State in Focus: WA – Reforms to Commence from 1 September
Western Australia’s most significant retirement village law reforms in many years are fast approaching, with the first stage commencing on 1 September 2026.
The reforms, introduced through the Retirement Villages Amendment Act 2024 and the new Retirement Villages Regulations 2026, will be implemented over five stages between September 2026 and July 2028. They will affect many aspects of village operations, including resident disclosure, exit entitlements, buy-back obligations, financial management, maintenance responsibilities and capital planning.
For village operators, managers and leadership teams, now is the time to understand the changes and begin planning for implementation.
Key implementation dates
1 September 2026 (Stage 1)
The first phase introduces changes relating to:
- Exit entitlement and buy-back obligations
- Aged care payment provisions
- Rules of conduct
- Financial reporting and budget obligations
- New processes for terminating a village scheme
1 December 2026 (Stage 2)
Further reforms include:
- Modification plans
- New reinstatement and renovation requirements
- Property condition report obligations
1 July 2027 (Stage 3)
Operators will be required to:
- Use the new prescribed disclosure statements
- Ensure residence contracts comply with the updated legislation
First half of 2028 (Stage 4)
A new public register of retirement villages is expected to be introduced.
1 July 2028 (Stage 5)
The final stage brings new requirements for:
- Capital maintenance funds
- Capital replacement plans
Preparing for the changes
While the reforms are being phased in, organisations should already be reviewing their policies, operational procedures, resident documentation and governance frameworks to ensure they are well positioned for each implementation stage.
Our legal partners at Jackson McDonald have prepared a practical overview of what each reform stage involves and the steps operators can take now to prepare.
For advice specific to your organisation, please contact the Jackson McDonald Real Estate team:
Bianca McGoldrick
Partner
Matt Reid
Partner
Jade Olynyk
Partner
Tag:buy-back obligations, capital maintenance, compliance, DCMI Institute, disclosure statements, exit entitlements, governance, Retirement Living, retirement village law reforms, Retirement Villages Amendment Act 2024, Retirement Villages Regulations 2026, village operators, WA retirement villages, Western Australia
