includes repairs and maintenance, emergency planning, renovations and moving out of a village
• more freedom to make your space feel like home. Includes installing fly screens, picture hooks and security systems without pre-approval
• more say in village decisions and more support to take part in resident meetings and vote on important matters
• greater transparency with yearly contract checks. Includes an estimate of exit fees and charges
• fairer processes when leaving a village. Includes limits on ongoing charges and stronger rights around refunds.

For those considering a retirement village

If you’re thinking about moving into a retirement village, the new laws make it easier to understand your options.

You now have:

• village information statements with clearer information about ongoing fees, services and facilities
• a new standard contract with:
  • clear information on cooling-off and settling-in periods
  • no hidden fees
  • transparent exit payment calculations
  • fair sharing of capital gains and losses
  • no requirement to reinstate your home when you leave.

Free help to resolve disputes

All residents now have access to VicAssist Retirement Villages, a free conciliation service. The service can support you with managing disputes in your retirement village.

VicAssist provides expert conciliators who can help you come to a fair and reasonable agreement.

They can support you with a range of issues, including:

• disputes between residents – such as tidiness, noise complaints and car parking
• disputes between residents and village management – such as fees, repairs and contract terms.

A conciliator will talk through the issue and help identify possible solutions. They will support all parties to reach an agreement.

If VicAssist is not the right option for you, the conciliator will work with you on other options. This includes seeking legal advice or progressing the matter with Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

Learn more about the free service on the VicAssist Retirement Villages Support web page.

You can also speak to VicAssist directly by:

• filling out the VicAssist online form
• calling 1300 528 994.

More information

Find out more about retirement villages on Consumer Affairs Victoria’s retirement village web page.