Are you, or a loved one, moving into a retirement village in Tauranga or the Bay of Plenty?
Moving into a retirement village is a major life decision — emotionally, practically and financially. For most people, it means leaving a family home they've lived in for decades and signing a complex legal document that will govern how they live, what they're entitled to and what happens to their money when they leave.
It deserves careful thought and the right legal advice before anything is signed.
At Jackson Reeves, we make sure you go in with your eyes open
We've helped many Tauranga families and individuals navigate Occupation Right Agreements — and we know how overwhelming the process can feel. We'll take the time to explain exactly what you're signing, flag anything that needs attention and make sure you're making this decision with complete clarity and confidence.
What is an Occupation Right Agreement?
An Occupation Right Agreement (or ORA) is the legal document that governs your right to live in a retirement village unit. It's not a standard property purchase. You don't own the unit outright. Instead, you're purchasing the right to occupy it, usually for the rest of your life or until you leave.
ORAs are complex documents that cover everything from weekly fees and what's included, to what happens if you need to move to a higher level of care and how your exit payment is calculated when you or your family eventually leave the village.
Every retirement village has its own ORA — and the details matter enormously.
What we'll look at before you sign
Not all Occupation Right Agreements are created equal. Before you commit, we'll review yours carefully and make sure you understand:
Your entry & exit costs
What you're paying to move in, how the deferred management fee works and exactly what you'll receive — or what your estate will receive — when you leave.
Your weekly fees & what they cover
What's included in your ongoing fees, what's not and how and when those fees can increase.
Your rights & obligations
What you're entitled to as a resident, what the village operator is obligated to provide and what happens if either party doesn't meet their obligations.
Care & transition provisions
What happens if your care needs change and you need to move to a higher level of support within the village — or leave altogether.
Dispute resolution
How complaints and disputes are handled, and what your options are if things don't go as expected.
Signing an ORA without legal advice is a risk you don't need to take
Retirement villages are regulated, but that doesn't mean every ORA is straightforward. The financial implications of what you sign can be significant — for you and for your family. Having a lawyer review your agreement before you sign costs a fraction of what a misunderstood clause could cost you down the track.
We'll make sure you understand exactly what you're agreeing to. And if anything needs to be queried or negotiated with the village operator, we'll handle that too.
That's what we're here for.
Meet our ORA specialists
- NEXT STEPS
Knowing you need a lawyer & knowing what to do next are two very different things
Here's what happens when you reach out to us.
1
Fill in the enquiry form on our Contact page and your message goes straight to the whole team. The person who gets back to you — within 24 hours — will specialise in what you need, with the capacity to give your legal matter the attention it deserves.
2
From there, we'll set up a call or meeting with no obligation to you. We'll listen, ask the right questions and give you an honest picture of how we can help.
3
If we're the right fit, we'll get you formally engaged and moving. If we're not, we'll say so and point you somewhere that is.