How it works

Personal and financial freedom starts here

When you decide to purchase a house, Freedom Lifestyle Villages will provide you with a Lifetime Site Agreement (LSA) –the approved licence to occupy contract between Resident and Village Operator.

This outlines in detail your terms of occupancy within the Village. You become the legal beneficial owner of your house, and you agree to pay a weekly fee to occupy the site owned by the village operator.

Secure Tenure: The LSA gives you, the resident, the right to live in the village for life under the terms and conditions of the agreement, with the full legal protection provided to you under the Retirement Villages Act (2003). The Act requires your lawyer to fully explain the terms and conditions of your occupancy to you before you enter into the agreement to purchase your house.

Cooling off Period: In addition to the legal advice you must receive before signing your LSA, by law you have a further 15 working days to cancel the agreement for any reason.

Audit Requirements: As a registered retirement village in New Zealand, Freedom Lifestyle Villages are independently audited every year on a financial basis and accounts are available

to each resident upon request. Each Village is also audited on its operating policies and staffing processes by an independent specialist.

Statutory supervisor and AGM: An independent Statutory Supervisor (Covenant Trustee Services Ltd) is appointed to oversee each Freedom Lifestyle Village in compliance with the Retirement Villages Act, on behalf of all residents. The Statutory Supervisor also chairs Village Annual General Meetings, during which the annual accounts and village operations report are tabled.

At Freedom Lifestyle Villages you really can have the best of both worlds. Enjoy a modern house and lively community, with the financial freedom you’ve been looking for.

Freedom Lifestyle Villages offer you financial security and peace of mind. You can feel secure in your financial investment, because Freedom is a registered Retirement Village. Rest easy knowing you’ve got the protection of the Retirement Villages Act.

The unique Freedom model means you have legal beneficial ownership of your house without the land ownership costs of council fees, property maintenance and outgoings. The best part? Enjoy the opportunity for capital gains on your house, should you wish to sell down the track – a few common-sense conditions apply to the sale of your house.

Our residents want to keep ongoing living expenses to a minimum. That’s why Freedom Lifestyle Villages make it easy for you to budget your household essentials. One weekly fee (paid fortnightly) covers all site occupancy costs, including rates and water charges. Also included are the use of all communal areas such as the Village Centre facilities, grounds maintenance, rubbish collection, private mailbox, Village infrastructure, self-drive Village van, on-site management and security patrols.

Your weekly fees do NOT include electricity costs, phone and internet charges, house and contents insurance, house maintenance costs or motorhome/storage rental fees.

Buying a house at Freedom Lifestyle Villages is straightforward.

1. Choose a site and house design. A Freedom Villages lifestyle consultant will advise on site availability and house design for your chosen site.

2. Complete an application form. Upon your application, your solicitor will be provided with the Village’s Disclosure Document, Lifetime Site Agreement (LSA), and the Retirement Villages Code of Practice (to which we subscribe as a registered Retirement Village), in order for you to obtain the appropriate independent legal advice as required by law.

3. Pay a deposit. Once legal advice has been provided and we’ve received the completed legal documentation from your solicitor, a small deposit will be payable. This will be held in the Statutory Supervisor’s trust account for the cooling-off period of 15 days.

4. Move in date! Following the expiry of the cooling-off period, your move in date and the programme for your induction into the Freedom Lifestyle Village will be confirmed.

Imagine a place where you can sleep soundly each night, knowing your home is safe thanks to 24-hour security. Imagine going on holiday, enjoying the freedom of relaxing without the worry in the back of your mind about what’s going on at home.

With an on-site management team and 24-hour CCTV monitoring/patrols, you’ll love having the freedom to enjoy life knowing your new designer home is safe and secure. Two drive-through security patrols are provided every night by contracted security personnel.

In addition to the Village security system, your home is equipped with an emergency (panic) button in the master bedroom, which sounds an alarm outside your home when activated, audible to your neighbours and the Village Centre. At your cost, you can also choose to have this facility connect to a family member or remote monitoring service.

With your worries a thing of the past, you can get on with living your new Freedom lifestyle.

How much does each house cost?

Prices begin at $249,000 at Cambridge Oaks. There is an additional cost for any options you may wish to add, at the time of purchase.

Do I own the land upon which my house sits?

The resident is the beneficial owner of the house, and the land is owned and maintained by the village operator. The one-off Site Fee paid by each incoming resident guarantees occupancy of the site for as long as the resident lives in the village, subject to the terms and conditions of the Lifetime Site Agreement (LSA).

Can I keep pets?

Yes, small dogs and cats are welcome. There are some rules governing supervision and behaviour of pets, but small pets are fine.

Can I have guests and family stay?

Yes, guests are welcome for short stays, which may be extended in consultation with the village manager. Visitor rules about security and safety apply as for residents of the village.

Is there room to park a campervan or boat?

Sealed and secure parking is provided for a limited number of campervans and boats, as well as wash-down areas and a dump station. These parks can be rented from $xx a week.

Can I plant a garden by my house?

Yes, gardens and landscaping options can be discussed and planned in conjunction with village management.

Will my weekly fees increase substantially without warning?

There is a limit to increases in occupancy costs. The occupancy fee can only increase annually by 2.5% or the rate of CPI, whichever is the greater, and the fee is notified to residents before each year’s Annual General Meeting.

Could a new Village operator increase my weekly fees or add new weekly charges?

A new operator is legally bound to maintain the fees stated in the LSA document, and other increase is subject to permission of the residents and Statutory Supervisor.

How will my house, and the benefits of living in the Village I enjoy today, be protected?

Freedom Lifestyle Villages operates as a registered retirement village, and residents are protected by the Retirement Villages Act 2003.

How long will my home take to build?

Generally a maximum of four months from the final plan sign-off, and once the cooling-off period of the LSA agreement has expired. We have up to 10 completed designer houses available for immediate possession.