If you want to live in a retirement village or a land lease community, you are given a contract to sign with the village operator.
However, the Retirement Living Council – a dedicated national division of the Property Council of Australia – advise the following:
- Seek the advice of a lawyer experienced in retirement village contracts;
- Don’t sign anything before you get independent advice;
- Understand your rights under your agreement;
- Know your responsibilities in your particular village;
- Know your village operator’s responsibilities;
- Understand your fee and costs, and
- Know where you can get assistance if you find a problem.
The Retirement Villages Acts are different in every state and territory in Australia.
Therefore, contracts will also be different depending upon the location of the village you’re buying into.
Equally a person has to decide what type of legal tenure do you want over your home in the retirement village? Will you be an owner? Will you be a lessee or a renter?
Different operators have different information and legal requirements.