Safeguarding the rights of retirement village residents in Otago and Southland will be discussed at a meeting in Mosgiel next week.
Next Friday, May 4, retirement village residents are invited to gather at Chatsford Retirement Village for the first regional AGM of the Otago-Southland branch of the Retirement Village Residents Association of New Zealand.
The meeting follows on from an inaugural gathering of residents in November 2017 at Brooklands that established an interim committee to work on establishing a local branch and increasing southern membership of the national association.
Both of these goals have been achieved.
Membership of the regional association now numbers more than 100, while membership of the national association has grown to 3500.
The main focus of the association is to review the regulations and legislation that govern the industry, and to give a voice to residents of retirement villages on these matters.
The association’s motto, ‘‘together everyone achieves more’’, shows the organisation that strength of numbers will help to protect the rights of retirement village residents.
Recently, large village operator Metlifecare announced it would abolish the practice of charging ongoing fees after a village resident vacated their unit.
And, from February this year, Metlifecare residents could access $20,000 of their capital sum on vacating their unit.
Also, in the past few months, legislation has been passed to give all eligible residents the right to apply for rates rebates.
Previously, residents with a licence to occupy could not access this rebate.
The association has been included in the discussions on how this can be administered to ensure that residents have the same rights under the legislation as any other ratepayer.
The Rates Rebate (Retirement Village Residents) Amendment Bill comes into effect on July 1.
★ The first Otago Southland regional annual meeting of the association will be on Friday, May 4, from 1pm in the event centre at Chatsford Retirement Village, Mosgiel.
The guest speaker will be Troy Churton, national manager retirement villages for the Commission for Financial Capability.
