Retirement village disputes can either be Disputes between residents; or Disputes between a resident and the village operator.
Retirement villages are required by law to have a formal dispute resolution policy and you can find this in your residence contract and/or village rules. Unfortunately, these policies usually only relate to resident disputes with the village operator, and not disputes between residents.
Disputes between residents
It is kind of inevitable that when you get a large community of people living together (ie, a retirement village) there will be conflicts. This can range from personality clashes to bullying from strong personalities.
Here are some suggestions on how to prepare and manage conflicts between residents in your retirement village:
Prevention Strategies
- Understand the Village Rules – Familiarise yourself with the village’s by-laws and dispute resolution processes. These often cover noise levels, use of common facilities, pet policies, and visitor regulations.
- Build Positive Relationships – Getting to know your neighbours early can help prevent misunderstandings. A friendly community reduces the risk of conflicts.
- Respect Boundaries – Be mindful of shared spaces, noise, and personal preferences to avoid unnecessary disputes.
When Disputes Arise
- Address Issues Early – If something bothers you, speak up calmly before frustration builds.
- Use Direct, Friendly Communication – Politely discuss the issue with the other resident in a non-confrontational way. Use “I” statements, e.g., “I find the noise in the evenings a bit loud” instead of “You’re always too noisy.”
- Listen and Acknowledge Concerns – Try to understand the other person’s perspective and find common ground.
Formal Resolution Options
Where possible, attempt to resolve the issue without involving village staff, unless the issue relates to a breach of village rules. Village staff are not trained in dispute resolution and it is not their function to resolve issues between residents, although some of the state retirement villages legislations are now trying to place a responsibility onto the village operator to ensure the quiet enjoyment of all residents and, to quote the Queensland legislation, “use best endeavours to ensure each resident lives in an environment free from harassment and intimidation”. Its one thing for the legislation to say it however, and another thing for untrained staff to ensure implementation.
One good option is to speak with members of the village Residents Committee. Resident Committee members are not trained in dispute resolution either, however they can usually assist as they live in the village and know the “lay of the land” with regards to your concerns.
If internal processes don’t resolve the issue, investigate Seniors Rights Services or your state’s equivalent that offers free legal advice. You may also be able to find a mediation service.
In reality however, none of these services particularly work as they require the participation of both parties, which rarely happens.
Remember that maintaining harmonious relationships benefits everyone in the community. Most disputes can be resolved through respectful communication and understanding.
Disputes with the village operator
Disputes between a resident and a village operator most typically involve the resident accusing the operator of doing or not doing something that the resident thinks should be done. It can also be around a different interpretation of a clause in the residence agreement.
In my experience, disputes between a resident and the village operator are pretty rare. Village staff and the operational oversight provided by the head office are usually enough to resolve 99% of disputes.
As noted above, a retirement village is required by law to publish a disputes policy. A typical disputes policy usually looks like this:
- Discuss issue with village staff, then;
- Submit issue and request for rectification to village manager in writing, then;
- Submit issue in writing to the nominated person in the operator’s head office (usually the CEO or COO in smaller companies, or some kind of regional operations manager in larger operators).
If the dispute has not been resolved to your satisfaction by this point, you can lodge a dispute with the state civil and administrative tribunal (CAT). The government department in your state that oversees the retirement villages act will have a wealth of information on their website about retirement villages, and this will include what to do and where to go in the event of a dispute.
Typically, you lodge your dispute with the CAT on the CAT’s prescribed form. The dispute process then involves a mediation between the parties with an experienced mediator. If this fails, then the dispute goes to a hearing in front of a legal professional and a determination or “order” is made that closes the case, and all parties must abide by the orders made.
The last word
It is important to understand that resident happiness and satisfaction is important to retirement village operators. You will usually find them approachable and open to resolving your dispute.