retvilldotnet: July 2021

Tuesday, 27 July 2021

New Resident Higher Charge

For Vic #retirementvillage residents a legal opinion has been obtained. It is a breach of the Act for an operator to charge a 'new' resident a higher maintenance charge than current residents. Anyone being impacted should seek professional advice. @HAAGHomeAtLast @Katherine_M_T pic.twitter.com/pkCZeMcKGI
— Les Scobie (@retvilldotnet) July 27, 2021

Older Women Experiencing Homelessness

HAAG strongly supports the need for the Social Housing Regulation Review. However, older women are a fast-growing cohort of people experiencing homelessness, and their unique housing needs are barely acknowledged https://t.co/UKiLVTYyMk #everybodyshome
— Housing for the Aged Action Group (@HAAGHomeAtLast) July 20, 2021

Victorian Renters Rights

Shane and Fiona talking about the new and improved renters rights under the Residential Tenancies Act with Georgia from @TenantsVic - listen in to the latest podcast here https://t.co/1jXyGH88Ll on @3CR
— Housing for the Aged Action Group (@HAAGHomeAtLast) July 15, 2021

Citizens With Energy to Challenge

Responsible authorities baulk at defending the laws of the land. Takes citizens with sufficient energy to challenge and a supportive member of the legal profession to draw cases to a legal determination. #vicpol pic.twitter.com/I6wAVKJqTC
— Les Scobie (@retvilldotnet) July 15, 2021

Charities To Be Gagged

#auspol @ScottMorrisonMP https://t.co/6xVS6PsrCW
— Les Scobie (@retvilldotnet) July 13, 2021

Able To Grow Older At Home

WE WON and there is now a national code that means new homes must be built to be accessible for people at all stages of their lives! This keeps people healthy and able to grow older at home. But some states are still holding out, worried that this costs developers profit margins? pic.twitter.com/ceDwd4tRUE
— Housing for the Aged Action Group (@HAAGHomeAtLast) June 29, 2021

Modern and Supportive Public Housing

Yes we can build new, modern and supportive Public Housing! Great to hear about this happening in Queensland 🙌 https://t.co/3xBtZJOQXQ #everybodyshome
— Housing for the Aged Action Group (@HAAGHomeAtLast) June 10, 2021

Shepparton HAAG Office

We are heading up the Hume Highway and opening up shop in Shepparton! 🍎🍐🐮 Do you want to work with us to help older people in the region get a safe and affordable home? Come join the team! https://t.co/tWCEaPZgAa
— Housing for the Aged Action Group (@HAAGHomeAtLast) June 9, 2021

Fee for New Retirement Village Residents

For Victorian Retirement Village residents a legal opinion has been obtained that it is is a breach of the Retirement Villages Act 1986 for an operator to arbitrarily charge a 'new' resident a higher adjusted maintenance charge than existing residents.

"In our view, to the extent that the operator is charging new residents a maintenance charge greater than the adjusted maintenance charge where the increase has not been approved under section 38(4) of the RV Act, does not represent one of the exceptions in section 38(5) and is not a special levy under Section 38(6), the operator is in breach of section 38 of the RV Act."

Anyone being impacted should seek professional advice.

Function of Government

The role of government is to create an environment for commerce to function whilst at the same time protecting retirees and particularly vulnerable retirees from both financial and emotional harm emanating from that function.

The Victorian Retirement Villages Act 1986 provides the environment for commerce to function but fails to fully protect retirees from financial and emotional harm as a result of it.

The Victorian legislative definition of a retirement village in demanding the payment of an 'in-going' amount without the transfer of property ownership is a major contributor to that financial and emotional harm suffered by retirees.