All registered retirement villages in New Zealand are governed by the Retirement Villages Act 2003. The Retirement Villages Act and its regulations are designed to protect the interest of residents, and sets out basic standards for operating a village. These standards include things like:
- what information operators must disclose to current and prospective residents
- how residents' financial interests are protected
- details of how to exit a village
- residents' rights
- the complaints process
You can read the full Retirement Villages Act 2003 here.
It's also worth looking at the Code of Practice, which sets the minimum standards of how a village must operate.
Recent work to review the legislation
From the Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission website:
“In June 2021 Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission released a report and recommendations following public consultation on a white paper* studying the effects of the complex legal framework governing the retirement village sector.
They received nearly 3300 submissions. While most were from individuals and the Retirement Village Residents’ Association, others came from operators and other stakeholders including lawyers, supervisors, and consumer advocates. View the report here.
The report concluded that retirement village legislation was at risk of becoming outdated and unfit for purpose, requiring urgent review to eliminate unfair terms in contracts and better protect the rights of consumers.
The Government is progressing the review of the Retirement Villages Act, on the basis of making changes that are broadly supported by the retirement sector and residents as well as three areas which are a priority that have been raised by residents:
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- maintenance and repairs of operator-owned chattels and fixtures
- complaints and disputes
- options for incentivising or requiring earlier capital repayments when residents move out of a village.
The Cabinet's decisions on any legislative changes, are expected to be made between November and December 2025."
To stay informed, keep an eye on the Eldernet Knowledge Lab, this page on the government website, or follow trusted local news updates.
* A white paper is an in-depth document that explores a complex topic. It is designed to help the reader understand the topic more clearly and possibly come up with their own ideas or solutions to questions that are raised.
Updated: 20 Nov 2025