Links

ORGANISATIONS TO ASSIST RESIDENTS AND PROSPECTIVE RESIDENTS:

The Australian Legal Information Institute website contains the Retirement Villages Act 1999 and the Retirement Villages Regulation 2000 in the NSW section under www.austlii.edu.au by clicking R in the alphabetical listing. Under S in the same section, the State Environmental Planning Policy (Seniors Living) 2004 is also available. The Consumer Trader and Tenancy Act and Regulation can be found on the same site by clicking C in the alphabetical listing.

The Aged-Care Rights Service (TARS) incorporating the Older Peoples Legal Service (OPLS) is a legal service for residents of retirement villages.   TARS can provide residents and prospective residents with legal advice, representation or advocacy, information and assistance.   TARS is located on Level 4, 418A Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW 2010 , phone 9281 3600 or, for callers outside Sydney, 1800 424 079.   TARS website is www.tars.com.au

Baynes World of Directories has published a directory entitled Village Communities of Australia which lists many of the retirement villages in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

The NSW Office of Fair Trading administers the laws that set out the rights and obligations of prospective residents and residents of retirement villages and operators. Its role includes the following responsibilities:

• providing information about the retirement village laws
• handling complaints about possible breaches of the laws
• taking or defending judicial proceedings on behalf of residents in matters of public interest
• conducting education campaigns
• producing educational resources on retirement village matters
• investigating and carrying out research into retirement village matters
• monitoring the industry to detect unfair practices
• reviewing and amending the laws to ensure they remain relevant

The Office of Fair Trading website is www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

The Seniors Information Service provides written information about retirement villages.
Email sismgr@cotansw.au

The Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association of NSW serves pensioners of all ages, superannuants and low-income retirees. Their website is www.cpsa.org.au

The Law Society of NSW can provide you with a referral to a solicitor specialising in retirement village matters. Free call 1800 422 713.

The Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal hears applications from operators, residents or Residents Committees regarding disputes on the interpretation and application of the provisions of the Retirement Villages Act 1999. Application forms are available from the Tribunal by telephoning 1300 135 399. The Tribunal has registries in Hurstville, Liverpool, Penrith, Parramatta and Sydney as well as Newcastle, Tamworth and Wollongong.

The Australian Consumers Association (Choice) "Choice" is a consumers' organization that states no advertising, no bias. just reliable, expert advice. 'Choice trusted information for Australian Consumers'. Research Retirement Villages - archive. Their website is www.choice.com.au

Decisions in a number of matters taken to the Tribunal under the Retirement Villages Act are published on www.austlii.edu.au . Some Tribunal decisions have been appealed to the Supreme Court and the Court's decisions are also recorded on the same site.

Another site for general information about Retirement Villages is the "It's Your Life" page. More than 500 retirement villages in NSW are listed in the magazine Village Communities of Australia.
See www.villages.com.au  for full purchase details or phone 02 9810 5555.

INDUSTRY GROUPS:

The Aged and Community Services Association (ACS) represents operators largely from the non-profit section e.g. church or community run villages. Their website is www.agedservices.asn.au

The Retirement Village Association Australia (RVA Australia) is a national industry body for the retirement village industry, representing operators largely from the private sector. They can provide information on their member villages. Their website is: http://www.retirementvillagesaust.com.au/

INTERSTATE RESIDENT GROUPS:

Queensland - Association of Residents of Queensland Retirement Villages.
Website www.villagers.org.au

South Australia - South Australian Retirement Villages Residents Association Inc.
Website http://www.seniors.asn.au/sarvra.jsp?xcid=767

Western Australia - Western Australia Retirement Complexes Residents' Association Inc.
Website http://www.warcra.org/dnn

Victoria - Housing for the Aged Action Group.
2nd Floor, Ross House, 247-251 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Vic 3000.
Website www.oldertenants.org.au   Email haag@oldertenants.org.au

Victoria - Residents of Retirement Villages of Victoria Inc.
Website http://www.rrvv.org.au

Tasmania - The Retirement Villages Act 2004 came into operation on 1 July 2005. TBA.