Property for old age pensioners - this really needs sorting out

[Egggyweggghead]

My mum is 83, and fortunately still quite active and independent. My dad died a few years back, so she sold her house and moved near me
She lives in a 1 bedroom private flat with garden in a small town, that she pays £800 per month for (which is cheap)
Her landlord, due to an illness is selling up, so she needs to find somewhere else to live.

It has been quite an eye opener over the last few weeks over how few options there are regarding housing for this age group

Because of where we live is really expensive She has just enough money to purchase a 1 bed flat or terraced house with no or unkempt garden in a not very nice area of town or in a bigger town 10 miles away,

There are no rentals- anything that comes onto the market gets snapped up quickly and she needs something on the ground floor.

There are hundreds of retirement houses around us that have been up for sale for months/ years, yet they are building more and more 'luxury' retirement villages
The maintenance and service charges on the places up for sale are £2-5000 + per year
All are being reduced in price, so the prices are as low as £70,000 and still dont sell -whilst a small bungalow would be £350,000 which she can't afford

Also the retirement homes take 3-4 months to purchase, like a normal house and she needs to find somewhere quickly

I have hunted for retirement homes to rent, but they are either stupidly expensive at over £2000 per month or are for social tenants only, which my mum doesn't qualify for.

It seems to me that we are desperate for housing in this country, and loads of oaps are living in houses that are too big for them and they want to downsize and move to a more manageable property

But the only option available is to move to a retirement home that they have to purchase which will lose them money and will be unsaleable in the end

I wish someone would look at the 1000s of retirement properties that are sitting empty around the country and change the leasehold and allow them to be rented out at a sensible price.

On rightmove there are 335 retirement properties for sale within a 5 mile radius

I think whether it makes financial sense depends on the drop in value. OP says they are now 70k and not selling. But I dont know how much they were when her mum could have bought one.

I must be hard to be in an asset that is going up in value to being in one going down in value. You also aren't just not leaving an asset, in some you are leaving a burden. In Mccarthy stone I believe the service charge carries on until it's sold, which can take ages.

I sat on our parish council some 10 years ago. A large local employer with business premises at the end of the High Street as well as a pub which closed down some years ago. I said it wod make an ideal sight for disabled and elderly people. Due to Access to the high St gp and pharmacies.Despite this we have had 3 new estates tacked on with proposals for a fourth
No additional infrastructure in a small town provided as the planning is approved by the neighbouring authority. If secondary school children need to get to school the lowest I the neighboring council area is 10miles away. There are no footpaths so the high street is even less accessible. No interest of planning for a range of housing only looki g at the £££ to be made.

@Lovelysummerdays that's not true everywhere though- where I am you can be 142 in queue if not a mega priority and you can't be on the list in an outside area just 4 miles away either

I think the pp is poiniting out that it isn't always other people's fault that there is a lack of property available, sometimes poor choices do play a part.

Again, what is wrong with a one bed terrace with an unkempt garden (that would be easily tidied in a tiny terrace property) or a house 10miles from the op?

Her mum still has the capital from her sale, there are options available. Sadly they may not be the ones the op and her dm want but that is life, we must all compromise and be realistic.

OP's post is that generally speaking, the options for the elderly are limited. Her mother is one example, perhaps she wasnt ready or able to buy at the time, not everyone can or should be able to be expected to

So the post was pointless and blaming.

And no I dont think there is anything wrong with a terrace with an untidy garden, I would be inclined personally to make a flat work or a tiny house work, change the layout or something. Im thinking similar if one of my parents dies, my dad certainly wont move I know that, but if he dies first, then I think my mum should buy a one bed ground floor maisonette with a garden, I keep my eye on their local market for this reason to see whats about

A service charge would remain on any property until it’s sold. The same as you would also have to pay utilities from the estate for a property after the owner has passed away.

It just sounds like there are a number of options open to the OP and her DM but they want a perfect solution which also costs the least, which just isn’t realistic.

Have you been in touch with your local council and asked for a home assessment with an occupational therapist?

My DH is in a similar situation. Our local council put in a stair lift, and a ramp to both the back and front gardens. A few simple adjustments to the bathroom as well, though they did offer to put in a wet room.

