A new Queensland Government website has been launched to help seniors and their families to make quick and easy comparisons between the state’s many retirement village living options.
Minister for Communities and Housing, Leeanne Enoch said the Compare Retirement Villages website will provide greater security and certainty for seniors considering retirement village living later in life.
“Through these reforms, it is mandatory for the state’s 330 retirement village operators, who oversee more than 32,000 retirement village units, to register Village Comparison Documents for public access,” Ms Enoch said.
“Our new website provides access to this information for seniors and their families in an accessible, easily digestible format.
“It lets users compare services, facilities and location advantages such as distance to shops, hospitals and public transport options.
“It provides some guidance on the ongoing price range for accommodation units and some examples of cost scenarios.
“It makes the job of narrowing down options a whole lot easier and quicker for seniors and their families.”
Member for Stretton, James Martin said residents of retirement villages in his electorate were valued members of the community whose contributions needed to be recognised.
“Our seniors and retirees have given so much to Queensland over their working lives and we want to ensure they’re getting a fair go,” he said.
President of the Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages, Judy Mayfield, has welcomed the website.
“I found the website a really simple, user-friendly tool for people looking at retirement options and really useful for helping to make a decision about moving into a village,” she said.
Ms Enoch said the website was not meant to provide a guide to fees and charges, which vary in complexity between different retirement village operators.
“Once you’ve narrowed down your search, that’s when you need to contact the retirement villages you are interested in to get a more accurate and comprehensive breakdown of contractual fees and charges” she said.
“The website also emphasises the importance of seeking independent legal and financial advice before signing a contract” she added.
Ms Enoch said the Government wanted a thriving and sustainable retirement village industry and was committed to helping older Queenslanders live their retirement to the fullest.
“The safeguards we introduced with the amendment of the Retirement Villages Act 2019 include improved pre-contractual disclosure allowing prospective residents to make better-informed decisions and giving them more time to get advice, improved behavioural standards for residents and operators and time limits to enable resident certainty around the payment of exit entitlements.
“Collectively, our reforms deliver certainty and security for Queensland seniors when they are planning retirement, and after they retire,” she said.
Visit Compare Retirement Villages at. www.qld.gov.au/CompareRetirementVillages.
