SMH quotes senior policy officer at CALC- "the retirement housing industry wasn’t capable of self-regulation. Governments need to step in. We need an OMBUDSMAN to provide free, fair and independent dispute resolution." @Matt_KeanMP @GladysB @DanielAndrewsMP @MarleneKairouz #smh pic.twitter.com/7VmA7DzaX7
— Les Scobie (@retvilldotnet) August 7, 2018
Showing posts with label CALC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CALC. Show all posts
Wednesday, 8 August 2018
Retirement Industry Ombudsman Essential
Wednesday, 16 May 2018
Retirement Living Residents Speak Out
Retirement Living Residents Speak Out.
Experts from Consumer Action Law Centre ran a session in partnership with Housing for the Aged Action Group, Council on the Ageing and Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria on Making Your Complaint Count for residents of retirement housing.
"Increasing the number of complaints to Consumer Affairs Victoria will demonstrate the size of the problem and create momentum for CAV to act more strongly and push them to investigate the issues. We want to make retirement housing better by improving the regulation system – be part of the change and have your voice heard!"
The workshop was aimed at residents of all types of retirement housing.
In the image above a retirement village resident raises with senior staff from Consumer Affairs Victoria what the resident saw as a serious issue and that the resident felt had not received a serious enough response from the department.
Background to the image above -
The operator of the village being discussed breached the provisions of the Retirement Villages Act 1986 and will gain financially in order of $2,000,000.00 as a result of this breach. Following a change in the law applicable from July 1 2014 the operator failed to issue a Fact Sheet for a period of approximately 18 months, a clear breach of the Act. Once the operator commenced issuing a Fact Sheet the prospective resident was advised through the Fact Sheet that they would not be responsible for the payment of the refurbishment cost of the unit they occupied on their departure from the village. (refurbishment costs can be as high as $80,000.00) The occupancy contract executed however stated that the resident will be responsible for this cost on their departure from the village, again a clear breach of the Act. The residents of the village will collectively be the poorer for this two million dollars despite a breach of the law by the operator.
The resident believes the actions of Consumer Affairs in the matter was although to advise the operator to stop doing it took no action to remove the burden from the residents of the payment of this $2m dollars despite the clear breach of the law by the village operator. There is documentary evidence showing that the operator continued to breach the law despite the advice from consumer affairs that their actions were a breach of the provisions of the Retirement Villages Act 1986.
Retirement Living Residents Speak Out
Experts from Consumer Action Law Centre ran a session in partnership with Housing for the Aged Action Group, Council on the Ageing and Residents of Retirement Villages Victoria on Making Your Complaint Count for residents of retirement housing.
"Increasing the number of complaints to Consumer Affairs Victoria will demonstrate the size of the problem and create momentum for CAV to act more strongly and push them to investigate the issues. We want to make retirement housing better by improving the regulation system – be part of the change and have your voice heard!"
The workshop was aimed at residents of all types of retirement housing.
Image courtesy of HAAG
In the image above a retirement village resident raises with senior staff from Consumer Affairs Victoria what the resident saw as a serious issue and that the resident felt had not received a serious enough response from the department.
Background to the image above -
The operator of the village being discussed breached the provisions of the Retirement Villages Act 1986 and will gain financially in order of $2,000,000.00 as a result of this breach. Following a change in the law applicable from July 1 2014 the operator failed to issue a Fact Sheet for a period of approximately 18 months, a clear breach of the Act. Once the operator commenced issuing a Fact Sheet the prospective resident was advised through the Fact Sheet that they would not be responsible for the payment of the refurbishment cost of the unit they occupied on their departure from the village. (refurbishment costs can be as high as $80,000.00) The occupancy contract executed however stated that the resident will be responsible for this cost on their departure from the village, again a clear breach of the Act. The residents of the village will collectively be the poorer for this two million dollars despite a breach of the law by the operator.
The resident believes the actions of Consumer Affairs in the matter was although to advise the operator to stop doing it took no action to remove the burden from the residents of the payment of this $2m dollars despite the clear breach of the law by the village operator. There is documentary evidence showing that the operator continued to breach the law despite the advice from consumer affairs that their actions were a breach of the provisions of the Retirement Villages Act 1986.
Retirement Living Residents Speak Out
Sunday, 29 April 2018
Access to quick fair and free justice for Victorians
Consumer Action Law Centre has launched their latest election platform for this November's Victorian State Election which calls on our state politicians to create quick fair free justice access for all Victorians.
Retirement Village residents have a particular interest in that part of the program that places emphasis on:-
"More than twelve months have passed since the release of the Victorian Parliament’s Inquiry into the Retirement Housing Sector that recommended the establishment of a Retirement Housing Ombudsman, yet older Victorians are no closer to seeing this critical reform.
Older Victorians living in retirement housing want a quick, easy and low-cost dispute resolution option when problems arise, including unfair fees and bullying. We hope that most residents will never need this service, but all Victorians will benefit from an Ombudsman by rebuilding confidence and trust in the retirement housing sector."
The program booklet can be downloaded here - Victorians need better access to quick, fair and free justice in 2018
Retirement Village residents have a particular interest in that part of the program that places emphasis on:-
No excuses: Victoria needs a Retirement Housing Ombudsman
Older Victorians living in retirement housing want a quick, easy and low-cost dispute resolution option when problems arise, including unfair fees and bullying. We hope that most residents will never need this service, but all Victorians will benefit from an Ombudsman by rebuilding confidence and trust in the retirement housing sector."
The program booklet can be downloaded here - Victorians need better access to quick, fair and free justice in 2018
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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.
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