Total life changer for my DH. We had to wait a long time for it all, but it was all free. We would have had to pay for the wet room, but via a charge on the house, so no payment upfront. I am in Wales, so possibly the rest of the UK is not so generous. I was amazed that we didn't have to pay anything.

Retirement flats are very cheap where I live due to the issues mentioned above. In addition, many retirement flats are tiny so, if someone then needs a walking frame or wheelchair, the flat is often not big enough or has wide enough doorways for this.

Bungalows are rare, cost more than many houses and are usually not near shops.

Nicer flats have service charges way above the budget of most pensioners. Many flats do not have lifts so looking for ground floor only is limiting. Maisonettes are good but rare.

Adding in needing to be near shops, GP, buses etc. means there is very little suitable housing for the elderly to downsize to.

I can think of nothing worse than a 'retirement village'
Parochial, gossipy, very Thurday Murder Club

Agree, @ThePrologue Insanely overpriced, too.
we’ve bought a very big penthouse with terrace, balcony, lift, 3 double beds, 2 baths and a parking space in a regular block for £259K. Would have bought us a 1 and a 1/2 bed rabbit hutch with a balcony you could just about fit 2 chairs on in a local “retirement village”.

It might be your perception, but I know many people in local retirement villages and they all say the same type of things

• "Life saver"
• "Wish I'd done it years ago"
• "Fab - I can take part in things in the evening, and walk home down the corridor, not have to be out waiting in the dark for a bus that doesn't come"
• "Its just so great - always someone to chat to so I'm no longer needing my daughter to call in every day just for human contact"
• "It's such a relief not having to do any maintenance, or try and find tradesmen, or asking my son when I know he doesn't really have enough time"
• "There's so much to do, if you want to, but equally you can just close your front door when you don't"

etc etc etc
It's easy to sneer, but, if they could sort out the issues with the cost, they are brilliant places for so many older folk. Probably not all the MNers who won't even open their front door though.

I think proper retirement villages, that are affordable and with all the facilities - shops, GPs, activities, and access to support including transport when required (visits to family or hospital etc) absolutely can work.

The same should be available for younger disabled people. Again not compulsory or the only option but an option to have if wanted.

Not the preferred choice for everyone but a good option for some. They offer independent living - but with support onsite when needed, companionship, and security.

Unfortunately they don't really exist in the UK (I think they do in some other countries). The few places that sort of meet that criteria (and I don't think anywhere in the UK does?) are expensive, so not an option for many.

Instead, in the UK, there's these ripoff retirement flats which are expensive and simply a flat. No onsite facilities, support workers, GP surgeries, shops, activities. And not always near transport.

Someone up thread mentioned a park home site for over 45s. From what I understand the few that exist are expensive (more expensive than regular houses), don't have on-site shops or GPs etc, and aren't in locations suitable for people who can't drive.

I'd Iike to see genuine retirement villages built. Also similar for younger disabled people - depending on preference, this could be as part of the same village or separate. A mix of owner occupier at reasonable prices and social rented. If someone wants and can afford to pay more, there could be options of more luxury homes to choose within the complex, but all the homes should be of decent standard.

@NewName24 I couldn’t agree more! Security is another issue, so many of us don’t have children living nearby, it can be a weight off their mind knowing that mum or dad (especially important for singles) are living in a safe environment, with support if necessary. If I’m left on my own I don’t intend to stay in our current house.

Not for everyone, we all have different preferences, but this in Florida is what I'm talking about it.

Includes: Sports, social clubs, lifelong learning, nature trails, dog parks, entertainment, shops, restaurants, healthcare centres,

https://www.thevillages.com/

I'm not sure if it's affordable though or if it's only accessible for wealthier people.

That said, it's a good starting point to model on, even with fewer extras if too expensive to include everything.

The ideal model would be based on that type of village - and mixed income, so a mix of owner occupier and social rented. And either including younger disabled people or separate villages for them (depending on what's best for and/or preferred by the individual).

