The Commissioner for Consumer Protection has announced that the third phase of consultation on proposed changes to retirement village laws has begun with a new paper being published.
The Commissioner, Lanie Chopping said that this part of the consultation would look at difficulties consumers considering seniors accommodation could experience in determining whether a village operated under the Retirement Villages Act.
“The setting up of a public register is a proposal being put forward to assist in identifying whether a particular village is covered under the Act,” Ms Chopping said.
“Having a more easily accessible public database could greatly assist consumers who are conducting their research when choosing a retirement village.”
She said that currently only a registration process with Landgate was in place where the land was registered as being used as a retirement village, but accessing Landgate records for many people might be cumbersome.
“Apart from indicating which villages are covered under the Act, the new database could also include other useful information such as what amenities and services are available,” Ms Chopping said.
“This could assist potential residents in making comparisons between villages that have differing living arrangements, contracts and facilities.”
She said the consultation would also consider some concerns that residents had raised with Consumer Protection about the variety of arrangements within a village and confusion around what this meant for the village’s retirement village scheme.
“Greater clarity in the difference between a retirement village scheme and residence contracts may also make retirement village arrangements easier to understand,” the Commissioner said.
“The consultation paper also poses the question as to how the Act should cover rent-paying residents in retirement villages, the sub-letting of units in a village and how the Act should apply to multi-site villages.”
The 62-page consultation paper 3 can be accessed at this PS News link with submissions closing on 30 September.
