Q&A

A. Anyone, who is over 65 (or is married to someone over 65). The services and facilities have been designed for people of this age group. Visitors are of course welcome.

A. Yes, all the properties are leasehold.

Lease 1

For numbers 1-10 The Paddocks the original leases were granted on 6th July 2001 for 125 years, and the properties are sold with the balance remaining. Ground rent is currently between £96 and £250 per annum for these properties depending on the lease. Where leases have subsequently been bought in by Retirement Villages a new lease has been issued (see below).

Lease 2

For numbers 11-22 The Paddocks the original leases were granted on 1st January 2005 for 125 years, and the properties are sold with the balance remaining. Ground rent is currently between £180 and £250 per annum for these properties depending on the lease. Where properties have subsequently been bought in by Retirement Villages a new lease has been issued (see below).

There are however exceptions to the above. Some properties at Gittisham Hill Park have had their leases re-issued by Retirement Villages. These have the balance of 125 years from the date of issuing, and incur a ground rent of £250 per annum.

Lease 3

Numbers 23-32 The Paddocks also have a lease of 125 years starting from 2009. These will also incur an annual ground rent of £250.

A: Owners of a Retirement Villages lease are required to pay an assignment fee when their property is sold.

When a Retirement Village is developed there are very substantial capital costs involved in creating the central ‘country club’ facilities, including the restaurant, bar, kitchens, fitness centre, leisure facilities etc. The assignment fees provide the landlord company with a long term income stream which provides a return on the capital cost of that investment. At the same time, this income stream gives the landlord a common interest with the leaseholders, in ensuring that capital values of properties in the village are maintained and improved. 

A common criticism of some retirement housing schemes is that ‘second hand’ properties are difficult to sell because the developer, having made his development profit, has no further interest in the investment performance of the scheme. Retirement Villages Limited develops its villages and owns them in perpetuity. We continue to invest in the up grading and refurbishment of the central facilities and individual units so as to ensure that capital values are maximised.

The level of assignment fee varies. The maximum it will be is 12.5% of the sale value and on some of our older leases it can vary considerably below this percentage level. In all cases, this fee includes the landlord’s solicitors’ costs.

Before proceeding we would advise you to take legal advice to ensure you are fully aware of exactly what the fee would be in respect of the specific property you are considering.

A. The Village Manager organises general events and activities for the interest of residents at the village. Also under construction is a brand new amenity centre which will include a dining area and is designed to provide a central space for residents to meet and social activities/events to take place.

A. We have 22 two bedroom bungalows, and 10 one bedroom bungalows. Also on site is a 30 bed residential care home specialising in the care of older people with differing degrees of confusion, dementia and memory loss.

A. Yes, tailor made personal care and domestic assistance can be arranged to suit your needs. This care is provided by dedicated trained staff from the care home on site, trained specifically to cope with dementia related illness. They can provide services such as; night visits, meal preparation, help with bathing and dressing, and day care. Residential respite care is also available in the care home.

At Gittisham Hill Park our aim is to help you live as independently as possible, in your own home. More information about the range of care services at Gittisham Hill Park is available from the Village Manager.

A. Yes, provided we have a room available and the Care Manager has agreed they can meet your specific needs.

A. Retirement Villages does not discriminate on the grounds of age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation or disability and is committed to a policy of equal opportunities and diversity.

Our retirement villages are designed to provide an enjoyable and supported environment for older people living independently. So far as we are able we will endeavour to accommodate residents in line with our diversity policy, but we will wish to be satisfied that prospective residents are able to live independently within a community which does not provide full nursing care.

Prospective purchasers will be asked to confirm that they are generally in good health.

Purchasers who have specific health problems may be required to provide further information via their G.P. In ascertaining a person’s suitability in such a case, the landlord will rely upon sound medical advice and this assessment will be made using the criteria laid down by the Association of British Insurers to assess the need for long-term care.

A. Service charges for the properties are shown below for the period April 2011 – April 2012.

The annual service charge includes; grounds maintenance, buildings insurance, and connection to the 24 hour ‘lifeline’ in the care home – providing round the clock response to an emergency.

Numbers 1-10 The Paddocks pay an annual service charge of £2,172 PA

Numbers 11-32 The Paddocks pay an annual service charge of £2,544 PA

If you are a resident in the care home, your fees will depend on the level of care you require.

