Retirement properties

MOnica, it does feel as if there is something wrong with the approach to housing - particularly for older people. But we knew that I suppose.

My parents bought an Anchor Trust retirement apartment when my Mum was just 64 and my Dad 68. They seemed far too young at the time and they were quite fit and active when they moved in. It was a small apartment in a nice area and was easy to look after. My Mum died very suddenly though at 70 and my Dad became very old and ill overnight. He died 3 years later.

After my Mum passed we were very glad Dad lived there. My siblings and I visited for a few hours a few times a day and did all his shopping, cooking and cleaning. It was very reassuring to know though that if he was ill in the night he could pull a cord and summon help . During the day the warden/manager was always on hand when required and it did feel very safe and secure. You had the choice if a morning knock at the door or telephone call if you preferred from the manager asking if everything was ok. We were very glad of this facility when Dad was on his own.

The downside was the charges. The service charge was £200 a month and this included heating. This had to be paid after Dad died by us which was a real struggle. There was no reduction to reflect the fact you were getting few services in return and Anchor were very unsympathetic and refused to defer until the property sold. They also refused to allow for sale signs outside the property and it took two years to sell at a much reduced rate. It was a real worry at the time especially when we also had to pay the council tax.

I think the worst thing though was the sinking fund which was 2.5% of the purchase price for every year since purchase which worked out at 25%. A lot of the sale proceeds went directly to Anchor Trust.

In retrospect we were glad that Dad's last few years were safe and comfortable. I would consider buying such a property when we are perhaps in our seventies as long as we could leave enough money to cover a few years services charges and council tax so the family didn't have to worry. I probably wouldn't buy an Anchor property though, and would be very careful about any sinking fund or exit fee.

Cheesey that could be a salutary lesson - although your father's last years were safe and comfortable, it is always a good idea to read the small print, the conditions, or to get your solicitor to go through it carefully with you.

The companies that build and set up these retirement 'villages' are not usually in it just for altruistic purposes, they are out to make a profit too.

There is a lack of suitable reasonably priced housing for older people which means that many are stuck in family houses which are really too big or a worry to maintain.

cornergran your bungalows sound ideal.

DH has got his heels firmly dug in here though and isn't 'ready' to move yet.

My father in law moved into a M and S flat when he was 88. He was lucky to purchase the show flat and it came fully furnished. He loved living there and had a great social life making many new friends. It was so much better than rattling around in a big house with a large garden to worry about.
Since he died we have been able to rent the property out. We have a lovely lady tenant who is only in her late 60's so hoping she will be happy there for many years.

That is a really interesting experience Cheesy. Thank you. My mother has had alarms put into her bungalow which are connected to our local authority service. I wonder if this is taking the place of specific properties for retirement.

I understand your DH's point of view Jalima and feel much the same. However, I have seen "not ready" move to "too late" very quickly and that worries me. I wonder if it is different if there is only one of you. I am happily independent but couples have to take the other person (and space) into account.

Renting ... umm. Interesting.

It happened to my DP Gracesgran, they really should have moved to a one-level property.

I don't think he will ever be ready to move to a flat so a bungalow with a small garden would be ideal if only there were more available.

I could have had a very nice small bungalow one with great staff to help , and an extra care facility on site. But I did not want it and still do not as that particular company don't allow for an enclosed garden for one's dog.

Another retirement company is not such a close community and has no communal area but has warden service, and also some have small gardens suitable for a small or elderly dog. The purchase prices are very reasonable but very high service charges which would put me off moving to one of those.I think it's the service charges , not negotiable, which put people of buying them.

PS Don't overlook two storey houses. If a two storey house has downstairs facilities it's often as convenient as and less expensive than a bungalow.

Just a thought Graces but have you considered Methodist Retirement properties? You don't have to be a Methodist to apply for one, and they are run as a charity, so I like to think they won't be as greedy as some developers. A friend of mine bought one (you can rent or buy) three years ago and she was only in her 60s but with some medical conditions. It has given her a lot of security and many new friends. You can check them out under MHA retirement developments. They also have Care Homes, and some are near the independent living facilities.

I think that is very much the problem Jalima. Even with a small bungalow you may have room for a shed or converted garage but you don't want a huge garden. They are just not building them though.

