By law, each retirement village must have a dispute resolution policy. Residents must receive a copy before they sign a residence contract and can request a copy from the operator at any time.
A dispute resolution policy must provide information for residents about:
- who to contact if they have a dispute
- how to make a complaint
- how the operator will handle the complaint, including:
- when they will acknowledge receiving it
- when they will respond to the issues raised
- how disputes between residents are handled, and when the operator may help
- where they can seek advice
- how to apply to SACAT if they are not satisfied with the operator’s response
- that the operator must keep a written record of the dispute
- how the operator will communicate with about the complaint and next steps
- their right to bring a support person to meetings about the dispute
- how the policy can be changed.
Records the operator must keep
The operator must keep written records of:
- each complaint made
- the operator’s response
- any agreed resolution
- correspondence sent or received about the dispute.
Changes to the policy
- The dispute resolution policy can only be changed if a majority of residents agree.
- An exception applies if a change is required to comply with an Act or other legal requirement.
- If the policy changes, the operator must give all residents a copy of the updated policy.