A. Salaries and National Insurance:

    * Administration - A team of three including the Village Manager who are responsible for the supervision and control of the complete on-site management of the village

    * Maintenance – Employed or contracted staff who are responsible primarily for the upkeep of the communal grounds, buildings and equipment in the village. They will also carry out minor repairs to individual properties that have arisen from structural damage, and there is an appropriate arrangement for property emergencies outside normal working hours. Where residents require further assistance i.e. electricians, plumbers etc they will be required to pay for this separately.

    * Nurses – The village has a team of nurses who operate an emergency 24/7 facility coverage.

Maintenance Reserve Fund (Sinking fund)

There is a programme for planned maintenance, together with the replacement of large items of equipment. The reserve fund is designed to allow for these expenditures as and when they occur, thereby reducing the need for large variations to service charges. The fund is also there should unforeseen maintenance items arise. 

Communal Rates

The business rates for the office accommodation, and all the other central facilities.

Insurance

A block policy is in place to cover the buildings insurance on each property and on all communal buildings. Furnishings in communal areas and equipment used in maintaining the village are also covered, together with employer’s and public liability.

Communal Energy

This is the cost of heating, lighting and water to all communal parts of the village.

Residents pay these charges separately in respect of their own properties. 

Office Supplies/Telephone

The costs of running the office accommodation and associated services.

Repairs and Maintenance

* The external maintenance, decoration and repair of all properties on the estate including the structure, roofs and foundations.

 * Internal maintenance: repair and decoration of the clubhouse and other common parts of the estate.

 * The provision of a refuse collection service.

 * The maintenance or replacement where necessary of such plant, machinery, and equipment as required.

Maintenance Contracts

The payment of charges in respect of maintenance and servicing contracts for boilers, lifts, fire alarms, alarm call system and other communal equipment.

Accountancy/Legal

Auditors costs for the provision of independently certified statements of accounts and any licence fees payable.

Management Fee

The fee payable to the Landlord’s appointed manager, RV Services Ltd, for the provision of services to the on site management company and for overall accountability of providing and monitoring the entire facility.

Cleaning Materials, Window Cleaning, Garden Supplies, Uniforms, Interest and Recruitment Advertisements

A. The service charge is based on the actual costs incurred in providing the various services within the village. Each year, residents will be informed of the expected cost, and they will have a chance to comment. Any increase, therefore, will only happen if services actually cost more, and after we have consulted all the residents. It is not possible to give predictions for this, but suffice to say the company has considerable experience, gained over 20 year of managing its villages, and is very conscious of the need to keep costs under control whilst continuing to give quality service.

Service charges over the last five years at our other villages have variably risen each year between 2.5 and 4.5%.

A. In cases of genuine hardship, we may agree to postpone the payment of all or part of the charges, leaving them to be paid, with interest added, on the eventual sale of the property. Provision for this is included in the Leases of the properties.

A: Our assisted purchase scheme is where we act as an agent on your behalf, managing the sales process, and helping you to secure a buyer for your property.

A. Yes subject to our approval, and provided they will not be a nuisance to other residents.

A. All bungalows are built to the building regulation standard at the time of their construction.

A. There are no garages provided. Parking is concentrated around the care home and central amenity centre. There are presently 25 parking spaces available. Given the likelihood that many residents of the properties and the care home will not be driving, there should be ample spaces for residents and their visitors.

A. If death occurs between exchange and completion, the 10% deposit paid at exchange would be refunded to the family or executor, less any costs incurred by the solicitors. These costs should total no more than £1000.

A. In practice, all re-sales of the properties at Gittisham Hill Park are handled by our Re-Sales Department at our National Sales and Marketing Suite. In some cases, residents have the option to sell their property independently, although the assignment fee payable when the property is sold on already provides for the costs of marketing.

Owners of a Lease 1 property have no obligation to obtain consent for the onwards sale of the property from Retirement Villages, and can assign the lease to any “qualifying person”. However, the assignment fee of 1% on this transaction will need to the transferred to Retirement Villages’ solicitor at legal completion.

Owners of a Lease 2 property must obtain Retirement Villages’ consent to assign the lease to a qualifying person. The assignment fee of 5% must be transferred to Retirement Villages’ solicitors at legal completion. “Lease 3” properties have must also obtain Retirement Villages’ consent to assign, but a different assignment fee structure is used.

For owners of a Lease 1 property, Retirement Villages may exercise the option to buy back the property from the vendor at a reasonable market value.