‘Trailblazing’ proposals for the future of leasehold launched by retirement community sector

‘Trailblazing’ proposals for the future of leasehold launched by retirement community sector

Trailblazing proposals for the future of leasehold in the retirement community sector have been launched today by an industry body, heralding the way for a new generation of housing options for older people.

ARCO, which represents the UK’s ‘Integrated Retirement Community’ sector, has unveiled a package of measures to enhance the rights of owners.

The government recently announced the launch of an Older People’s Housing Task Force to look at expanding the housing-with-care sector, chaired by Professor Julienne Meyer of City University.

ARCO is calling on the Government to adopt its ‘Leasehold Plus’ proposals immediately in the Leasehold Reform Bill that has been earmarked for the King’s Speech later this year.

The Leasehold Plus model would:

Extend the reach of consumer protection so that – uniquely in the UK property sector – every sale of a unit in an Integrated Retirement Community scheme is subject to full protection under consumer law
Improve dispute resolution mechanisms, including extending the remit of Ombudsmen
Include flexibility to tailor leases, enabling them to be kept up to date and respond to changing customer preferences.
ARCO members who operate Integrated Retirement Communities are already subject to a stringent Consumer Code, and ARCO is calling for the protections of the ARCO Consumer Code to be extended to all customers moving to a retirement community.

Older people’s housing has risen up the Government agenda in the last eighteen months, with three different white papers committing to its expansion. Integrated Retirement Communities improve health and wellbeing, reduce loneliness, and save money for the NHS and social care.

At present, only around 0.6% of the older population in the UK live in Integrated Retirement Communities, which provide housing-with-care and sit between mainstream housing and care homes. The average age of residents is 83.

ARCO says greater consumer protection is one of the key policy changes needed to grow this type of provision, which currently lags far behind that in other countries. Provision is 10 times higher in New Zealand, Australia and the US.

In New Zealand, strong consumer protection was one of the central planks of the 2003 Retirement Villages Act which has spurred the sector’s growth.

Sally Ireland LLM, Director of Legal and Compliance at ARCO, said:

“Integrated Retirement Communities have long led the way on consumer protection, and our proposals will set a new benchmark for the rights of residents who share communal facilities.

“Our proposals would give the strongest protection of any form of tenure to residents in Integrated Retirement Communities and people living in communal buildings more widely.”

“What we are proposing will not cost the government anything, and we are calling on the Government to incorporate the proposals into the Leasehold Reform Bill that is expected to be announced in the King’s Speech.”

Kyle Holling, Partner at Trowers & Hamlins law firm, said:

“We are delighted to be involved in such a potentially ground-breaking proposal for the sector. Leasehold Plus presents an exciting opportunity to strengthen the rights of older people in Integrated Retirement Communities.

“Building on the ARCO Consumer Code, the proposals put consumer law right at the heart of the Integrated Retirement Community sector.

“Following the example of countries like New Zealand, where consumer protection has been pivotal to the expansion of this form of housing, we hope the new proposals will spur great growth in the UK.”

‘Leasehold Plus: The next step for home ownership in IRCs’ can be downloaded here.
ARCO is the main body representing the Integrated Retirement Community sector in the UK. ARCO was formed in September 2012 by its founder members. Our members include both private and not-for-profit members, comprising the majority of operators of Integrated Retirement Communities. Including our members there are over 100 organisations associated with ARCO, including ARCO Affiliates, Partners, Strategic Partners and members of the ARCO Accelerator Programme.
The Government announced on 4 April 2023 that Professor Julienne Meyer, a leading expert in care for older people, will chair the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, spearheading work to support the growth of a thriving older people’s housing sector across the country. The taskforce will work across housing, heath, and care sectors to drive an increase in the volume and range of housing options and make recommendations to the Government. For more information, see: Government unveils taskforce chair to boost older people’s housing – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The government committed to extending consumer protection for customers buying properties in IRCs in 2019 when it committed to implement the majority of the Law Commission’s recommendations made in its event fees report of 2017 (link here Government accepts majority of Commission’s event fees recommendations – Law Commission). However these measures have never been made law.

