Improving the resident experience: What this 2025 survey means for village professionals

Late last year, the Residents’ Associations from across the country banded together to conduct their very first “Have Your Say” survey. Over 4,100 residents across Australia responded.

It paints a mostly positive picture, 84% of residents are happy with village life. Dig a little deeper, and we start to uncover a few recurring pain points that we, as Village Professionals, would be wise not to ignore. 

Whether you’re managing a village, leading a sales team, or shaping policy – there is something for everyone to take away to improve outcomes for residents and, in turn, the business we work in. 

In this article, I’ve highlighted some of my takeaways. 

Takeaway 1: Cut the confusion 

Contracts remain one of the biggest sources of confusion. Residents said they felt overwhelmed by legal language, and unsure about key financial terms—particularly around exit fees, capital gains, and refurbishment costs. 

“It should be written in layman’s terms. Too much legalese that the average person does not understand.” 

The survey results back it up: 

• Only 37% could say how their exit fee is calculated. 

• 30% didn’t know if it was based on the purchase or resale price. 

• 41% were unclear about how much capital gain they’d keep. 

• 42% of residents rated the contract explanation they received during the sales process as poor. 

“No one explained how much the deferred management fee would cost us over time.” 

While much has been done across the country to simplify contracts – they are still complex documents, which is why the sector encourages legal advice before someone makes a decision to buy. Now, 5-10 years after moving into a village, revisiting their contract can be confusing which has seen a rise in ‘contract check up’ meetings with individual residents over the years’. 

What we can do: 

• Use plain-English summaries and clear dot points. 

• Include worked financial examples. 

• Offer tools or calculators to help model outcomes. 

• Standardise formatting and clearly separate financial terms in contracts. 

• Train sales teams to explain terms clearly and consistently. 

Takeaway 2: Don’t leave residents in the dark 

Many residents voiced frustration around poor communication – especially when rules changed or concerns went unanswered. This is not something new. We have heard it before and even discussed it at our Professional Development Days. 

“The village manager ignores our complaints about basic issues.” 

We can do better by: 

• Committing to regular, transparent updates. 

• Consulting residents before major decisions. 

• Creating real opportunities for feedback and involvement. 

Our recent Masterclass with Cat Matson looked at how we can use storytelling to improve our communication skills – especially when it comes to more complex messages around budgets. We will be building upon this at our upcoming Professional Development Days in July and August.  

Takeaway 3: Make exits clear, and compassionate 

Exiting the village was one of the most stressful stages for many residents. We know in our roles that stress also transfers to their families who might be looking at what a resident agreed to before moving into the village for the very first time. 

The survey results showed that: 

• 51% were dissatisfied with how exit fees were calculated. 

• 45% didn’t understand refurbishment costs. 

What helps: 

• A step-by-step written guide on the exit process. 

• Clear definitions of “fair wear and tear.” 

• Honest timelines and realistic expectations around refurbishment and resale. 

For those of us involved in the exit process, this all makes sense. Improving the experience of departing residents and their loved ones can only have positive impact on others in the village who one day will go through this process as well. 

Let’s move the needle 

The 2025 survey points towards a clear professional mandate for us: to embed greater transparency, fairness and resident support at every touchpoint of the village journey.  

As Village professionals, we are uniquely placed to lead these improvements. From first enquiry to exit, the quality of our communication and the consistency of our processes will determine not just individual resident satisfaction but the overall strength and sustainability of our sector.