Follow the journey
1. Moving in
Occupation Right Agreement (ORA)
It sets out:
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What you are paying
What services the village provides
Financial arrangements at entry and exit
How the DMF works
When fees start and stop.
Before signing, you must receive a Disclosure Statement, and it is required that you get independent legal advice.
2. Entry Payment
(Capital Sum)
To move in, you pay an entry payment, often funded from the sale of your home.
This gives you:
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The right to live in the unit for as long as you choose
Access to facilities
Security of tenure
This entry payment is not an investment purchase; it is a licence to occupy
You receive most of it back when you leave, minus the Deferred Management Fee (DMF) and any other agreed deductions.
3. Weekly fees
Residents pay a weekly fee that covers the running of the village.
This includes:
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Maintenance of buildings and common areas
Staff and management
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Village insurance and rates
Some villages offer fixed weekly fees, while others adjust annually.
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Security, landscaping, and shared facilities
4. The Deferred Management Fee (DMF)
The DMF is a key part of the village financial model.
It is only deducted when you leave, and only once your unit is relicensed to a new resident
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You do not pay it while living in the village
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Usually capped at 20-30% of your original entry payment
The DMF helps fund long-term capital improvements, shared facilities, and overall village operations.
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How does it work?
Residents leave a village when:
5. Leaving the Village
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Moving into aged residential care
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Moving elsewhere
Or when a resident passes away
Here’s what happens next:
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In many villages, weekly fees stop immediately once the unit is vacated
Others apply a short continuation period - your ORA specifies which applies
Refurbishment or reinstatement:
The village may refresh the unit before relicensing it.
This may include:
Carpet replacement
Painting
Relicensing the unit to a new resident:
The village markets the unit and signs an ORA with a new resident.
6. Repayment
Once the new resident’s entry payment is received, the village repays the outgoing resident (or their estate) the original capital ORA sum less:
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Deferred management fee
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