Information for residents living in a village

The articles below relate to residents residing in a village.

Access to operational documents by a resident

A resident resident may ask the scheme operator to allow them to inspect or request a copy of an operational document – read more

Behavioural standards

Behavioural standards under the Retirement Villages Act 1999

Explains behavioural standards, and remedies for breaches of the standards, for residents and their guests, and for retirement village operators, provided by the Retirement Villages Act 1999 (the RV Act). – read more

Love thy neighbour (and thy Qld Retirement Village Scheme Operator) – an article by DSL Law

This article explores the laws, which were introduced as amendments to the Queensland Retirement Villages Act 1999 in 2017 to prescribe clear and enforceable behavioural standards for Operators, including their staff, and residents. Consequences of non-compliance with the laws will also be considered, with a view to understanding whether the legal measures are working and, more importantly, whether they are the answer. – read more

Capital improvement proposed by residents to communal facilities

Dispute resolution

With every village having its own complex mixture of individuals, and each person with their own opinions, ideas and beliefs, it’s not surprising that disputes arise. – read more

Electricity Survey Report

The electricity survey of retirement villages in Queensland was conducted to answer a number of questions about the supply of electricity to residents in retirement villages. Questions such as:

• What is the spread of charges for electricity supply?
• Are Seniors Discounts passed on to residents?
• What is the impact of embedded networks verses independent?
• Any other questions arising from the data – read more

Embedded power networks (and rebates)

This article has been prepared in response to queries from an ARQRV member to clarify the following comment on “Embedded Networks”.

“if the scheme operator went over to an EN”  …. it will not be a case of whether the scheme operator ‘goes over’. The village is either an EN or not. An EN is where each villa is wired to a central point and the outside as against separate wiring for each resident as in suburbia.” – read more

Estate and future planning

This article provides general information for retirement village residents about matters that should be addressed while they have legal mental capacity, and also provides information that may be relevant to matters after death. – read more

Freehold village

Where you need help with an issue relating to body corporate matters in a freehold village you should contact the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management.

Help (how to get)

ARQRV members can get help with issues relating to their scheme operator and advice about other retirement village matters by phoning or emailing a committee member. – read more

Legislation

Retirement Villages Act 1999

The Retirement Villages Act 1999 (RV Act) provides the law relating to the establishment and operation of retirement villages in Queensland.  – read more

Amendments to the Act

Amendments to the RV Act since November 2017 provide new standards for operators and residents of retirement villages, and will build better consumer protection for residents and prospective residents of villages in Queensland.  Further changes relating to standardised village budgets and financial statements will be introduced in the future. – read more (PDF)

Residents insurance

Double insurance

Double insurance can happen when the scheme operator and the resident both effect their own insurance cover for the same property against the same occurrence or event.  – read more

Solar installations

In Australia and particularly in this State of Queensland where we have an abundance of sunlight, it is no wonder that we see a great number of retirement village homes nowadays with solar panels adorning the roof. In most cases a residential unit would not automatically come with solar installation. – read more

Water appliance malfunction

How can a simple incident turn into a major concern?  – read more

Residence contract

Importance of referring to your residence contract

Your residence contract provides details about your rights and obligations and also the scheme operators rights and obligations.  Many issues may be resolved by simply referring to the documents that comprise your residence contract.

This article explains that ‘no-one-size -fits-all’ when attempting to determine a particular resident’s lawful rights and obligations for their retirement village living arrangements. – read more

Recording the death of a joint resident

This article relates to residents in leasehold villages where one resident of an accommodation unit dies. – read more

Right to reside in accommodation unit 

This article explains –

• what is a right to reside in an accommodation unit; and
• when your right to reside in your accommodation unit is terminated, rights held by you under your residence contract are not transferred to the new resident; and
• what is ‘sold’ when your ‘unit is offered for sale’. – read more

New spouse living with resident

Provides 3 options, which a scheme operator may agree to, for a new spouse to live with a resident with varying levels of security, where the right to reside of the resident is secured by a registered lease. – read more

Resident participation

Residents constitution

Section 128 of the Retirement Villages Act 1999 (RV Act) provides that residents of a retirement village may, by a majority vote at a residents meeting, adopt a constitution. – read more

Residents funds

This article explains best practice for the handling of residents funds in a retirement village. – read more

Residents participation in the affairs of the village

One of the roles of ARQRV is to educate residents about their participation in village affairs; particularly about the proper role of residents committees, how their authority is quite limited, the entitlements of residents, and their relationship with their residents committee and subcommittees. – read more

Voting entitlement of resident

This article clarifies who is entitled to vote at a meeting of residents in a retirement village. – read more

Statutory charge over retirement village land

This article explains what a statutory charge is, and what purpose does a statutory charge have under the Retirement Villages Act 1999(RV Act) and how it operates.

This article does not apply to residents who hold a leasehold interest or a freehold interest in an accommodation unit.  Put simply, this article is not for you if you own the freehold of your unit, or have your right to reside secured by a registered lease. – read more