Retirement Villages Act 1986

S. 3(1) def. of administrator inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

administrator has the same meaning as it has in section 3(1) of the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019;

S. 3(1) def. of aged care payment inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

aged care payment means—

S. 3(1) def. of alternative accom-modation payment inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

alternative accommodation payment, in relation to a person who has been a resident of a retirement village, means any payment that is—

S. 3(1) def. of alternative contact person inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

alternative contact person, in relation to a retirement village, means the person nominated as the alternative contact person for that village under section 38Y(2);

S. 3(1) def. of annual meeting amended by No. 69/2006 s. 224(Sch. 3 item 7.1(a)), substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(a).

annual meeting means an annual meeting of residents convened under section 33Q;

S. 3(1) def. of arbitrator repealed by No. 4/2005 s. 3(b).

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S. 3(1) def. of ASIC inserted by No. 32/2020 s. 14.

ASIC has the same meaning as Commission has in the Corporations (Victoria) Act 1990;

S. 3(1) def. of Australian Property Institute inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

Australian Property Institute means the Australian Property Institute Limited, A.C.N. 608 309 128;

S. 3(1) def. of authorised deposit-taking institution inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

authorised deposit-taking institution has the same meaning as in the Banking Act 1959 of the Commonwealth;

S. 3(1) def. of body corporate substituted by No. 53/1988 s. 45(Sch. 3 item 61) (as amended by No. 47/1989 s. 23(2)), repealed by No. 69/2006 s. 224(Sch. 3 item 7.1(b)).

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S. 3(1) def. of business day inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

business day means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday;

S. 3(1) def. of by-laws substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(b).

by-laws means the by-laws of a retirement village made under section 37(4);

S. 3(1) def. of capital gain inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

capital gain has the meaning given by section 3B(2);

S. 3(1) def. of capital loss inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

capital loss has the meaning given by section 3B(2);

S. 3(1) def. of capital maintenance inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

capital maintenance has the meaning given by section 38BG;

S. 3(1) def. of capital maintenance fund inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

capital maintenance fund means a fund established under section 38BL;

S. 3(1) def. of capital maintenance plan inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

capital maintenance plan means the plan prepared under section 38BN;

S. 3(1) def. of certificate of insurance inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

certificate of insurance, in relation to a retirement village, means a certificate issued by an insurer who has insured property in the village against damage which sets out the terms of the insurance policy given and the start and end date of the policy;

charge means the charge created under Part 5;

S. 3(1) def. of close associate inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a).

close associate, in relation to a manager of a retirement village, means—

S. 3(1) def. of Commis-sioner for Corporate Affairs repealed by No. 17/1999 s. 43(1)(a).

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S. 3(1) def. of committee amended by No. 69/2006 s. 224(Sch. 3 item 7.1(c)), repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(a).

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S. 3(1) def. of common property inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

common property has the same meaning as it has in the Owners Corporations Act 2006;

S. 3(1) def. of conciliation conference inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

conciliation conference means a conference conducted under section 38ZQ;

S. 3(1) def. of conciliation scheme inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

conciliation scheme means the scheme for conciliating village disputes established under Part 6E;

contract includes a lease or other agreement relating to an interest in land;

S. 3(1) def. of contract check inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

contract check means a check described in section 26K;

S. 3(1) def. of contracting party inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

contracting party, in relation to a residence contract for premises in a retirement village or in relation to any other retirement village contract for a retirement village, means whoever of the following persons has entered into the contract with the resident of the premises—

S. 3(1) def. of CPA Australia inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

CPA Australia means CPA Australia A.C.N. 008 392 452;

S. 3(1) def. of daily accom-modation payment inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

daily accommodation payment has the same meaning as in the Aged Care Act 1997 of the Commonwealth;

S. 3(1) def. of deferred management fee inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

deferred management fee means an amount payable under a residence contract, management contract or other retirement village contract by a vacating resident of a retirement village as a contribution for the cost of services provided in the village to the resident but does not include any amount payable as a maintenance charge, a charge for an optional service, and any other prescribed payment, unless the retirement village contract entered into by the vacating resident provides that the payment be included in the fee;

S. 3(1) def. of Director inserted by No. 17/1999 s. 43(1)(b), amended by No. 21/2012 s. 239(Sch. 6 item 38.1).

Director means the Director within the meaning of the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012;

S. 3(1) def. of disclosure statement substituted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(c), amended by No. 2/2013 s. 3(a), repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(b).

