Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey says changes to proposed retirement village repayment rules will provide greater certainty for seniors while keeping retirement village living affordable for future residents.

The Government recently announced amendments to its retirement village reforms, aimed at strengthening protections for residents through faster repayments, earlier access to funds, fairer contracts and stronger minimum standards. 

Mr Doocey said feedback from retirement village residents had played an important role in shaping the final package. 

"As local MP I have been contacted by a large number of retirement village residents who were concerned about the impacts of some of the requirements, so it's been good to shorten the repayment window from the 12 months we had initially indicated to nine months," he said. 

The changes will also see an automatic 10 per cent payment introduced, replacing a previously proposed interest requirement. 

Mr Doocey recently visited residents at The Sterling retirement village in Kaiapoi, where retirement village reforms were among a range of issues discussed.

"Seniors deserve to get their money back sooner, without making retirement village living unaffordable for the next person," he said. 

He said the revised rules showed the Government had listened to older New Zealanders and would make a meaningful difference for retirement village residents throughout Waimakariri. 

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