Retirement Flats

Welcome stillgood2go there is good advice in "house & home" section which gives people's advice on this subject I think it is under Retirement Living just go to Forum Topic's and scroll down.

Do check carefully, BF was investigating this option for her DM, and the costs when buying and selling again were high (i am sure it was about 20%), plus high maintenance costs. If anything happened to DM they still had to pay maintenance costs.

Hi stillgood2go I recently looked into doing just the same thing to be near DD1 and DGS.

Firstly costs of moving are high, secondly maintenance/service charges vary considerably and go up each year so it is hard to know exactly what to budget for and finally, the killer for me was that, although I currently live in a smallish 2 bed flat atm, the retirement flats have rooms that are very very small, especially the 'new build' ones, with almost no storage. All very well to downsize but I felt I would have to get rid of more than I need just to live in a box! The developers seem to think that once we 'retire' we sit indoors watching TV all day :-(

I decided I am not yet ready to live in a poky retirement flat

Stillgood.

I echo what Margaret said, does need looking at finances not only now but what can happen in the future. MIL's flat has seen higher and higher maintenance costs and we are not looking forward to the time when we have to sell it.

Also the goal posts were moved quite a bit with what care was on offer over the years, fortunately she is reasonably healthy.

Good luck.

Stillgood, Another thing to consider is your long term care needs. If you live to be a ripe old age but need carers and mobility aids make sure there is provision for these and if it is an independent living complex what happens when your needs can no longer be met.

THANK YOU ALL

You have confirmed my fears about costs, and saved me a lot trouble in the long run. I will now continue looking for a nice flat near the family.

Take care everybody.

Stillgood why not consider buying a ground-floor flat in a 'non-retirement' development.

Other than a warden and some community activity what do you get in one of these retirement places?

At 59 I hope am a long way off needing physical care, warden etc but I live in a ground-floor 2-bed flat with private garden, and also near the doctor, dentist, shops, transport, etc.

I totally agree with Riverwalk. I have a 3 bedroomed house which I have had adapted to my recent changing needs. I had the bath removed and a lovely shower fitted. I also have a stairlift. I have had the path to the front door raised so that I no longer have a high doorstep to negotiate and have had the rear garden block paved.

Certainly where I live the maintenance costs in retirement flats are high and one never knows how much the cost will be for the next year. It seems a good idea but I personally feel that one needs to have a bottomless pit re money saved.

ive looked into buying a retirement property but the maintenence and community charges are far to high for me to be able to live comfortably..basicaly its cheaper for me to stay put in my 3 bed house...

Thanks again, I have been looking for a 2 bedroom flat near my family for the last 6 months with nothing suitable coming onto the market, which is why I started to consider a retirement flat.
Having now discarded the retirement idea I'm hoping that with spring on it's way there will be some improvement in the market.

I would concur with the advise to get a ground floor flat unless it has got a lift. My mother now 95 bought and moved into a first floor flat in her 80's, and is now very frail so we though a stairlift would be the thing. However no-one would give final permission citing all sorts or regs. In the end we have put the thing in and intend to use the anti-disability law (human rights is useful when you need it) but no-one has challenged us yet.

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