Residents’ meetings

The Retirement Villages Act 1999 provides for meetings involving all residents for certain purposes separate from residents’ committee’s meetings.

Each year the operator must call a meeting of all residents to present annual financial statements and audit report. The operator should give each resident at least 21 days written notice for this meeting.

An operator must also call a meeting of all residents when undertaking a special resolution vote which could be for the purpose of voting on a proposed Closure Plan, or Redevelopment Plan the introduction of a new general service or a general services charge increase greater than CPI. Operators must use the approved forms where necessary, to advise residents of the date and process for special resolution meetings.

The operator or the residents' committee can call a residents’ meeting with 14 days’ notice. In extraordinary or urgent circumstances, as little as 2 days’ written notice may be acceptable.

Operators can attend or speak at a resident’s meeting only when they call the meeting, are invited to a meeting by the resident’s committee or residents are voting on a special resolution.

During the vote on a special resolution, the operator must leave the meeting after they have spoken at the meeting and after the vote, unless residents invite them to stay.

Voting at residents’ meetings

Voting at a meeting of the residents of a retirement village is by:

• 1 resident of each accommodation unit in the village
• each resident of the village, if the residents have voted that each resident of the village should be entitled to vote
• 1 former resident of an accommodation unit, if they’re still required to pay the whole or a proportion of the general services charges.

Residents may cast a vote:

• themselves
• through a person they appoint by power of attorney
• through another person they appoint (as a proxy) by signed notice to vote on their behalf (the scheme operator cannot vote on behalf of a resident)
• by postal vote, placing a written vote in a container in the village's common area.

For postal votes, the operator must provide a secure, locked container at least 24 hours before the meeting. They must not open it or allow it to be opened and must deliver it to the chairperson of the meeting immediately before the meeting starts.

Special resolutions

If the operator agrees, residents may make, change or revoke retirement village by-laws (other than by-laws for a community title scheme) by special resolution at a residents’ meeting.

Residents can make a by-law about the non-exclusive use and enjoyment of the village. If a by-law and a residence contract are inconsistent, the residence contract applies.

The operator must comply with the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 to make, change or revoke any by-law for a community titles scheme.

A proposed closure plan and redevelopment plan can be approved by residents of the retirement village by a special resolution passed at a residents meeting. Read more about changes to village operations.

More information

• View the Retirement Villages Act 1999.
• Read the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997.
• Visit our useful contacts page.
• Email regulatoryservices@chde.qld.gov.au