What charges and costs will I need to consider when moving to a retirement village or housing scheme?

ExtraCare is a charity. Our principal aim is to ensure that we can offer our residents a truly rewarding lifestyle at a cost that is affordable and fair for all.

In addition to your purchase or rental costs, each home is subject to some on-going charges. These may vary according to your ExtraCare housing scheme or retirement village and type of tenure. For an explanation of charges, see below.

1. Your Purchase and Rental Options

Depending on the location and your circumstances, you can:

• Purchase a home outright (homes are offered on a leasehold basis)
• Purchase a shared ownership home (‘shared ownership’ is where you buy a proportion of your home, then pay rent, which is the ‘interest only’ element, on the unpurchased portion).
• Rent a home

2. Our Charges

In addition to your purchase or rental costs, each home is subject to the following on-going charges (which may vary according to your ExtraCare Scheme or Village and type of tenure):

• Service Charge: Costs associated with maintaining the communal areas, such as: fire alarms, entry phone system and emergency lighting repair; communal area cleaning; rubbish collection, disposal and pest control; insurances; staff time for organising these services.
• Management Charge (this is included in rental costs for rented apartments, and will be a separate charge for purchase and shared ownership homes): This covers some tasks associated with the day-to-day maintenance of your home and the management time associated with these tasks. The charge also includes your buildings insurance (but not contents insurance). Full details will be given to you when you make your application.
• Amenity Charge: All heat, light and power to each home; all water and sewage services associated with each home.
• Community Charge (in some locations): A contribution towards the running of the Well-being Service, activity costs including staffing, a contribution towards the restaurant where applicable, 24-hour access to staff support in an emergency, and costs associated with running the communal areas.

3.  Additional Costs

Additional costs which vary between different ExtraCare Schemes and Villages may include:

• Council Tax: Council tax is payable by you directly to the local council. The Council will work out your council tax charge based on the value of your home and its size. Find out more here.
• Care: Care services are charged as required and costs vary according to the amount of care needed. Many residents can receive benefit entitlements to support the cost of their care and we will advise you when you apply.
• Ground Rent: Ground rent may be payable at some locations and you will be informed if this is the case.
• Stamp Duty (for purchasers only): You are eligible to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) if you buy a property or land over a certain price in the UK. Find out more here.
• Home Contents Insurance: This is to cover the contents of your home. However, your building insurance will be covered in your Management Charge (see above).
• Telephone/Internet/Broadband: If you require these services.
• Satellite/Digital TV: If you require these services.
• TV Licence (depending on your circumstances). Find out more here.
• Maintenance of White Goods: Enhanced properties have integrated appliances (e.g. washer/dryer, fridge/freezer, oven, hob and extractor). You will be responsible for the maintenance of these after their respective warranties expire.

Access to Village Facilities. Whilst access to many of the Village facilities is covered by residents’ charges, membership of specific Village activity clubs and participation in Village entertainment and social outings are usually charged in relation to costs.

4.  Leaving the Village – Purchasers Only

If you leave your purchased home, it will normally be purchased by The ExtraCare Charitable Trust which operates a waiting list of potential residents. The original purchase price of your home is guaranteed to be returned to you or your estate, minus a long term maintenance charge, an administration fee and any outstanding weekly charges. The long term maintenance charge supports renewal and replacement of structural and other integral items in the building, as well as anticipated costs of upgrades and improvements to the Village. See an illustration of this charge.

5.  Availability of Services

Please note, some non-essential services or activities may only be available subject to demand or the availability of staff or volunteer resources. (For example, this might influence the duration of the shop, restaurant and well-being service opening hours, or the availability of some resident activities or specialist/luxury treatments).

6.  Cost Reviews

Residents are informed in advance of annual reviews of their rental costs or other charges.

7.  Help with Costs

The following costs associated with your Village residency may be eligible for support through the Welfare Benefits System:

• Housing costs of your shared ownership or rental property.
• The provision of care.
• Your weekly charges.

Our Welfare Benefits Advisors can advise you, in confidence, about your entitlements. In some rare cases, levels of benefit entitlement may be insufficient, but our Welfare Benefits Team is able to complete an affordability assessment with you.

The information on these pages is a guide only and may change or vary between locations. A copy of the lease and tenancy agreement is available upon request. Please ask your local sales advisor for specific information. We would advise prospective residents to seek independent legal and/or financial advice, support and representation as appropriate.

Our Charity’s services are monitored by the Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO) which aims to set and maintain high standards for operators of retirement communities in the UK.