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S. 3(1) def. of dishonesty offence inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

dishonesty offence means an offence involving fraud or dishonesty punishable on conviction by imprisonment for a period of more than 3 months, whether the conviction is in or outside Victoria;

S. 3(1) def. of dispute inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

dispute does not include merely asking a person to take an action or cease taking an action;

S. 3(1) def. of domestic partner inserted by No. 27/2001 s. 8(Sch. 6 item 6.1(a)), substituted by No. 12/2008 s. 73(1)(Sch. 1 item 52.1), amended by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(c).

domestic partner of a person means—

Note

See also subsection (3).

S. 3(1) def. of entry payment inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

entry payment has the meaning given by section 3A;

S. 3(1) def. of exempt organization repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(c).

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S. 3(1) def. of exempt retirement village substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(d).

exempt retirement village means a retirement village in respect of which the proprietor or operator or both (as the case requires) have been exempted from the operation of all or any of the provisions of this Act in an exemption granted under section 7A;

S. 3(1) def. of exit entitlement inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

exit entitlement has the meaning given by section 3D;

S. 3(1) def. of factsheet inserted by No. 2/2013 s. 3(b), repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(d).

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S. 3(1) def. of fair wear and tear inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

fair wear and tear means deterioration of the condition of premises or a fixture or fitting caused by—

S. 3(1) def. of guardian inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

guardian has the same meaning as it has in section 3(1) of the Guardianship and Administration Act 2019;

S. 3(1) def. of information statement inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

information statement means a statement to which section 17 applies, and if such a statement is updated under Division 1 of Part 4, the statement as so updated;

S. 3(1) def. of in-going contribution repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(e).

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S. 3(1) def. of key safety information inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

key safety information means—

S. 3(1) def. of legal practitioner inserted by No. 18/2005 s. 18(Sch. 1 item 93), amended by No. 17/2014 s. 160(Sch. 2 item 86).

legal practitioner means an Australian legal practitioner;

S. 3(1) def. of lot owner resident inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

lot owner resident means an owner resident to whom paragraph (a) of the definition of owner resident applies;

S. 3(1) def. of maintenance charge inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(e).

maintenance charge has the meaning given by section 3C;

S. 3(1) def. of management complaint inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(f).

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S. 3(1) def. of management dispute inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

management dispute has the meaning given by section 3E;

S. 3(1) def. of manager repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(g).

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S. 3(1) def. of management contract amended by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(f).

management contract means a contract between a resident and an operator which relates to the provision of services by the operator to the resident;

S. 3(1) def. of meeting of residents inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

meeting of residents means a meeting of residents of a retirement village convened under section 33, and includes an annual meeting;

S. 3(1) def. of non-owner resident inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(g).

non-owner resident, in relation to a retirement village, means a resident of the village who is not an owner resident of the village;

S. 3(1) def. of no resolution certificate inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

no resolution certificate means a certificate issued under section 38ZU;

S. 3(1) def. of operator inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

operator, in relation to a retirement village, means the person who is responsible for the daily operation of the retirement village, whether or not that person is also the proprietor of the village;

S. 3(1) def. of optional services inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

optional services, in relation to services provided by the operator of a retirement village, means those services provided by the operator that a resident of the village may choose to use but which it is not necessary that the operator provide for the purposes of the maintenance of the village;

S. 3(1) def. of ordinary resolution inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

ordinary resolution means a resolution other than a special resolution;

S. 3(1) def. of owner amended by No. 85/1998 s. 24(Sch. item 52.1 (a)(b)).

owner—

S. 3(1) def. of owner resident inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(h).

owner resident, in relation to a retirement village, means a resident of the village who occupies a premises in the village under a right to occupy premises in the village—

S. 3(1) def. of owners corporation inserted by No. 69/2006 s. 224(Sch. 3 item 7.1(d)).

owners corporation has the same meaning as in the Owners Corporations Act 2006;

S. 3(1) def. of personal services inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(h).

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S. 3(1) def. of pet inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

pet means any animal other than an assistance dog within the meaning of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010;

S. 3(1) def. of police officer inserted by No. 37/2014 s. 10(Sch. item 145.1).

police officer has the same meaning as in the Victoria Police Act 2013;

S. 3(1) def. of premises inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

premises, in relation to a resident in a retirement village, means the premises the resident occupies in the village under their right to occupy premises;

S. 3(1) def. of prescribed amount repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(i).

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S. 3(1) def. of prescribed period amended by No. 69/2006 s. 224(Sch. 3 item 7.1(e)), repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(j).

