St. John’s Retirement Village is a registered Business Name of St John’s Retirement Centre, a Company incorporated in the State of Victoria and limited by Guarantee. The Company owns and manages St. John's Retirement Village situated at 45 Park Lane, Somerville which comprises Independent Living Units, Serviced Apartments and other facilities for the accommodation and care of retired persons (as defined in the Retirement Villages Act 1986 (as amended)).

Our Board of Directors is: David Renouf - Chairman of Directors Byron Groves - Deputy Chairman of Directors Ben Buchanan - Director Alan Clarke - Director Anne Cumming - Director Graeme Drummond – Director/CEO Mary Schneider - Director /Company Secretary

Although the Village commenced as an outreach of St. John’s Presbyterian Church and has maintained a close relationship with the local Church over the years, there is no formal link between the two. Whilst located adjacent to the Church, St. John’s Retirement Centre which owns and operates the Village is an independent entity.

Any retired person (as defined in the Retirement Villages Act 1986 (as amended)) is entitled to apply for residency in the Village. Each applicant is assessed for suitability on the basis of age, state of health, and ability to meet the financial requirement of residency. The average age of current Village residents is mid-to-late 70s.

The Village does not provide care and accommodation for disabled children. Residents must be retired (as defined in the Retirement Villages Act 1986), and able to live independently.

No. An incoming resident is required to pay a capital sum on entering the Village and on departure is entitled to receive a portion of that sum back. It is important for prospective residents to be aware that they do not "own" the unit. They do not have a separate title which can be sold, transferred or bequeathed. A resident acquires the right to occupy the unit for the remainder of their life or until their Residence Contracts terminated. At that time the amount of refund due will be calculated according to the terms of the Contract. Ownership of the unit remains at all times with the Company.

No, the service fees apply on a per unit basis, not an individual basis. Your Contract would continue and the refund entitlement would be calculated upon your departure.

Our standard Contract provides that the occupier of an Independent Living Unit will receive a refund of their in-going capital sum less a deduction for each year of occupancy to a maximum of 30% over a period of 5 years.

All refunds are paid in accordance with the Retirement Villages Act 1986 (as amended), which provides for a refund to be paid within 6 months after the unit is vacated.

The Company is contractually bound to pay the refund in accordance with your Contract and a departing resident would be entitled to sue for recovery if the entitlement was not paid. This right is further supported by the Retirement Villages Act 1986 which protects the rights of Residents.

Local buses are available adjacent to entry A on Park Lane. The Somerville railway station is 200 metres along Jones road. Taxis have good coverage across the area.

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Service fees are determined in accordance with the provisions of the Retirement Villages Act 1986 (as amended) and in conjunction with the elected Residents' Committee. The fees cover the day to day operation of the Village and include such items as maintenance of units, insurance, lawn mowing, light and power in public areas, the administration of the Village, support services, staff wages, rates & water charges (up to pensioner concession), cleaning and maintenance of common areas, etc. All service fees are payable monthly in advance.

Maintenance services are arranged by adding your request to the 'Request for Maintenance Book" in the Library. You are responsible for the maintenance of equipment you bring with you as well as the upkeep of your garden and general tidiness of your unit. You are also responsible for any damage caused to your unit that is outside of normal wear & tare. Maintenance of these items can be arranged on a fee for service basis.

The Village does not generally replace carpets, drapes and interior painting in occupied units.

The Village refurbishes units after they have been vacated and before thet are reoccupied as per the Residency Contract.

Yes, elections are held in March/April each year and the elected committee discuss all issues relevant to Residents.

You do. Should you have any difficulty with doing these things, we will be happy to provide services on a fee-for-service basis.

When a Resident moves into an Independent Living Unit, in some cases, an existing pet (one cat or one SMALL dog or other small pets such as birds or fish) may be permitted to live in the Village. This decision is at the discretion of Village Management who will give careful consideration to each individual application. Pets are not permitted in the Serviced Apartments.

The Village forms part of our local community and does not employ on-site security guards or night patrols. The general location of the Village, communal lighting, strategically placed surveillance cameras, boundary fences and close proximity of units within the Village are all deterrents to persons wishing to create a nuisance. The Village is staffed 24/7 and residents have emergency buttons in their units plus individual emergency pendants. Residents are encouraged to press their emergecy buttons or call 000 if they have concerns about their security at night.

The Resident is responsible for the maintenance of any non-standard alterations or additions to their unit.

We can assist you to find a range of external community services that can come to your home to meet your individual requirements.

Medical and Health Services are availiable in the Village. The Village has medical rooms that are used by visiting General Practitioners and other health professionals in areas such as hearing, optometry, podiatry, massage and physiotherapy. Some services are subsidised by the Government upon individual assessment. Fees and charges apply for Home and Community Care Services.

Yes. All Residents are required to abide by the Village Policies. These are subject to review by the Board and management and compliance with them form a condition of your Residence Contract. You should make yourself familiar with the policies, copies of which are available through the administration office. Policies cover such things as Visitors, Pets, Covid-19 Regulations, Complaints & Disputes

For those units which do not have attached garages, a number of carports and lock-up garages are available for an additional fee. These are allocated to Residents who request them, depending on availibility. Residents are requested to relinquish their carport or garage when they cease to own a vehicle. Limited caravan storage is available for mid-sized caravans. Caravans are not permitted to be stored on the grounds surrounding your unit.