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

What are average monthly service/maintenance charges for a 1 bed flat? I hear shocking stories that they tend to be unaffordably high and what do they include?

What are the ongoing costs associated with living in a retirement community?

Is there a list of propertys available and are new complexes being planned ?

Thinking of downsizing the house when we retire ?

We know we would all be perfect owners but what action do you take if one of the owners makes life hell for others, other than the action I felt I needed to take which was move.

Is it possible to part ex my bungalow for an apartment?

When should I start planning for the possibility if moving to retirement living?

Are there service costs? What are the rules upon leaving if you want to do so?

What's the average price for buy in and living costs per year?

Do any of the villages have gyms and swimming pools and perhaps spa/medical treatment rooms for visiting therapists?

Can an apartment be left in a will to a member of the family?

I have a couple of questions.

If considering McCarthy & Stone (or similar styles of retirement living), can you keep your pet living with you?

Also, I'm presuming that the apartments are lease-hold, am concerned about potential lease-hold and service costs rising annually. It would be helpful if Cheryl Bissett could comment on this.

i downsized 2 years ago to a flat mainly due to ill health, our block of 8 is a mix of retired people who cannot afford bungalows or retirement living and young professionals, its a good balance, We have a whats app and help is just a message away

Are there any "rules" such as how many cars you can park and where, do you have a personal designated space, is it a free for all or are you limited to one car and one space per property? What happens if you have visitors and they can't park and is visitor parking time limited? 2nd question. Do you have an area of private open space available with the property to cultivate personally?

My husband and I live in a retirement apartment and are very happy here. There is plenty of space for us both, a nice view from the window and only 5 minutes walk from the town centre.

Can rent and I try out an apartment to live in for a month?

I'd also be keen to know the cost of the service charges and other ongoing charges.
Do your company take a proportion of the price when the property is sold?

I had a ‘try before you buy’ overnight stay in a McCarthy Stone development. The accommodation was wonderful and I was made very welcome. However, the residents that I met didn’t know that I was ‘snooping’, and I didn’t tell them, and I gathered all sorts of information that made me very sure that I would never live in sheltered accommodation. It was an eye-opener.

I know someone who had a flat in a home like this. There was a resident warden who had a key to all flats and had to inspect them weekly, as a safety thing., When the person was away on holiday he had to do this anyway, so she had someone going in unobserved. Does this happen in M&S homes?

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Doesn’t do it for me. It brings to mind ‘waiting room’ for the final journey!!

We have no savings and live in state pension. We live in rented accommodation claiming full housing benefit. I would love to live in one of your retirement villages but the costs seem very high and I can't see how I would ever be able to afford the service charge.

Too regimented for me. I want my home and I want to sell it to whomever I please

How can Mcarthy and Stone help with on going care needs as they change?
Things like mobility or dementia?
Thank you

I lost the last part of my post - which was to ask if there are retirment villages aimed at people who are active in mind and body, though getting older, and where the residents take the major decisions together about their communities?