He mawhititanga ki te ahumahi Papakāinga ahungarua Retirement villages industry at a glance

Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission


We are the office of the Retirement Commissioner. Under the Retirement Villages Act 2003 the Retirement Commissioner promotes education and information about retirement villages, monitors the effects of the Act, Regulations and Code of Practice, may make recommendations to the Minister and oversees the disputes panel process.

The Retirement Commissioner advises on issues relating to retirement villages when requested to do so by the responsible Minister.

Contact us to:

Call our retirement village helpline on 0800 268 269 or email us at rv@retirement.govt.nz.

Where else to find information

  • Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

    HUD is the public sector agency with the administrative and policy advisory role on the Retirement Villages Act 2003.

    Contact HUD to:

    • Find additional information about the Retirement Village Act for residents and operators.
    • Download the Code of Practice.
    • Find out about fees for retirement village registration and contact the Registrar.

     

    https://www.hud.govt.nz/residential-housing/retirement-villages/

  • Registrar for Retirement Villages

    The Registrar for Retirement Villages administers new and existing village annual registration requirements, determines eligibility of a village to be exempted from registration or having a statutory supervisor, maintains a search register and holds copies of various village documentation.

    Contact the Registrar for retirement villages to:

    • Report an unregistered village. Search to see if a village is registered.
    • Find out about fees for retirement village registration.
    • Find fees and forms for registration or exemptions.
    • Search copies of individual villages’ key documents such as the most up to date ORA or the Deed of Supervision, showing who the statutory supervisor is.
    • See a list of who the FMA has licensed to be a statutory supervisor.

     

    https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz/all-registers/retirement-villages/

  • Statutory supervisors

    Statutory supervisors have an important role. They are appointed by a retirement village operator when a retirement village is registered under a Deed of Supervision. They monitor the financial position of the village, act as an independent stakeholder for payments by residents to operators, and report annually to the Registrar for Retirement Villages and to residents at an Annual General Meeting. Statutory supervisors are licensed by the FMA.

  • Financial Markets Authority (FMA)

    The FMA approves and licenses entities and individuals to act as statutory supervisors, monitors statutory supervisor compliance, and may receive complaints about statutory supervisors.

    Contact the FMA to:

    • Find out who are the licensed statutory supervisors and what their obligations are under the Financial Markets Supervisors Act 2011
    • Make a complaint about a statutory supervisor.
    • Find application information to become a licensed supervisor.

     

    https://www.fma.govt.nz/

  • New Zealand Law Society

    New Zealand Law Society has a property law section to assist the public in property law and retirement village matters.

    Contact the New Zealand Law Society to:

    • Find lawyers experienced with retirement village matters in different regions using their find a lawyer tool.

     

    https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/

Other groups

  • Retirement Villages Association (RVA)

    The RVA is an industry membership association to which most operators, developers and managers of villages belong.

    Contact the RVA to:

    • Use the village finder tool.
    • Find out if a village is a member of the RVA.
    • See details of conferences and forums for operators, managers, and developers of retirement villages.
    • Find out about the RVA’s internal complaint process.

     

    https://www.retirementvillages.org.nz/

  • Retirement Village Residents Association New Zealand Inc.

    This growing national body represents retirement village residents, comprised of regional associations.

    Contact the Retirement Village Residents Association to:

    • Join a regional group.
    • Find information and checklists for residents and intending residents.

     

    https://www.rvranz.org.nz/

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution organisations

    There are other organisations that offer more information on alternative dispute resolution or can be used to find a mediator or alternative dispute resolution practitioner.

Community Groups

  • Age Concern

    A charitable organisation dedicated to those aged 65 plus. Contact an Age Concern worker with knowledge of services available for the elderly, visiting services, elder abuse and neglect support services.

    https://www.ageconcern.org.nz/

  • Grey Power

    A voluntary organisation with advocacy groups for superannuation, health, and a dedicated retirement villages issues committee.

    https://greypower.co.nz/

  • Citizens Advice Bureau

    A voluntary organisation promoting general knowledge and helping people to resolve their issues.

    https://www.cab.org.nz/

  • Community Law Centres

    These provide free or low-cost legal advice to eligible people.

    http://communitylaw.org.nz/

  • Disability Law

    A free community service based in Auckland to help disabled people access legal services.

    http://aucklanddisabilitylaw.org.nz/

Other Government agencies

  • Ministry for Social Development (MSD)

    Provides funding to community service providers, income and superannuation services, access to concessions for senior citizens and social housing assessments.

    Contact MSD to:

    • Access a super gold card directory and forums for senior citizens.
    • Contact the Office for Senior Citizens, which provides work programmes to help older people have access to information.

     

    https://www.msd.govt.nz/ and https://www.superseniors.msd.govt.nz/

  • Ministry of Health

    Principal advisor on health and disability for older people, and funds and purchases disability support services nationally.

    Contact Ministry of Health to:

    • Get information on home support services, long term residential care and needs assessments.

     

    https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/life-stages/health-older-people

  • Trustee Corporations Association (TCA)

    Trustee Corporations Association is an industry membership association which most statutory supervisory service firms belong to.

    Contact TCA to:

    • Find out about the TCA role and the TCA complaint process.

     

    https://www.tca.org.nz/

  • Health and Disability Commissioner

    Administers consumer complaints about health or disability services and provides information on how to get the best from a health or disability service.

    Contact the Health and Disability Commissioner to:

     

    https://www.hdc.org.nz/

  • District Health Boards

    Responsible for providing or funding health services in a particular district.

    For more information:

  • Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ)

    Processes applications for superannuation, financial assistance and residential accommodation allowances.

    Visit Work and Income: Benefits and payments

     

    https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/