The reforms are staged. Your preparation should not be.
Western Australia’s retirement village reforms are moving from legislation to implementation.
Operators already understand the broad direction of the changes. What is now becoming clearer is the timetable—and the practical work required within villages to meet it.
A recent industry briefing provided further detail about the staged commencement of the reforms, the forms and guidance still being developed, and the actions operators can begin taking now.
Four dates to put in the calendar
The first significant changes commence on 1 September 2026, followed by another stage from 1 December 2026. Further requirements will take effect throughout 2027 and 2028.
The full Retirement Villages Regulations 2026 are expected to be published through the State Law Publisher no later than 1 September 2026.
The briefing also confirmed important dates for resident participation in annual budget preparation.
Residents—or the appropriate residents’ committee or finance subcommittee—must be notified before 1 April each year of their right to participate in the upcoming budget meetings.
The annual budget preparation meeting must then be held before 1 May and at least 30 days after the notice is provided.
These dates should be added to village operating calendars now. Waiting until the next budget cycle begins may be too late.
More detail on property condition and renovations
From 1 December 2026, new requirements affecting property condition, renovations and departure processes will commence.
Property condition reports will become an important reference point when a resident leaves the village. Residents will also be entitled to attend the outgoing property condition assessment, with the resulting report helping to determine the work required.
Renovation plans will need closer attention. Where the new requirements apply, residents will need to approve the plan.
Operators should also review existing residence contracts to understand how their current renovation and departure arrangements interact with the new requirements. Further approved forms and guidance are expected, but the contract review can begin now.
Disclosure and capital planning come next
New disclosure requirements, including the CAS and PRIS, will apply after 1 July 2027. The approved CAS form is expected to be available from 1 March 2027.
Capital maintenance and replacement planning will also become increasingly important. Operators will need to distinguish responsibility for capital items and ensure the required plans are in place.
Example plans and further guidance are being developed. The message from the briefing, however, was that planning and resident consultation should begin well before the formal commencement dates.
What operators can do now
Not every form or guidance note is available, but operators do not need to wait for every detail before beginning.
Now is the time to:
- assign responsibility for each stage of implementation
- place the confirmed dates into operating and compliance calendars
- review existing contracts and departure processes
- assess current property condition reporting
- examine how renovation plans are prepared and approved
- identify where resident consultation will be required.
The legislation may be introduced in stages, but implementation will cut across operations, finance, sales, compliance and village management. Someone within the organisation needs to own the complete timetable.
Catch up on our earlier coverage
DCM Institute has previously examined several key areas of the reforms in more detail:
We will continue to interpret the reforms through the lens of village operations: what is changing, who needs to act and when the work must be completed.
Relevant templates and supporting resources will also be added to the DCM Institute Knowledge Centre as they become available.
The implementation timetable is now taking shape. The next step is turning it into an operational plan.
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