Behind the glossy brochures and satisfaction surveys, unscrupulous retirement housing operators hide a dirty secret: they are making a fortune from retirement residents' nest eggs.

We are campaigning to:

  1. Establish a Retirement Housing Ombudsman - to provide free, fair and binding dispute resolution
  2. Put a stop to excessive fees - that are frequently opaque and have no relationship to the services provided
  3. Address complex and ambigous contracts - by making them standardised
  4. Introduce mandatory minimum training and accreditation standards - bringing them into line with what's expected from other property managers
  5. Protect residents right to sell
  6. Involve residents in any reform process

Latest Retirement Housing Campaign Updates

Retirement Villages Act amendments infographic

Our position on the Retirement Villages Amedment Bill 2024

Retirement bill a step in right direction, but more needs to be done to protect residents

Housing for the Aged Action Group calls the government’s Retirement Villages Act Amendments Bill, released today after a five-year consultation period, a “mixed bag” that includes important improvements for residents but leaves some major areas of concern inadequately addressed.

Residential parks survey now open!

The Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC), in partnership with the Commissioner for Residential Tenancies, aim to research the issues faced by tenants in residential parks by engaging with residents, industry experts, housing professionals, and community organisations. A key part of the project includes surveys for residents and operators to identify their challenges.

 

Residential Park Survey opened 11 October 2024

  • Duration: 10-15 minutes
  • For: former, current and prospective residential park residents, residents’ families, and on-site and off-site park managers in Victoria
  • Purpose: findings will inform a comprehensive report to be published and considered by the Victorian Government
  • Survey closes: 11 November 2024
  • Additionally, the Commissioner for Residential Tenancies is taking submissions until 8 November 2024 at https://www.rentingcommissioner.vic.gov.au/

Statement on appropriate regulation of Retirement Villages

A series of stories published by the ABC this week highlighted unfair fees, confusing contracts and poor treatment of residents living in retirement villages. Government must act now to protect retirement village residents from exploitation and eviction.

What's going on in Residential Parks?

25 Sep 2024
Shane and Fiona speak to Erin Turner, CEO of Consumer Policy Research Centre about their new research in partnership witht he Office of the Residential Tenancies Commissioner, focussing on residential parks.You can find out more and participate in the research by going to their website www.cprc.org.au
Listen in on 3cr.org.au

Pages

What can we do?

- Join the Retirement Accommodation Working Group

Are you passionate about retirement housing reform? Our Retirement Accomodation Working Group meet regularly to work together for change.

Find out more and join the group!

- Write to the Premier

Send your message to Premier Jacinta Allen and ask her to commit to improving the lives of residents of Retirement Villages and Residential parks (land lease communities). and to make housing for older Victorians affordable and fair.

- Write to your MP

Let your elected representative know that Retirement Housing Matters to you!

Download a template letter

- Meet with your MP

Meeting with your MP can be daunting but they need to hear from us! Here are some resouces to help

Advocacy Kit

Retirement Housing Matters is a campaign partnership Consumer Action Law Centre (link is external), Council on the Ageing (link is external), Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria and Housing for the Aged Action Group.

Resident Committees

HAAG has developed resources to assist residents to form resident committees. 

 Guide to Resident Committees