The Western Australian Government’s latest reforms of the Retirement Villages Act 1992 were introduced into Parliament on Wednesday, 14 August, after consultations began in August 2019. 

Operators will have to pay a resident’s exit entitlements within 12 months of leaving a village after the Government found the average time was 14 months. Some residents were left to wait up to three to four years. 

“Residents will also be able to ask the operator for help with aged care fees while waiting for their unit to be sold,” Minister for Finance; Commerce; Women's Interests, Sue Ellery, said. 

Operators will pay be required to pay the Daily Accommodation Fee (DAP) for residents entering residential aged care. Any DAP paid to a resident will be deducted from a resident’s Exit Entitlement Payment. 

“The reforms will also require operators to provide earlier and clearer information about their villages to help prospective residents compare villages and make more informed decisions, clarify the obligations and responsibilities of operators around maintenance of the village, and establish a process for operators to make changes to a retirement village, subject to safeguards for residents,” said the Minister. 

Western Australian Retirement Villages Residents Association President Hank de Smit (pictured) was delighted with the legislative reforms being entered into parliament. 

"This is a positive step toward protecting the rights of retirement village residents and their families, and we look forward to the reforms passing and continuing to advocate for the sector," he said. 

Retirement village operators will be given 12 months to enact the changes when the new laws are legislated.  This is the second phase of reforms to the WA Retirement Villages Act. 

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