Cheryl Bissett from McCarthy and Stone has answered your questions about retirement living and planning

Can my grandparents have their great grandchildren over to stay? They love having them over

I sometimes think this would be an excellent idea for our retirement, a bit like living in University Halls of Residence, but for grown-ups and much more luxurious!

However, I do worry about the lack of privacy, I think I would feel a bit stifled and enclosed by it. What happens if someone buys an apartment and then decides it's really not the right lifestyle for them?

Can I rent rather than buy ?

Is the social life purely organised by residents or is there an organiser to help?

My mother in law had a fall whilst living in a retirement community. She was quickly found and sent to hospital with broken hip. If she was living totally alone, could have spent hours in pain on floor. So glad for the community.

I would love to do this and be surrounded by likeminded people of a similar age BUT I would much prefer to have my own small garden included, just for privacy - but probably kept in order by someone else as we get older and less capable

Before buying a property is there an opportunity to meet
current residents and ask them about buying and living in a
retirement setting

I would want to know upfront, all the extra costa re maintenance etc. Do you provide this at the initial discussion?

What is the price range of these properties?

Will negative interest rates mean that leaving money in cash at the bank will lose value?

How do you cater for people with a faith?

Do they have particular rules in the retirement villages? Like you can't be out after 9?

If I rented a property in a retirement village and found myself living next to another older person who developed major behavioural problems (for whatever reason) and this impacted on my quality of life, I could give up my tenancy and move. If I had bought the property, and it did not sell easily (as is happening with some developments just now) I would be stuck....wouldn't I?

I'm just a bit scared about our lack of control and that decisions could be made for us and what notice would be taken of our wishes. In reality, how much say do residents have?

Would I be able to keep my two cats and would they be able to go outside?

Can the property be sold and if so does it have to be sold back to McCarthy & Stone?

Do all your apartments have a service charge? If you don’t qualify for attendance allowance this makes it quite expensive.

Can the property be purchased by a Retiree, but then rented out to another?

I would like to ask another question related to grandchildren. Are residents in retirement communities permitted to carry out child-minding duties for pre-school age grandchildren on the premises or is it forbidden/discouraged?
Thanks for your help which will influence my future decision.

If purchased a one bedroom appartment/flat then is there a "guest room" within the various sites to accommodate for a relative who wants an overnight stay ?

What does the maintenance charge cover?

I’ve heard that if the owner is unable to pay the monthly Management Fee the amounts are added to a final Bill which, when the home is eventually sold, will have to be paid, is this correct ?
Or would the home owner be asked to leave as soon as they are unable to pay?

Can I have a visitor to stay in my apartment for a few weeks (or months) if I become ill and need looking after?

id be up for the idea when im older, isnt it costly though??

Can i have visitors stay overnight without having to explai who they are?