What we do

Our purpose is to…

Strengthen and represent the collective voice of retirement village residents across Victoria. We work together to safeguard residents’ rights, wellbeing and quality of life and to ensure retirement village communities are informed, respected and empowered.

Our Mission. RRVV exists to deliver:

Advocacy

Represent and advance the collective interests of Victorian retirement village residents.
Engage with government, regulators and stakeholders to influence policy, legislation and standards.
Support members in addressing systemic issues and disputes.

Education

Provide clear, accessible information about rights, responsibilities and retirement village living.
Promote understanding of resident committees and village governance.

Assistance

Offer practical support and guidance to members navigating concerns or disputes.
Refer residents to appropriate support services.

Member Support

RRVV devotes the greater part of its resources to member support. This includes:

Responding to Service Desk, telephone and email queries and request for help with problems.
Providing referral to government, legal and support services in cases where residents are in dispute with a retirement village operator or other residents.
Providing information concerning the development and/or operation of a retirement village Residents’ Committee.
Publishing four newsletter a year (members can log in to access the current and past newsletters under Member Resources.)
Providing member events.
Visiting villages –
Supporting residents in raising and pursuing complaints.
Liaising regularly with retirement village owners and operators.
Provision of the website www.rrvv.org.au as a service to members and a source of information for people interested in retirement villages.

Research

RRVV researches matters affecting residents in retirement villages to support improvements to daily living and informed advocacy regarding the Retirement Villages Act.

Government Relations

In recent years, RRVV has lodged formal submissions to:

The Department of Consumer Affairs on Retirement Village Owners Corporations.
Local Government Victoria, review of the Local Government Act 1989.
The Review undertaken by the Victorian Government into the Retirement Village Act 1986
The Review undertaken by the Victorian Government into Embedded Networks
The Legal and Social Issues Committee of the Parliament of Victoria on retirement housing
The Inquiry into Sustainability and Operational Challenges of Victoria’s Rural and Regional Councils on rates justice
The Department of Consumer Affairs on Options for reform of the Owners Corporations Act 2006

Members of the Committee of the RRVV meet frequently with Victorian Members of Parliament, Government Ministers and staff of relevant departments to lobby on behalf of residents of retirement villages

Industry Relations

The RRVV President currently co-chairs the Residents Advisory Group with the Commissioner for Retirement Villages. This group is an important mechanism for incorporating direct consumer experiences and recommendations into the advice the Commissioner of Retirement Villages provides to the Victorian government.
RRVV works to promote understanding of the Retirement Villages Act and its regulations in order to ensure residents are not disadvantaged by any changes to the Act.

Committee Meetings

Members of the RRVV Committee meet monthly to progress their work in all of the above-mentioned areas. Minutes are available to RRVV members on request. Please consider joining the RRVV Committee. Contact the office to find out more.