Information on Seniors' housing

Housing choices for over 55's

Can your current home meet your present or expected future lifestyle?

There are many housing options for the over 55 age group. At this time in your life, you may be considering a lifestyle change or you may want to find a house to better suit your present and future needs.

We hope to provide you with some of the information you need to make whatever housing and lifestyle choices that are right for you.

Your Home: a guide to housing options for people over 55 provides information on options available. You can also start by looking at the decision making checklist page.

The following links cover the different laws for each housing option and where you can access more information.

You can contact the Seniors housing center here

Your housing options:

What's in a name? Retirement villages, lifestyle villages and strata title

Some complexes use the term 'retirement', 'lifestyle', 'gardens', 'units' or 'apartments' but they can mean different things and don't actually tell you what sort of housing is provided and which laws apply.

The table below will help. If you are unsure, please check your contract/agreement.

Style/ Definitions	Retirement village	Residential park	Strata title	Renting	Boarding and lodging	Residential aged care
Type of structure/ Premises	Includes units and serviced apartments for 55s and over, retired and spouse/partner. May use many names, including 'lifestyle village'.	Includes mixed-use parks and lifestyle villages for over 45s. May use many names, including 'lifestyle village'.	Includes strata schemes for over 55s.	Includes private rentals and social housing (public and community housing).	Includes licensed lodging houses and private arrangements.	Includes hostels and nursing homes with high or low care.
Ownership style	Can purchase a lease, rent or buy a strata unit.	Can buy or rent the premises. Land is always leased.	Can purchase or lease property.	Rental. Tenants pay rent for exclusive possession of premises.	Rental. May have exclusive occupation of own room and share common areas.	Rental. Requires an Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) assessment to determine eligibility.
Additional information	Rights and responsibilities depend on individual agreements.	Structure must be relocatable.	A number of individual ownership/ common property scenarios exist.	A tenancy agreement gives either a fixed or periodic term and sets out the conditions of the tenancy.	Rent may include meals or just room. Rights and responsibilities depend upon individual agreements.	May be charged care fees and accommodation bond. May receive government subsidy.
Legislation	Covered by the Retirement Villages Act 1992.	Covered by the Residential Parks (Long-stay Tenants) Act 2006.	Covered by the Strata Titles Act 1985.	Covered by the Residential Tenancies Act 1987.	Covered by common law on contracts.	Covered by Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth) if government funded.