Ongoing discussion – bad media needs the facts:

Another week, another bad headline – this time the Sydney Sunday Telegraph (circulation 680,915 copies) and repeated across Australia, with this headline: “Spike in retirement village complaints to Fair Trading”. The thrust: ‘hefty exit fees and costly out of pocket monthly levies’, quoting two residents that did not understand that they would have to pay a DMF.

The facts: our McCrindle Baynes research of over 10,600 residents in October last year found just 11% felt the village contract was “Poorly explained & I did not understand it well”. Taking into account that the survey was completed by residents whose partner may have researched the contract and since passed away it strongly says that contracts are understood across the sector.

If you wish to access this research to incorporate in marketing material it is available (at a fee); email me at chrisb@villages.com.au