Deciding to make the leap and move to a retirement village is a milestone itself. Less household maintenance and chores, opportunities for new friendships with people of a similar stage in their lives, the benefits of moving to a retirement village are clear, but to truly harness them, what should you be looking for in particular?

In this article, we explore key considerations beyond price and location to help you make the right decision when choosing the best retirement village for you.

Check The Village Has A Residential Site Licence

Park homes on retirement villages are designed to be your primary residence, yet many get them confused with leisure/holiday sites. It has been known for buyers to be mis-sold park homes, as they’ve been given the impression that they can live in their home ‘all year round’. To be sure that you’re looking at a legitmate site, it’s essential that you check the status of their site licence. The site licence should stipulate that it is a residential site licence NOT a leisure or holiday home licence (even if they allow for 12-month occupancy).

A holiday or leisure site licence only permits people to live on their development for ‘non-residential purposes’ and it requires the resident to use their park home as a second dwelling. The owner(s) must have another primary address that holds the status as their main residency.

To check a site’s license, go to their notice board, where it’s required to be displayed. During the process of buying a park home on the development, you should also receive a copy of the site licence

Check The Management is Good

Mal practice, or mis selling a park home would suggest a lack of integrity by the park operators or management and they would seem best avoided. It’s wise to investigate thoroughly the performance of the park operators. Aesthetics can be telling if the development is well maintained, which is obviously an encouraging sign that the management uphold a high standard.

During your initial visits to a retirement village it’s also a perfect opportunity to speak with residents to find out their experience dealing with the park operator. You’ll find that residents are commonly happy to speak with prospective residents about their experience.  A resident’s experience can be telling of the way you can expect to deal with the park operators if you were to reside there. If the park operators are also members of the BH&HPA, they should be adhering to a good code of conduct.

Check The Park Homes Are Mains Connected

Visitors are often surprised to find out that park homes can be mains connected to utilities. There’s a common misconception that gas will be supplied by bottle or served by the Operator’s own gas supply, but this isn’t always the case.

Bottled gas can be routinely managed, but you may prefer the assurance that your gas supply is not limited to the supply of a gas bottle. If a park operator is offering their own gas to the development, it may be wise to consider their rates, as you won’t be able to pick and choose your preferred supplier.  Given these factors, we think it’s best if the park home is supplied with natural gas, and water is metered to each home individually.

Check The Park is Well-Located

It goes without saying that the location that you choose, both for your home on the village and the village itself, is something that should be considered carefully. For many, moving to a retirement village is for the long run, if not the final move, so it’s important to ensure it’s right for you now and in the future.

As people get older, mobility can become an increasing issue and some may decide to eventually stop driving, so ensuring that you have local services and amenities nearby is important. Consider questions like:

• Are there well-connected bus routes nearby?
• How far am I from essentials like shops and GP surgeries?
• Are there hobbies or activities I enjoy available nearby (e.g., allotments, golf courses, etc.)?

The Perfect Retirement Village, Parklands of Lincoln

Here at Parklands, we’re proud to be a BH&HPA residential site-licenced park development. All our plots are mains supplied, so you’re free to choose any relevant energy supplier as you most likely do in your existing home. We’re conveniently located to essential services and amenities including a medical practice, pharmacy, library, post office, café, and take aways with frequent buses.  Ask any of our residents, and they’ll tell you moving to Parklands was a great decision.

No need to book, just turn up – open every Wednesday for visits, come and visit our retirement village in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, and explore our latest show home. Starting from £190,000, you could have a brand-new park home built just for you on our site.

To learn more about us and our park homes for sale, get in touch with us today.