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Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

Typically thought of as being an easy to clean area of the home, hard floors have risen in popularity in recent decades. Globally, hard floors are the most common floor type,2 and research released today by Dyson has uncovered poor cleaning habits that mean hard floors are likely to be harbouring an array of hidden nasties. This comes as 32% of Brits – equating to 21.6 million people in the UK – will use the same dirty mop head for six months or more before replacing it. What’s more, one in 20 also admit to keeping the same mop for a year or longer, and one in 10 think it is acceptable to use the same mop 100 times, spreading dirt around their floors every time they use it. Cross contamination is a primary issue for most common and traditional mopping methods with germs and bacteria further being unknowingly spread around homes as Brits use dirty water to clean floors.3 45% only change the water to new water between rooms, whereas 41% wait even longer until it looks dirty. This could mean that floors are being washed with dirty water, adding more dirt rather than taking it away. Surprisingly, almost one in 10 (9%) even admit to not changing the dirty water at all when mopping. Over a quarter (28%) admit to mopping their floors once a fortnight or less while over half (53%) admit they don’t regularly clean behind appliances and leave dirt to build up for as long as six months at a time. image002.jpg On how to achieve a perfect barefoot clean feel after mopping, Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert offers their top tips for eliminating dirt around the home: 1. Create a cleaning schedule to stay on top of dirt build-up. In the last year, there has been a 15% global reduction in the number of people who maintain regular cleaning schedules. 47% of the British public admitted to only being motivated to clean when they spot visible dirt or dust.4 Regular floor cleaning with a wet hard floor cleaner like the Dyson WashG1™ removes more stubborn dirt than vacuuming alone. It is important to have a debris free surface, clear any clutter from the floor or other surfaces. Choose the right machine: Different vacuums are designed for different floor types and home sizes. Some machines will be engineered with hard floors in mind and will struggle on thick pile carpets, for example. Choosing the right machine for your home will make a big difference to the ease and speed with which you’re able to clean your home. Clean your floors ‘little and often’. Washing your floors frequently in areas that receive more foot fall will help to stop dirt building up and getting trodden into your floor. Using a dedicated wet floor cleaner on hard flooring such as the Dyson WashG1 is helpful for this, as the versatile format means it vacuums and washes the floor simultaneously. Cleaning schedules have also become less regimented. In recent years only 41% of people claim to have a regular cleaning schedule, and 60% admit to cleaning reactively; being motivated to clean only when there is visible dirt or dust5. It’s perhaps not surprising, that a fifth of people are still concerned their floors are dirty after they’ve mopped them (22%) and one in four6 feel extremely worried about indoor dust at home. Geli Lee, Dyson Engineer and Home Cleaning Expert reveals why it is important to change the way we mop: “Cleaning your hard floors properly and regularly is important for maintaining a healthy environment around your home. Without a proper cleaning routine, dirt may unknowingly build up and spread around your home. It is evident from our research that current mopping habits mean British households aren’t cleaning their floors as effectively as they should. “From ignoring problem areas where dust and debris build up, cross contamination with dirty water to not replacing mop heads or inconsistent cleaning, current mopping behaviours may be making floors dirtier as opposed to cleaner. Moving away from traditional methods, wet floor cleaners like the Dyson WashG1 simplify the floor cleaning experience and provide a modern efficient and hygienic solution” To help take the guesswork out of mopping, the brand new WashG1 is Dyson’s first dedicated wet floor cleaner that tackles wet and dry debris in one go. Engineered for hygienic cleaning and maintenance, the WashG1 is revolutionising wet floor cleaning, removing the need for multi-products and multi-steps to achieve a barefoot clean feel around the home. To put the product to the test, Dyson have cleaned one of London’s most iconic landmarks The Victoria and Albert Museum. From cleaning the grand marble floors housing the most prestigious exhibits, to cleaning up leftover food in the Gamble Room Cafe, the WashG1 had a dirt busting tour of the museum leaving it spotless. Images can be found here. The WashG1 introduces Dyson’s engineering expertise to cleaning hard floors. With a 1 litre clean-water tank to cover flooring up to 290m2, the Dyson WashG1 uses a combination of hydration, absorption, and extraction technologies to remove wet and dry spills and stains simultaneously. The Dyson WashG1 is available to purchase now from Dyson.co.uk, retailing at £599.99.

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