I have noticed in the past that you may have to move area to get the next property as they seem to build one type/value in one area but not the next one up or down. It just seems daft to move too far away from my daughter but maybe that would be better in the long run to be in the right property.

Moving areas also means moving GP surgeries, dentists etc and getting involved in a new community.

Where my DB and SIL moved to is all bungalows with small gardens for over-50s (not warden controlled but an on-site manager) but they are not allowed to have a shed, or a large dog, although small dogs are allowed.

Crumbs. I know what you mean about all the other things to do with moving. All this has been really useful though. Bouncing thoughts backwards and forwards really helps; especially when people have RL experience.

I do think it useful to plan ahead. We have a house that functions as a bungalow with guest space upstairs (and my sewing room). It has flat access and a wet room that would be wheelchair accessible.
It is easy to care for, so we hope to be here for a long while, buying in services as we need them.

The thought of doing all that if you change areas that is a bit offputting, but probably thinking about it is worse than getting on and doing it.

We nearly bought a chalet bungalow like that Nannarose, when we moved here, but didn't and now I think it would have been ideal.
The garden seemed a bit small as the DC were young then, but now would be perfect. The trouble is that we have been in this house so long we feel rooted now.

This has set me off looking online again - and finding very few and saying 'no, no, no' to each one. Location, location, location!

Just a thought but have you considered renting? Some of the recently built properties near me are lovely, have all the facilities and the rent in some of the schemes also covers all costs including utilities. I know a 55 year old who has moved into one and loves it. Best of luck!

My mother was so fiercely independent that she refused any help that implied she was old to see how she could continue living safely in her little house. Suddenly, she decided, at 91, to move to a retirement flat closer to her own town, having refused ones near me or my sister. From our point of view we felt happy that someone would know if she had fallen or needed help as there was a Manager. It was a First Port managed block in need of up-dating. There is a variety of apartments of different sizes and some people have lived there happily whilst still working from the age of 60. I guess if you are sociable and a joiner they will work but we were warned that the gossip/chinese whispers machine was rife. Mum also felt spied on by the Manager. 10 days after we helped her move in she went to bed and didn’t wake up. It was a weekend, the Manager was off duty and the emergency aystem was awful. She hadn’t been ill and often didn’t answer the phone & would have been angry if a fuss was made so she may have been dead for a day before we got the police to call.

My friend 73 has rented in an Anchor development for 8 years. She likes the support & freedom from worry about upkeep, garden etc. She hates the gossip, petty bickering about parking, rubbish disposal & shared laundry room etc etc. She tries to steer clear of this, but it can be difficult at times. However, my Aunt, who was basically outspoken & difficult herself, lived happily in an Anchor flat for years (70ish-92) by totally ignoring the other residents!

I'd love to live in an M&S. I could raid the pudding chiller cabinets at night and try on all the clothes!

Hi, Hubby and I live in a complex of rented retirement flats. We are so spoiled. There is a beautiful garden here, with lots of room for us to sit out in the warm months. We have a Hairdresser once a week, a library, hobbies room, and a communal lounge. There is a social committee and we organise lots of things. There is also a variation in ages, 55-95. I simply wouldn't swap it for anything.

My dad hated his. He was in a good sized flat on the third floor. Two bedrooms and an en suite and shower room. The service charges were astronomical. After nine years it was constant funeral teas in the communal lounge so he sold it at the age of 86 and bought a town house which he loved. He told me never to buy a retirement property as being surrounded by only one age group was depressing and that it’s important to live in a mixed community for better mental health. They took one per cent of the price he got, but another block of retirement flats locally takes two per cent.

One of my friends was in one of these retirement flats. There was an entry-phone security system which lead you into long corridors with pastel walls with very tasteful, soft lighting. It looked like a pastel, tasteful prison.
Her flat was lovely but very small indeed - she'd had to offload a lot of her things. There was a minute balcony area - barely big enough for a small table/two chairs.
They were very expensive and there are always For Sale signs up. When she suffered a fall she was in trouble and felt that she was no better off than in an ordinary house as she couldn't reach the alarm system for help. On the floor for hours.
I believe that they're hard to sell as they're leasehold so there's a diminishing return for the 'tenant' but loads of profit for the fat-cat owners. There's a great deal to think about before making the decision.

Wow lizzie sounds great, can I ask where it is, and is it a company like M&S?