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Original poster

Retirement villages = any experiences?

26 replies

Evelyn25 · 19/09/2020 22:21

Anyone know someone in a retirement village? If and when I sell my house, I am on the verge of signing up for one about ten miles away. It has a big centre, with a restaurant, gym, shop, table tennis, lots of activities, etc. and about 200 flats around it. I am very active and gregarious, and now I'm a widow, I hate being on my own in a very quiet village. About 75 percent of the people live independently there. I'm trying to think of this as an adventure, but leaving our lovely place will be awful.

OP posts:
Justpassingtime1 · 20/09/2020 04:47

Not done myself but made enquiries . I think these places may be .
quite cut off from other communities
Also quite expensive as there is no competition among the shops.
It sounds rather like a package holiday resort.
Hopefully the other people will be outgoing like you.
Will there be things to join so you can be with the like-minded.
See if you can find some reviews of these places

MooseBeTimeForSummer · 20/09/2020 05:26

My mum lived in one. Took a long time to sell after she passed away as the pool of buyers aged over 50 was quite small.

Hyperfish101 · 20/09/2020 05:33

Any chance you could talk to some of the residents there? Get more of a feel of it?

cantarina · 20/09/2020 05:36

Could you rent there for a year and see if you like it?

chromis · 20/09/2020 07:32

My relative, who I would also describe as a gregarious widow, was apprehensive about downsizing and moving in but loved living there and said she wished she'd made the move earlier. She liked the social side and the lack of house maintenance/garden work.

I don't know the specifics of the financials so best to look into that as PP mentioned.

LooseMooseHoose · 20/09/2020 07:39

I'd look very carefully at the financials. Some have huge service charges. If so, check that they commit to providing what they say they will, not just verbally. I know a lady who moved to one on the edge of town, with the promise of an onsite minibus into town which has never happened.

Also check what happens if you need to sell. Most places will fix the price themselves (usually high) and take a certain % of the sale when you sell. They can take a long time to sell as pp above mentioned and you're liable for the service charge until it does.

Old episodes of You and Yours have done some good programmes on the risks.

MinnieMountain · 20/09/2020 07:43

DH's DGM lives in one, albeit just with a common room.

She likes the fact she can be as sociable as she wants, but still has her own front door. And knowing there's always someone on duty if she needs help.

Check the service charge as all those facilities sound quite expensive.

Be aware that most retirement complexes charge a fee of 1-1.5% of the property value when you sell.

Original poster
Evelyn25 · 20/09/2020 08:22

This place - Extracare - is a charity, and buys back the flat when wanted. Not worried about financials aspect.... Just how much I will find like minded people. I spoke to quite a few people there, and they all loved it, so should be all right....

OP posts:
RobertSmithsWig · 20/09/2020 08:32

I know a lady who moved into a large retirement village in Longbridge, Birmingham about 2 years ago. She absolutely loves it. So much going on if she wants to socialise and she's still close to her family. The service charge is equivalent to a mortgage however.

chromis · 20/09/2020 11:07

My relative was in an Extracare one

Original poster
Evelyn25 · 20/09/2020 14:24

As far as I can gather, people come from outside to things like the hairdressers, and as it's near Milton Keynes, their community is encouraged to mix in. Also, I have a car and can drive to my daughter's, ten miles away.

OP posts:
Ellmau · 20/09/2020 15:58

My parents moved somewhere similar (minus the restaurant and gym, but did look at one with) and I think are happy with their decision, but theirs is walking distance to the town and shop. A few things that have come up:

Check maintenance/service charges and ground rent, and how much they may increase by. Is there a residents' committee to bring up issues, or has this been discouraged by Extracare? Gas, water and electricity bills have been badly managed at DP's place. The wifi connection is also poor.

Must you sell back to Extracare, or can you sell on the open market with no extra fee? Do they pay the market rate? Is there a fee if you leave the flat to a DC?

What age range are the residents? How many actually take part in the activities? Are there extra costs for these? Did activities take place during lockdown?

Is the parking free?

How big is the actual flat, particularly kitchen size and storage?

