We often get asked, “can you rent in a retirement village?” The short answer: yes. The longer answer: yes, and here’s why you should, in the words of Clare Guest, our Head of Rentals.
We caught up with Clare about on our rental offerings - plural, because we know how important flexibility and choice are to our residents. Clare told us how popular our rentals are becoming, and just why it suits our happy renting residents.
Our community of renters has grown
“The number of residents renting in our villages has grown significantly in the last year – at Debden Grange, in Essex we have seen a 19% increase, while Gradwell Park in West Sussex and Elmbridge in Surrey follow closely with 17%,” explains Clare.
Clare, who manages the rental process from start to finish told us that it’s the diverse financing options and available properties that is so appealing to our residents and enquirers- from cosy cottages to modern apartments, people appreciate the variety and the choice we offer.
I’m really excited to see how renting in retirement continues to grow as we continually enhance our services to meet the evolving needs of our residents.
Between April 2023 and February 2024, we welcomed 47 new tenancies across our UK retirement villages. Almost a fifth of these chose our our Flexi-Rent option. This option gives prospective residents the opportunity to rent short-term at one of our communities. Then, if they like the community and are ready to make a longer term commitment, they can either enter into a rental agreement, buy the property, try a different property or even try a different community.
Where you live has to feel like home and part of what makes our communities so wonderful is knowing that it truly is home for each resident there. That’s why we like our residents to be certain that their community fits just right before they commit to anything. First and foremost, it’s about you.
But more than just loving the community, half of our recent Flexi-Renters enjoyed letting so much, they decided to continue as renters! These happy residents simply felt settled renting in retirement, loving the flexibility that comes with our finance options, as well as the freedom, security and sense of community that comes with living in one of our villages.
Why the rise?
“We’re seeing a rise in retirees relocating to be closer to community, whether that’s family or the joyful communities people know they can find in our villages,” Clare tells us.
“While we’re all eager to put 2020 behind us, the isolation challenges of COVID have prompted many to consider our communities as places to remain supported and socially connected during uncertain times.”
This community-driven relocation has brought people to the UK from across the globe, with some of our recent renters moving from overseas to be closer to family and friends. And our residents love how much there is for their families to enjoy at our villages, from the stunning landscaped grounds to the bistros, bars and restaurants that we have onsite.
We love getting to know our residents’ families and kids, and if you’re looking to move in retirement, bringing your family and close ones into the decision-making process can be incredibly helpful. After all, who knows you better? That’s why they’re always welcome to join our open days, and once you’re settled into your new home, they can spend the night in our guest suites as part of our try before you buy.
We also realised that once people choose the retirement village they want to call home - they can’t wait to move in! Overall, renting is quicker than moving into a newly purchased property - another reason many retirees are opting to let. Since we know how eager new residents are to move, we work hard to get rental agreements signed and sealed as soon as they’re ready. On average, that’s just 35 days, with close to a fifth of residents moving in within just 20 days, Clare told us.
Coming for the community, staying for the lifestyle
Renting in retirement can really open doors - liquifying assets, giving you more freedom to move around and taking property maintenance off your hands. Many of our renters also stated how they particularly enjoyed being able to move into a village while still selling their existing properties. However, beyond simply renting anywhere, our residents have chosen our communities with intention: for the lifestyle.
Driven and developed by the want to create thriving independent communities, our retirement villages are built on 40 years of industry knowledge. And we’ve spent those 40 years listening to what our residents want, and their ever-changing needs.
We’re always working to cultivate a space where people age positively; living independently and flourishing amongst a community of like-minded individuals, surrounded by a team of staff that fast feel like family.
From hiring a full-time Head of Care and Wellbeing, to our buzzing social calendars, to our resident volunteering initiatives, at Retirement Villages, retirement is about cultivating purpose; spending more time doing what you love with the people you love.
Renting in our retirement communities is so much more than just a place to live, it’s a vibrant community and a thriving lifestyle. And the ever-rising number of renters in our villages is a testament to how much we care about giving you choice, whether that’s in our variety of properties or flexible financing options.
From our rental only community at Thamesfield in Henley on Thames to our brand new community The Wyldewoods opening in Chester Autumn 2024, find out more about renting with us, explore our available retirement properties to rent or get in touch and we can answer any of your questions.