Retirement FAQs

Our retirement communities offer you the security, privacy and independence of living in your own home, with the peace of mind that someone is available if you need any care and support. For more information about life at our retirement communities, visit our retirement communities page.

If you're not sure whether a retirement community is right for you, visit our choosing retirement living page for information and advice about the benefits and advantages of retirement communities, compared to other types of housing for older people.

Yes, it is your home and you can invite visitors to come and stay as you wish. We also have guest suites at most of our properties, which your family or friends can book in advance and use when they visit you. Guest suites cost around £55 per night and are usually one double or twin en-suite room.

Well-behaved pets are generally welcome, but this is subject to the property manager’s approval. It’s likely you may be able to keep a small dog, bird or goldfish, but you should enquire about this before you apply. It is important that if you have a pet, it does not cause a nuisance to other residents.

You can paint and decorate your apartment as you choose, including putting up shelves and pictures. For larger scale changes, you will need to speak to the property manager before starting any work.

Yes, as long as we can support your needs and you maintain your side of the tenancy or leasehold agreement. If your financial or care needs change, you should speak to our team for advice. 

Yes, if you need or choose to have care and support in your home, the onsite team may be able provide this for you. If the onsite team can’t provide you with a service you need, or if you simply would prefer to, you can choose another provider for these services.

Depending on whether you are a leaseholder or rent your apartment, you will generally have to pay rent, a service charge and peace of mind charge.

These costs will vary for each property, depending on the location, the communal facilities, the staff onsite, and other variables. Rental costs may also vary depending the size of your apartment and the number of bedrooms.

For full details about the costs for a specific retirement community, please find a service near you, view their web page and contact them directly.

This is a mandatory cost which generally covers: 

• Buildings insurance
• Cleaning and maintaining communal areas 
• Staff and management 
• Heating and water to your apartment

This generally covers:

• 24 hour staff presence 
• Telecare technology, including pull cord alarms
• Safety and security checks

At some of our properties, the peace of mind charge is included within the service charge.

You are responsible for paying for any costs which are not covered by your rent, service charge or peace of mind charge. These costs will vary for each property, but generally include: electricity within your apartment, council tax, television licence fee (if applicable), telephone and line rental, internet and contents insurance. For more information about costs, please speak to the manager.

This will depend on your needs, circumstances and local authority, but you may be eligible for financial assistance towards your rent, service charge or care charges. Our local teams will advise of any support that may be available to you during the application process. 

There are eligibility requirements for all our retirement communities. Search for your local property and find specific eligibility requirements on the property page.

We aim to offer a lively atmosphere and a mixed community of people who have a range of care needs, but our properties may not be suitable if you require a substantial amount of regular nursing care.

Contact retirement communities directly by completing the enquiry form on the retirement property page that you're interested in. Alternatively, telephone our team for more information or if you need an application and assessment form. You may need to apply via your local authority for eligibility purposes, but our local team will be able to advise.

Each property is unique with different community dynamics. If you’re considering a retirement community, then contact your local team and ask if you can make an appointment to speak to someone and tour the property.

There are always activities or events taking place so come along and join in – you’ll get to meet our team and residents and get a real feel for what it’s like. 

Our team of experienced staff are trained to provide high-quality care and support, and we have policies and procedures in place to ensure your safety and well-being. We also regularly review your needs, in line with your agreed support plan, and we work with external agencies as appropriate, to ensure that you are receiving the right level of support. For more information about how we help you to keep safe in your new home, see our 'Managing your home' page.