The Retirement Villages’ Residents’ Council has undertaken research that has included quantitative and qualitative research, as well as regular surveying of residents.

As an evidence-led organisation, the Council relies on its research as well as its in-depth understanding of retirement villages, to inform its advocacy. Its research highlights some complex issues that warrant careful and further investigation.

It is releasing key themes and implications, whilst noting that further investigation is warranted into some areas. Those investigations are ongoing.

Research undertaken thus far in 2025 finds that:

·        There is a strong preference for there to be a choice in retirement village living.

·        There is a strong preference for a fair and independent complaints scheme.

·        There is a strong preference for a Standardised Occupation Rights Agreement.

·        There is a strong preference for clarity over ownership of chattels and fixtures and responsibility for repair.

·        Views on termination and repayment were highly dependent on personal situations of people now living in retirement villages.

·        There was a preference for repayment of capital so that families/estates did not have to wait, with the next highest rank need             being funding for their aged care.

·        Most residents want a mandatory capital repayment within 3-6 months or less. There are indications that longer waiting times           for repayment of capital would generally be accepted by residents if it helped avoid higher costs to pay for it. 

·        Both qualitative and qualitative research, as well as surveys, indicate most residents would accept a longer wait if interest                   were paid immediately or if a lump-sum was paid within 5 days.

·        There is little appetite for higher costs with the majority of residents opposed to paying higher deferred management fees                     (DMF) or weekly fees to secure faster repayment. However, if costs have to be met, increased weekly fees were the least                        acceptable option, followed by DMF and capital input.

·        In quantitative research most residents would like changes to apply to them, but qualitative surveying indicates that many                   residents worried about the impact of costs and some thought retrospectivity was fundamentally unfair.
 

About the Research

Initial quantitative research was independently undertaken by Talbot Mills in August 2025, with 290 residents responding. Initial qualitative research was independently undertaken by Talbot Mills in August 2025, with 23 resident interviews.

Surveying by the Council has been undertaken over the past 18 months during village presentations to 950 residents throughout NZ with 25% of them completing a survey.