What is wrong with Victorian Retirement Villages

The critical importance of retirement village resident submissions to Victorian state government inquiries is that they are actually living the experience not simply 'working in the field'. They know what is wrong because they have experienced it, suffered from it.

Victorian retirement village residents find that there is almost zero protection when something goes wrong, or the system to obtain that protection is so cumbersome, so demanding on them, that surrender is ultimately the chosen option. And village operators know that and use it to their own financial advantage.

All this from a Victorian Labor government that fails to enforce the law as it is currently written, let alone to improve it to protect the very people it was originally written to protect.

"The law was clearly on the side of the village residents. It was a lack of access to affordable, quick, decisive enforcement of the law that failed them most". - Retvilldotnet

Retirement villages, the process of for-profit operators seeking financial reward from this commercial activity under the guise of the provision of benevolent housing for older Victorians. Sadly and particularly in Victoria the commercial risks to operators are dampened by statute whilst at the same time the commercial rewards are enhanced by statute. 

For Victorian retirees who make that fateful decision to enter a retirement village it is the complete opposite. The payment of the capital value of the village unit, not for ownership simply occupancy. The payment of all the costs of property ownership with none of the rewards.

"Families need to be aware that what we are talking about here is the transfer of intergenerational wealth, not to families but into the pockets of corporations. Shame about the elderly not having enough money for aged care."

So what is wrong with Victorian Retirement villages, the answer is -

1. Bureaucrats who don't really know or fully understand the product they are producing legislation for.
2. Legislators who don't really know or fully understand the product they are enacting legislation for.
3. State Governments who are far too easily seduced by slick marketing from the industry.
4. A failure of all of the three parties above to listen to the one group of people who really do know and fully understand the product, the village residents and their families. 

Village residents understand because they suffer financially from the legislative inequities produced by Bureaucrats, Legislators, State Governments.

Retirement Villages Destroy Retiree Capital

The @jacintaallanmp Labor government fails to recognise destructive nature of retirement villages, sending retirees on a journey that destroys their capital base. @WendyLovellmp @georgievpurcell @JaclynSymes @HAAGHomeAtLast @Chris_Gillett_ @adele_ferguson @ABCGoulburnMurray pic.twitter.com/oEJvIphmZp

— Les Scobie (@retvilldotnet) December 16, 2024

Retirement Housing Advice and Advocacy Program

Retirement Housing Advice and Advocacy Program.

The Senior Newspaper reports -

"HELP is at hand for Victorian seniors weighing up their living options with the launch of an advice service to guide people through the retirement housing maze.

The state’s first service dedicated to supporting people in retirement housing has been set up by not-for-profit community group Housing for the Aged Action Group (HAAG).

Co-manager Fiona York said the Retirement Housing Advice and Advocacy Program offers help to seniors living in caravan and residential villages, retirement villages and rental villages across Victoria.

Residents must be 55 and over with some form of financial disadvantage or receiving a Centrelink benefit.  The service can also provide advice on housing options, including things to look out for when considering entering a retirement village.

“HAAG has been assisting residents in retirement housing for a number of years but this is the first time a specific program has been provided by government in the retirement housing space,” Ms York said.

“HAAG’s knowledge and expertise gained over 15 years of working directly with residents have made it an ideal organisation to take on this role.”"

See full article here - HAAG Retirement Housing Program

Retirement Housing Advice and Advocacy Program.



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Housing Regulatory Fears Unfounded

Domain.com.au reports - Housing Regulatory Fears Unfounded

Fears increased regulation for landlords would harm Australia’s housing market unfounded: AHURI report

Fears Australia’s housing market would suffer if landlords faced increased regulation are unfounded, an international review has found.

In countries with similar incentives for mum and dad investors, stronger regulations protecting tenants did not lead to a big drop-off in investors or subsequent house price falls, according to a new Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) report.

The view of increased tenancy regulation – such as capping rent increases and bringing an end to no-grounds terminations – as “red tape” that would drive investors away was out of step with the experiences of most countries, according to lead researcher Chris Martin, from the University of New South Wales’ City Futures Research Centre.

Read the full story here:- Regulatory Fears Unfounded

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