// Retirement Villages
Clear Guidance for an Important Life Decision
Deciding to move into a retirement village is a major lifestyle choice — and a significant legal and financial commitment. At Mee & Henry Law, we help you understand exactly what you’re signing up for so you can make the decision with confidence. Our advice is clear, practical, and focused on ensuring the village arrangement fits your needs, expectations, and long-term plans.
Protecting Your Interests
Moving to a village often involves selling your current home, updating your will or Enduring Powers of Attorney “EPAs”, and planning for future care. We assist with:
- Reviewing and explaining the ORA in detail
- Ensuring you understand financial obligations and timelines
- Advising on effect on your estate, beneficiaries, or trusts
- Coordinating with your accountant or financial adviser if needed
- Timing your home sale and village settlement
- Updating your will and EPAs to reflect your new circumstances
We make the process easier by communicating directly with the village, your family (if authorised), and other professionals involved in your move.
Why Choose Mee & Henry Law
- Extensive experience reviewing ORAs across all major NZ retirement village operators
- Friendly, patient, plain-English explanations
- Transparent pricing with no surprises
- Fast turnaround for urgent settlements
- A caring, community-focused approach
You can expect a calm explanation of what the agreement really means for day-to-day living, finances, and long-term planning.
Ready to Review Your Retirement Village Agreement?
Before signing an ORA, it’s essential to receive independent legal advice.
Contact Mee & Henry Law today for a clear, thorough review of your retirement village documents.
// Retirement Villages
Understanding Retirement Village Agreements
Most villages in New Zealand use an Occupation Right Agreement (ORA) rather than selling you ownership of the unit. This means you purchase the right to live in the unit, but you don’t own the land or building. ORAs come with specific responsibilities, costs, and rules that can vary widely between villages.
We help you understand:
- What the ORA gives you — and what it does not
- The cooling-off period and statutory disclosure documents
- Weekly fees, service charges, and maintenance obligations
- How the Deferred Management Fee (DMF) works
- Exit and repayment terms when you leave the village
- Rights around refurbishment, resale, and waitlist priority
- How care levels work if you later require assisted living
Our role is to translate complex legal documents into clear, understandable information so you can compare options confidently.
Retirement Village Articles
Why Retirement Villages Require Enduring Powers of Attorney
When moving into a retirement village in New Zealand, new residents are usually asked to have an Enduring Power of