At Ocean Gardens, we understand the significance of your decision, but rest assured – while this is new to you, we’ve been guiding people thought life’s next stage since the 1980s.
What we’ve learnt in our time is that knowledge is what really matters. When you have a clear mind about what you’re giving up and what you’re gaining, making the move, when you’re ready, will feel right.
We know you have a lot of questions, so we’ve answered a list of the most commonly asked below. We hope we can shine a light on this exciting time for you and change your view on life’s next stage.
Anyone who can live independently and is over 55 years of age can live in a retirement village, whether you are retired or still working.
As an approved home care provider under the Aged Care Act 1997, we can provide government funded Home Care Package support in your own home as well as self-funded home care services which allow you to choose from a variety of services tailored to your specific needs on a ‘fee for service’ basis.
Our apartments and villas are occupied on a ‘lease for life’ basis so while you will not own your home outright, you are granted exclusive occupancy for your life. Details of these arrangements can be found in your Residence Contract, or are available from our Sales Manager.
Yes you can, but these changes must first be approved by the General Manager to ensure the relevant building standards and regulations are met.
When leaving, you pay a Deferred Management Fee (DMF), which is calculated as a percentage of the purchase price paid by the incoming tenant.
The primary purpose of the DMF is to lower the entry costs to residents by deferring their full contribution to the establishment and ongoing maintenance of the Village and also to cover all of their costs of resale, i.e. refurbishment costs and selling and commission fees.
Yes, all of our common areas are available to book out for private functions if you are wanting to host friends or family for special events. You will just need to book through reception and make sure you clean up afterwards.
Yes you can, this is your home. Friends and family are welcome to stay with you on a ‘short stay’ basis (not more than 2 weeks continuous).
Other residents appreciate knowing their neighbours, so in the interest of maintaining harmony within the village we ask that you let the General Manager know when you will have guests staying.
Units are allocated car parking which will be specified in your Residence Contract. Visitor car parking is also available throughout the Village.
Yes, but to ensure the comfort of all residents, pets must be approved by the General Manager before you move into Ocean Gardens. New residents may be permitted to bring their present pet with them, however approval may be withdrawn if a pet proves to be a nuisance.
The Common Services Fee, which residents pay monthly, provides for the following services:
- Use of all community facilities at the Village, including croquet lawn, swimming pool, gym, putting green, bowling green, restaurant, lawns, gardens, roads, paths and external lighting
- External maintenance of apartments, villas and premium apartments
- Maintenance of the village grounds including all gardens
- Administration, management and 24 hour emergency call system facility, as well as security within the village
- All local authority services including library, refuse collection, etc
Additional optional services are provided for residents at Ocean Gardens on a ‘fee for service’ basis.
These services include laundry, cleaning, programmed personal care, shopping, restaurant dining or meal delivery, hairdressers, podiatrist, kiosk, photocopying and secretarial services.
New residents are provided with a comprehensive ‘Welcome Pack’ describing all the amenities and services available and where applicable, the charges. These details are contained in the sales material included in this folder.
At Ocean Gardens we have a 24-hour care service and emergency call system monitored by our own care services team. All the costs of monitoring and maintaining the emergency call system are included in the operating costs.
Residents will require the connection of a telephone line in order to use the emergency call system, with the cost of the line being the responsibility of the resident. Residents who activate the emergency call system will receive an account for services provided by staff responding to the call.
If immediate hospitalisation or nursing care is required and a doctor is not present, the ambulance would normally take you to the closest public hospital, which is either Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital or Royal Perth Hospital.
In the case of hospitalisation or the need for nursing care, subject to all of the circumstances, Ocean Gardens may give approval for an extended absence provided the operating costs are paid as they become due and payable. Your villa or apartment remains in your name until your Residence Contract is formally terminated.
Transperth Bus Services are available on Kalinda Drive and The Boulevard and taxis are available upon request. There are a number of designated pick-up points around the Village to which taxis can be called.
Ocean Gardens also has a bus which is used for outings, social purposes and transport of a similar nature. There are scheduled trips to Karrinyup, Innaloo and Floreat Forum shopping centres. A small charge is made for all trips as the bus service is self-funding.
Ocean Gardens also has a shared vehicle available for use by residents, free of charge.
Your Residence Contract grants you the exclusive use of your villa or apartment for your lifetime, or, where more than one resident is a party to the Contract, during the lifetime of the surviving resident.
The costs payable by the resident to enter Ocean Gardens are limited to:
- The entry price of your chosen villa or apartment (referred to in the Residence Contract as the lease bond). No stamp duty is payable on the transaction because it is formally a lease.
- The Residence Contract may include a carport for your exclusive use in addition to your exclusive use of your villa or apartment.
- An administration fee to cover the cost of processing the Residence Contract, preparing statements and completing settlement.
- The cost of connecting to all of your desired utilities including gas, electricity, telephone and internet.
The operations budget is designed so that the Common Service Fees paid by all residents over the year will meet the operating costs. Under the Retirement Village Act 1992, should any surplus arise it must be incorporated into the following year’s Operating Costs budget.
However, the residents may, by a special resolution, approve the application of the whole or part of the budget surplus for any other purpose or purposes that is or are generally of benefit to the residents of Ocean Gardens.
If there is a deficit, then the surplus from previous years can be applied to address this deficit.
Each month residents will be required to pay to Ocean Gardens the Common Service Fee attributable to their particular villa or apartment. The operating costs of the Village comprise those items of expenditure as defined in the Residence Contract.
The Annual Budget is prepared in consultation with representatives from the Residents’ Association and recovery rates are prescribed to yield the estimated cost of maintaining and running the Village.
Rates payable to the local council and any other rates and taxes imposed, are payable directly by each resident separately.
Ocean Gardens insures the buildings and common areas of the Village, the cost of which is included in the Common Service Fee. Residents are required to cover the cost of contents or personal valuables insurance to cover personal belongings, furnishings and valuables inside their home.
Ocean Gardens is fully insured for replacement as a result of any of the prescribed risks, and the residents’ rights relating to destruction or damage to a villa or apartment is outlined in Clause 12 of their Residence Contract.
Yes. It is a formal prerequisite to supply a letter from your General Practitioner stating that you are capable of living independently.
As a resident, you can speak to the relevant staff member or the General Manager of the Village, or you can fill in a Resident Feedback Form available from reception. There is also a Residents’ Association which serves the interests of all residents, or you may choose to institute a formal dispute resolution and complaint process via the relevant state regulatory authority.
Yes. Ocean Gardens has been granted accreditation by the International Retirement Community Accreditation Scheme (IRCAS) and is due for reaccreditation in March 2021.