Affordable retirement housing

Is there such a thing as affordable retirement housing. Unless you are eligible for social housing, most of these places come with a massive price tag, £225.000 and this on the NE coast, and nearly just as massive maintenance costs. If I had to choose would choose rental. Off my estate they have built retirement homes, but non for the social sector. Many are leasehold, which I wouldn’t touch with barge pole.

Yes this is a difficult area as you say Linclass many are leasehold and there are ground rents to consider which can be anything from £1500 upwards per annum and then increase each Year. I know that some of this covers outside maintenance of the property and the communal grounds, not sure what else it covers and if you still have to pay gas, electricity, council tax etc. It is certainly not for the faint hearted or those without deep pockets.

In the area I was brought up in there are several groups of one and two bed bungalows but they are all social housing for those wishing to down size and for those with disabilities.
They are like gold dust.
My friend's 33 yr old daughter is registered disabled and has not long moved in to a one bed LA bungalow in another area.

You took the words out of my mouth Linclass as I was reading the OP I was thinking "is there such a thing".

It is highly likely that the ones that I have seen were social housing and because of their specialist purpose not available for purchase under right-to-buy.

Usually blocks of about six all in one long structure will very small gardens front and back.

An elderly great aunt once lived in a flat, rented from the local council, within a council owned retirement complex, where there was a resident warden and some communal rooms too. So she could be private in her flat or go to the communal area as she chose.

I don't know whether one needs to be an established local resident giving up a social housing house to get such a place, but maybe it is worth writing to the council or housing association where one would like to live and asking. One could get lucky if they have empty places.

Maybe inland in rural villages might be a better chance.

...with very small gardens ..

Unfortunately some parts of the building industry seem to have appropriated the meaning of 'affordable'.

ElderlyPerson

Unfortunately some parts of the building industry seem to have appropriated the meaning of 'affordable'.

Most parts from what I see. I thought all developers had an obligation to provide ha ha, affordable housing. From my area I have seen not much of this, and it’s one of the most deprived areas in the UK.

ElderlyPerson
IMO the last place you need/ want to be when you retire and go into supported living is a rural village.
I visit a friend in one such complex. The vast majority of residents are still very active going out and about in the town.

This may be of interest, low priority if no local connection though. Still I think this has always been the case. www.lincolnshirehp.com/find-a-home/register-to-rent/

The flat opposite me had been altered to accommodate and elderly couple, and as the husband was a wheelchair user, the doors had been widened, and a wet room put in.
Since they went, it has housed families, a single man, a single woman, and now a woman in her 60s who is widowed. (,when her husband was alive, it was changed back to accommodate his disabilities.
The doors have been changed into the usual kind, and the wet room removed and a bath installed.
It has had 4 new kitchens installed.
It seems absolutely pointless to me.
All I can say is the council certainly know how to waste money.

Local Councils decide how many houses on a dvelopment should be 'affordable' and that just means that they are owned and run by a Housing Association, but they will often offer shared ownership schemes.

Councils used to build retirement flats and developments. There are lots a these little semi bungalows on council estates, as were, in our village.

About 15 yearss ago Local Councils in our area were converting retirement bungalows and flats into general purpose housing because not enough older people wanted to rent these properties and they were lying empty.

MerylStreep

ElderlyPerson
IMO the last place you need/ want to be when you retire and go into supported living is a rural village.
I visit a friend in one such complex. The vast majority of residents are still very active going out and about in the town.

It very much depends on the person. Some people prefer to live in a village, some people prefer to live in a town. Some people have been known to deliberately retire to be close to a heritage railway to enjoy watching trains go by. Ideally it depends on what people prefer, yet sometimes it is, alas, more a matter of what is available for them, perhaps with no option other than "this or nothing".

Most HA's I have noticed had to submit plans for supported living in with their development plans in order to get them passed by the planning department.
When we moved into a FF supported apartment it was up one flight of stairs with no lift just stairs to our front door we where able after 3 yrs apply for the bungalow that I now live in as MrGs mobility meant he could not manage the stairs the HA where excellent and gave us a move to a more accessible property which is delightful sadly my darling man only lived for 2 yrs and I lost him nearly 2 yrs ago its always worth while looking towards your local HA's they are very caring most have their own specialist departments.