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S. 3(1) def. of primary contact person inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

primary contact person, in relation to a retirement village, means the person nominated as the primary contact person for that village under section 38Y(1);

S. 3(1) def. of proprietor inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

proprietor, in relation to a retirement village, means the person who is the owner of any retirement village land in the village other than land in the village—

S. 3(1) def. of recorded agreement inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

recorded agreement means an agreement, a record of which is issued under section 38ZX;

S. 3(1) def. of refundable in‑going contribution repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(k).

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S. 3(1) def. of register inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a).

register means the register kept and maintained by the Director under section 38J;

S. 3(1) def. of related body corporate inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a).

related body corporate has the same meaning as in the Corporations Act;

S. 3(1) def. of repayable entry payment inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

repayable entry payment means any entry payment or any part of an entry payment that is, in accordance with the retirement village contracts entered into by the resident who pays the entry payment—

S. 3(1) def. of residence contract substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(i).

residence contract means a contract which creates or gives rise to a right to occupy premises;

S. 3(1) def. of residence documents amended by Nos 4/2005 s. 3(e)(i)(ii), 50/2014 s. 44, 19/2025 s. 6(3)(j).

residence documents means any of the following—

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S. 3(1) def. of residence right amended by Nos 4/2005 s. 3(f), 23/2016 s. 27, repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(2)(l).

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S. 3(1) def. of resident substituted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(d).

resident means a retired person who lives or proposes to live in a retirement village and—

S. 3(1) def. of resident dispute inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), amended by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(k).

resident dispute means a dispute between residents in a retirement village about any action or failure to act by residents in the retirement village that affects—

S. 3(1) def. of residential care facility inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), amended by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(l).

residential care facility means any premises—

S. 3(1) def. of residents committee amended by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(m).

residents committee means a residents committee formed under Division 2 of Part 6;

S. 3(1) def. of retired person amended by No. 27/2001 s. 8(Sch. 6 item 6.1(b)).

retired person means—

S. 3(1) def. of retirement village amended by No. 4/2005 s. 3(g), substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(n).

retirement village means a place—

S. 3(1) def. of retirement village contract inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

retirement village contract means any contract entered into by a resident of a retirement village with either or both the proprietor and the operator of the village which provides for all or any of the following—

Note

This includes residence contracts and management contracts.

S. 3(1) def. of retirement village land amended by No. 4/2005 s. 3(h), substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(o).

retirement village land means the land used or to be used for the purposes of a retirement village, and does not include any land on which a residential care facility is situated;

S. 3(1) def. of retirement village notice substituted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(i).

retirement village notice means a notice lodged with the Registrar of Titles under section 9(1);

S. 3(1) def. of retirement village principles inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

retirement village principles means the principles set out in section 1A;

S. 3(1) def. of right to occupy premises inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

right to occupy premises, in relation to a retirement village, means a right of a resident to occupy residential premises in a retirement village which is created or arises by or under a contract whether the right—

Note

This includes freehold titles and leases.

S. 3(1) def. of Secretary inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

Secretary means the Secretary to the Department of Government Services;

S. 3(1) def. of services amended by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(p).

services means any of the following—

S. 3(1) def. of settling in period inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

settling in period, in relation to any contract to which section 26G(1) applies, means the specified period, referred to in that subsection;

S. 3(1) def. of society inserted by No. 35/1996 s. 453(Sch. 1 item 72.1), repealed by No. 11/2001 s. 3(Sch. item 64.1).

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S. 3(1) def. of special resolution substituted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(q).

special resolution means a resolution passed in accordance with section 33J;

S. 3(1) def. of spouse inserted by No. 27/2001 s. 8(Sch. 6 item 6.1(a)).

spouse of a person means a person to whom the person is married;

S. 3(1) def. of Tribunal inserted by No. 4/2005 s. 3(a), amended by No. 19/2025 s. 6(3)(r).

Tribunal means the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal established under the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 1998;

S. 3(1) def. of vacating non‑owner resident inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

vacating non-owner resident means a non-owner resident of premises in a retirement village who has or is about to permanently vacate those premises and the village;

S. 3(1) def. of vacating owner resident inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

vacating owner resident means an owner resident in a retirement village who has or is about to permanently vacate those premises and the village;

S. 3(1) def. of vacating resident inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

vacating resident means either a vacating non‑owner resident or a vacating owner resident;

S. 3(1) def. of village dispute inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

village dispute means either of the following—

S. 3(1) def. of village dispute procedure inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(1).

village dispute procedure means the procedure set out in the document required by section 38M.

S. 3(2) repealed by No. 19/2025 s. 6(4).

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S. 3(3) inserted by No. 27/2001 s. 8(Sch. 6 item 6.2), substituted by No. 12/2008 s. 73(1)(Sch. 1 item 52.2).

S. 3(4) inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 6(5).

S. 3A inserted by No. 19/2025 s. 7.