Ellmau · 20/09/2020 16:07

Oh, and consider the future. You drive now - at some point you may well have to give up When that happens how will you manage getting to doctor, shops, etc?

JoJoSM2 · 20/09/2020 16:17

My MIL went to live in a nice retirement block (communal areas and lovely gardens but no pool or gym). She didn’t last v long. She decided to move to a bungalow in a town to be somewhere with a more mixed demographic. She’s managed to find things to do and has met other OAP’s + being in a nice town, she’s close to shops or cafes to pop out for lunch etc. She much prefers it to the closed OAP environment and enjoys not having a service charge to pay (IMO she did get her money’s worth as it was v reasonable).

Original poster
Evelyn25 · 20/09/2020 16:40

Thanks for your very comprehensive message. I'm pretty sure about most of the things you bring up, but will make a note of the others, and check. This village has a wide range of activities, from the gym, tai chi, woodwork, table tennis, bowls, art, IT room, library, choir, etc. etc. on offer, as well as more specialised groups that do charge a fee. As it happens, I teach watercolour painting, so might even be able to start a class myself... They also have a qualified nurse on site who I gather can liaise with GPs.

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madcatladyforever · 20/09/2020 16:55

I used to visit one regularly when I did private podiatry two years ago. It is my idea of hell.
They are usually cut off from everywhere in the countryside so you have to get taxis everywhere.
There are two kinds of people who live there, people who are quite ill and just want to be left alone in their rooms, busybodies who have their noses into absolutely everything and know everybodys business.
The ground rent is astronomical and there are fees for everything and the fees increase with no notice.
I thought it was more of a glorified nursing home really with no privacy. I'm sure the ads make it sound fabulous but I think they are awful.
I'd much rather have my privacy and independence.

JoJoSM2 · 20/09/2020 17:50

All the classes sound lovely but that’s the sort of stuff you’ll find in many towns anyway. I’m in outer London and just this morning saw an OAP brass band practising in the park and I’ve also done lots of hobby classes at the local adult college which is also popular with OAP. I’ve seen 50+ classes in the leisure centre and at a yoga studio etc so don’t feel it’s just a retirement village where you can have an active lifestyle.

Toddlerteaplease · 20/09/2020 17:55

Yes, a friend d of mine is in one very similar to what you describe. Possibly the same one. It's lovely. But along way out of town
Though is on the tram and bus routes. However he found lockdown extremely difficult as they couldn't leave the village.

Toddlerteaplease · 20/09/2020 17:56

He paid a lot Of money for a two bed flat.

Toddlerteaplease · 20/09/2020 18:07

I believe the one my friend is in is also managed by extra care. Tbh lovely though it is. I think I'd find only being surrounded by elderly people quite depressing. The last series of nursing home for four year olds was filmed there. Some of the residents seemed extremely isolated despite the activities.

senua · 20/09/2020 19:43

"Extra Care" is a type of housing, defined by Government. Link to Age UK. A big player in this market is a charity called, a bit confusingly, "The Extra Care Charitable Trust" but there are other providers.
Some ExtraCare homes are owner/occupiers only; some are a mix of owned and rented, with a lot of the renters being placed there by the local Council.

mumwon · 20/09/2020 22:00

find a village or town with an active U3A or WI & a gym (from peanut gallery ie dh! Oy stop reading over my shoulder!!!)

Original poster
Evelyn25 · 20/09/2020 23:31

In this Extracare village, 75% of people are mobile and independent and some are late fifties. There are masses of cars, so it certainly doesn't feel like a nursing home... I imagine they do vary a lot. I shall go and have another look and check up.....

OP posts:
CalmYoBadSelf · 20/09/2020 23:36

It might be worth posting on Gransnet too to see if any experience there

TartanDMs · 20/09/2020 23:41

The Extracare Charitable Trust villages are lovely. I used to work for their head office and we visited them all as they were being built and residents were moving in. I left a while ago but they take residents on holiday, there's a lot of social activities, but also a lot of privacy if you don't want to engage with the social side. The apartments are really nicely kitted out. There used to be a clause that you had to sell your apartment back to the charity for the price you paid for it but with the (relatively new) managing director i don't know if he has carried that on.