After searching for months, no there is no such thing as affordable retirement housing, its all luxury apartments with added extras plus rent which takes you well over £1000 a month!
I gave up a 3 bed council house and downsized to a one bed sheltered flat. Ive been here 7 years. My family want me to move closer to them, over 100 miles away but theres nothing in my price range that is suitable for my needs. They suggested renting a retirement park home which I did look into but on top of the rent there are all sorts of charges, ie ground rent, utilities, etc. I tried to get onto the councils list in my sons area but was told they wouldnt accept me as Im not in need of social housing as Im already housed.
I looked into private renting ( not retirement) the rents are double what Im paying now plus it does not offer a secure tenancy.
Buying is not an option for me again due to the cost of retirement properties in the area I want to move to, £200,000.
Thinking about it all I am in affordable council housing with a secure tenancy, central to all amenities, I ask myself do I really want to move, or is it because of the pressure from my family?

The Housing Care website has a decent directory of all retirement housing for rent in the UK, searchable by County and Local Authority area.
housingcare.org/elderly-uk-sheltered-housing

This directory includes independant living schemes (what used to be known as sheltered housing), and purpose built housing for older people without the communal lounge facilities etc provided by independant living schemes.

It includes retirement housing for rent provided by both social landlords (HAs) and private providers. The rents of the former will be more affordable than the latter. The ease/difficulty of getting a tenancy with the former will depend on local availability and demand. The process of applying for the former will often be via applying to the Local Council who will have nomination arrangements with social housing providers of rented retirement housing, though some social housing providers of this type of housing will accept direct applications (in my own experience, Anchor Housing does).

For the most part, only 1B or studio accommodation will be available. The studio accommodation can be a really good option if the person has, or is able to buy, size appropriate furniture. My lovely Dad had a Anchor Studio flat when he moved from the family home around 20 years ago. He loved it. Unfortuntely Anchor reviewed their stock in the area where Dad lived and decied to close this scheme, Dad was rehoused in another flat by another social landlord, This was a 1B flat which, in my view, was less spacious than the studio flat.

MOnica is right in flagging up that in some areas, social retirement housing schemes have been converted for general let purposes due the the decreasing demand from older people for this type of housing. By the same token, some social landlords with 'hard to let' independant living schemes originally designed for older people started letting vacancies to the younger cohort of older people i.e. the over 50's who had different needs from their later older age neighbours, often addiction and /or mental health related. This was the case with the second flat that Dad moved to - it was not a good mix, and is something to be aware of if you are considering applying for social housing rented. retirement housing.

I think, Calmlocket, that if you are in reasonably good health, are happy and content where you are, then staying put is probably the best option for you, at least for the time being. Moving is a big upheaval, with lots of stress involved, as I’m sure you are aware, therefore think very carefully before you make a change. Reading what you have written, though, I think you probably are doing - it’s a secure tenancy, it’s affordable, and close to all amenities, all of which are important considerations, as you say. ?

I've been looking into renting a retirement property. When we fully retire (DH still working at 70), we will only have our state pensions and DHs very small private pension to live on.
Round here they are as rare as hens teeth! He wants a garden so a flat is out of the question. A bungalow would be ideal, but the waiting list for a rental is long.

“Affordable” housing is not usually for retirement, it’s starter homes for young working people at a affordable price, often shared ownership. I can’t remember seeing any private retirement homes for rent, some traditional country estates do allow retired residents to remain at lower rents, but less these days.
Park homes, or retirement apartments you usually buy a lease with service charges and all sorts of other restrictions, which suit some, not for me though.
So that leaves social housing, if you use all your savings so that you have less than £22,000? and you can’t afford a market rent, you will eventually be evicted and the council will have to rehouse you. Sad that it comes to that, 2 friends both widowed had to give up the family home in that way, until there is an eviction notice the council won’t look at it. Both did get nice retirement bungalows though.

There are a number of charities and others who rent retirement flats. Hanover Trust, Anchor Housing Association. then there is Girling Retirement Renting and quite a number of the retirement homes developers like Mccarthy and Stone, also now also offer some rental properties

The EAC have a very good site and specialising in drawing together details of all kinds of accommodation for older people. housingcare.org/elderly-uk-vacancies-rent-housing

There are rental properties for the elderly out there, but you need to know where to look.

Round my way they seem to build retirement houses in the middle of nowhere. Not near a bus or train route. I had looked at downsizing but we have everything nearby shops, cinema, bus, health centre all within walking distance. The only thing they seem to be building is 5 bedroom houses! I don't think there are enough 1- 2 bedroomed properties being built. It's very difficult. I will be staying put for now. Rents are very high.

Sadly “affordable” (but who can actually afford them?) and “low cost” housing are not the same thing!

'affordable' housing is usually owned by Housing Associations who offer shared ownership schemes so that people can buy a small share of a house and gradually build up how much they own of the house as time passes.