@Windchimesandsong we have a very nice large retirement village like this close by in corsham called 'wadswick' - tons of facilities, lovely flats, great cafe - GP on hand etc - but it comes at a cost- a big cost- there are few rentals and the odd ones there are ridiculously expensive!! So in theory I totally agree - but at the moment I've not seen models like this that aren't 'purely for profit'

If anyone wants to look and get an idea of a great model - this is the one I mentioned- but you need lots of cash!!

www.rangefordvillages

Correct link

https://www.rangefordvillages.co.uk/villages/wadswick-green?gadsource=1&gbraid=0AAAAAo-MTVryRc82tpGYNAWDEah1GWceP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi5q3BhCiARIsAJCfuZlybaRS85WRXlkjqNIwqTBMyOuWicfH2919pppPm4oF8ezpFWAVcAwaAn4sEALwwcB

@Crikeyalmighty yes that's the major problem.

These villages need to include social rented homes. There's an increasing number of older people on low incomes including a significant minority who don't own their home (so don't have anything to sell up to buy in one of these expensive retirement villages).

This issue is a ticking time bomb even more of the generation coming up to retirement next (50s and 60s) are renters.

Some people might argue re cost of building these, but social housing (whether for elderly or disabled in a village complex, or younger people and families) is money worth spending for the wellbeing of individuals and society.

It's also cheaper than the billions spent on housing benefits and the health and social care costs of unsuitable housing (unaffordable, or somewhere that isn't close to family and/or health and social care support facilities).

Over 50s villages - that include social rented homes and either onsite health and social support or have these facilities closeby should be the model to aim for and are worth the upfront cost of building.

While I am certainly in favour of efforts to build communities that are accessible for older people and younger disabled, I know I would personally not want to feel segregated away in some kind of ghetto for people society generally doesn’t want to see.

i would instead like to see more done to actually make cities, towns and villages more accessible for people with a range of disabilities and reduced mobility. I would like to see there be national guidelines that each development has to include a proportion of wheelchair-accessible properties, just as many include social housing.

In fact, I’d like to see a presumption of accessibility in design that takes into account various things and challenge the notion that the lowest common denominator of cramming as many rooms as possible into a plot should be the norm, and see greater innovation in housing design that better integrates communities and thinks through a range of issues, such as GPs, shopping and what have you.

Hell, if we even stopped making a doorstep standard in new builds, and instead - if we really want a step up - made ramps standard, that would be part of the battle won right there. Not all, but just being able to get a wheelchair in and out of a home as standard would be amazing: it’s fuck all good having building regs that put power sockets at waist height for wheelchair users if they can’t even get in the house.

I saw some suggestion around the election of the creation of a new town, and if this happens it needs to model the kind of architecture and development we need to see in the future, and not just become a new commuter dormitory.

@Windchimesandsong I couldn't agree more- they need to look at a complex like wadswick but mix it up- Also pop a few semi bungalows in with a terrace - as you rightly say some wise investmrnt now needed

By the way- we are in the position you mentioned too and only likely to buy 'if' we inherit - in theory we will but given care costs these days it's not a guarantee

@GrumpyInsomniac yep - I appreciate the American style 'lively' retirement village isn't for all- my FIL wouldn't go for it as he wants a garden and a garage and an office plus 2 beds - even at 85!!

I don't think it needs to be new build - there could simply be a planning assumption that you can't make urban bungalows into houses (other than velux windows opening up a loft space).

If you buy some ramshackle bungalow out in the countryside somewhere that's different, but in towns and villages, bungalows need to stay bungalows.

I agree with everything you said @GrumpyInsomniac
All of that is needed.

DH and I both dream of moving to a proper retirement village, like the one in Florida, when we're older. That sort of thing really appeals to us but I appreciate it's not for everyone. And who knows, we may change our minds when we get to that stage of life.

Those villages although I think should be available (including social rented homes), should definitely not be the only option. It's not what every older or disabled person wants or needs.

I'm sorry you're in that housing position @Crikeyalmighty I really hope the government prioritises social housing asap - obviously homes for families but also homes suitable for older people and single people.

Here’s a good example. I’ve visited this development, 100% social housing, and it is excellent.

https://housingcare.org/housing-care/facility-info-164878-buchanan-green-parson-cross-england

That's exactly what's needed across the country @Seymour5

Also similar for disabled people who're under 60 especially if they live alone or are a couple (whose children no longer live at home).

Also need more accessible homes in general for families where a parent or child is disabled.