Retirement Villages Act 2003

Validation of fees

Schedule 4: Code of residents' rights

You could also call this:

"Your Rights as a Retirement Village Resident"

Illustration for Retirement Villages Act 2003

You have rights as a resident in a retirement village. You have the right to services and benefits promised to you. You have the right to information about things that affect your residency. You have the right to be consulted about changes to services and charges. You have the right to complain to the operator and get a response. You have the right to a fair process for resolving disputes. You have the right to be treated with courtesy and respect. You have the right not to be exploited. You can involve a support person to help you, but you must pay for their costs. Your rights are alongside the rights of other residents and the operator. You should respect their rights and treat them with courtesy. If you want to make a complaint, you can contact the operator or other people like the Registrar of Retirement Villages or the Retirement Commissioner. The Retirement Commissioner publishes information that may help resolve your complaint.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM221417.

This page was last updated on 28 January 2026 — View changes

Topics:

Housing and property > RentingMoney and consumer rights > Consumer protectionRights and equality > Anti-discrimination

Schedule 3: Occupation right agreements, or

"Rules for Living in a Retirement Village"

Schedule 5: Matters to be included in code of practice, or

"What Retirement Villages Must Do: Rules for Safety, Care, and Fairness"

4Code of residents' rights Empowered by s 32

1

You have the right to services and other benefits promised to you in your occupation right agreement.

2

You have the right to information relating to any matters affecting, or likely to affect, the terms or conditions of your residency.

3

You have the right to be consulted by the operator about any proposed changes in the services and benefits provided or the charges that you pay that will or might have a material impact on your—

occupancy; or

ability to pay for the services and benefits provided.

4

You have the right to complain to the operator and to receive a response within a reasonable time.

5

You have the right to a speedy and efficient process for resolving disputes between you and the operator or between you and other residents of the village.

6

You have the right, in your dealings with the operator or other residents of the village, to involve a support person or a person to represent you. The cost of involving a support person or person to represent you must be met by you.

7

You have the right to be treated with courtesy and have your rights respected by the operator, the people who work at the village, and the people who provide services at the village.

8

You have the right not to be exploited by the operator, the people who work at the village, and the people who provide services at the village.

This is a summary of the basic rights given to you by the Retirement Villages Act 2003.

Your rights exist alongside the rights of other residents and the rights of the operator, the people who work at the village, and the people who provide services at the village. In the same way that these people are expected to respect your rights, it is expected that you in return will respect their rights and treat them with courtesy.

If you want more information about your rights or wish to make a complaint against the operator or another resident, the operator's contact person is [name] [telephone number].

Other contact persons, if you want to make a complaint about a breach of your rights, are—

the statutory supervisor (if there is one):

the Registrar of Retirement Villages.

The Retirement Commissioner publishes information on the code of residents' rights and disputes procedures available under the Retirement Villages Act 2003 that may assist to resolve your complaint.

Notes

Schedule 4 Information: added, on 15 December 2005, by section 8(2) of the Retirement Villages Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 113).
Schedule 4 Other contact persons paragraph (c): repealed, on 15 December 2005, by section 8(1) of the Retirement Villages Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 113).