FAQ's
We understand it's a big decision to resize, so here we've answered the most commonly asked questions.
Living in an Edenlife community
No. Edenlife communities are not retirement villages. At Edenlife, you can be retired or working, either full or part time. Typically, around 30% of people living in our communities will be working in some capacity. With the opportunity to release equity and boost your savings at Edenlife, you get to choose.
Yes. You also have a long-term (up to 60 years) secure lease on the land on which your home is sited. As a homeowner at Edenlife, you are also afforded protections under the state government legislation for additional peace of mind (Residential Park – Long Stay Tenants Act, including 2020 amendments).
No. When you move into an Edenlife community, your purchase agreement (Residential Site Agreement or RSA) grants you the right to occupy your ‘site’ and use all facilities within the Edenlife community for a weekly site fee. Edenlife covers taxes, settlement fees and any ongoing costs of land ownership.
Under the agreement with Edenlife Communities, the weekly site rent/fee is payable by direct debit each fortnight. The site fee is reviewed on 1 July each year and any increases are capped at 3.5% and covers the costs of running the community as well as providing you access to all community facilities:
- On-site community management team
- All local government rates & taxes
- Water rates
- General household rubbish disposal
- Maintenance of roads, signage and street lighting
- Maintenance of your front garden, streetscape & common area landscaping including reticulation
- Maintenance and running costs of the clubhouse and other common facilities
- Exclusive use of community clubhouse and facilities
- Home electricity usage (T&C’s apply)
- Outdoor gas BBQ and function areas
- Community wifi
- Security – CCTV monitored community including entry/exit points and gate control managed from your home for after hours access.
- Secure, centrally located mail boxes
- Community bus
- Caravan & boat storage area (additional fee applies for this service)
Homes are designed to be as low maintenance as possible. As it’s your home, you are responsible for maintenance if required. To ensure that Edenlife communities remain attractive places to live, now and in the future, we ask that you maintain the exterior of your home in keeping with the community standards, including any planned alterations.
The community management team. The watering of your front garden is done by an underground reticulation system using water from a bore water supply. You are responsible for maintaining your garden to the rear and side of your home.
Yes, provided your management and additions are consistent with the community landscape plan. You’ll need to let us know of your intentions prior to commencing any works.
Well trained pets are always welcome in Edenlife communities. There are some common sense rules to follow, as we are conscious that we need to respect the rights of all homeowners, including those without pets.
Water, electricity and gas services are metered at each home. Your weekly site rent includes electricity charges (T&C’s apply) while you are responsible for the cost of your own water and gas usage. You do not pay water raters.
Each home has a general household rubbish bin that is emptied once a week. There is a recycling centre within the community for asset reclaiming material. Hard waste disposal, such as old washing machines, microwaves etc are the responsibility of residents.
No. Your weekly site rent is inclusive of council rates and general household rubbish collection.
Edenlife Communities are built with fibre to the home (FTTH) for the delivery of high-speed internet and telephony via our very competitive service. This is all part of an integrated service for the delivery of a range of services and information to every home. In addition, you can choose to connect pay TV to your home if you so choose.
Yes. There is a hard stand area that includes a wash down area with access to power when preparing for and returning from an outing. An additional fee is payable for a bay and there is only a limited number of spaces available in each community.
We have installed a mini-energy grid which connects to all homes, using a large solar and battery system. Initially we will provide a minimum of 5kw per day at no charge. Over time, we plan to increase this to 10kw per day.
Yes of course. Visitors are welcome to use most of the facilities (excluding the workshop, gym and indoor pool) when they are accompanied by a homeowner. Your visitors are welcome to stay for a short period (usually less than 30 days), if you have visitors staying for longer periods, you will need to speak with your community manager.
Children are more than welcome to visit or stay for short periods of time, but cannot be permanent residents.
They operate under the Retirement Villages Act. They have different ingoing, outgoing and ongoing costs and various types of agreements. A retirement village can charge a deferred management fee in the vicinity of 30-40% of the sale price, along with the added burden of making you refurbish the home at your own cost when you sell.
In comparison, an Edenlife lifestyle community offers a very affordable option to people looking to downsize as there is no deferred management fee, no requirement to refurbish prior to selling and only one standard agreement that is the same for everyone.
Buying into an Edenlife community
All homes come with turn-key inclusions to make it easier tomove into. The price includes*:
- Reverse cycle split system air-conditioning unit to living area
- Natural gas hotplate & fan forced oven
- Continuous flow gas hot water unit
- Full internal & external painting
- Build in robes to bedrooms
- Carpet to bedrooms
- Vinyl planking to living areas
- Flyscreens and blinds to windows
- LED lighting throughout
- Tile splashback to kitchen
- Soft close drawers throughout
- Foldaway clothesline
- Full insulation
- Full landscaping & reticulation to front garden, reticulation to rear garden
- Paths & carport
- Storage shed
* See individual home brochures for inclusions.
You pay no stamp duty or conveyancing fees when you purchase a home in an Edenlife community.
Under the land lease model, you pay a site fee (fortnightly direct debit) to Edenlife. You aren’t responsible for paying any of the costs associated with land ownership ie. council rates, water rates or stamp duty. The site rent is reviewed on 1 July each year with any increase capped at 3.5%
As part of your agreement with Edenlife, the rent is payable each fortnight via a direct debit from a nominated bank account. The site fee is reviewed on 1st July each year and any increase, if charged, is capped at 3.5%.
Your RSA is governed under the Residential Parks (Long-stay Tenants) Act 2006 and the Amendments Act 2020. The Acts govern site agreements, such as that between Edenlife and the residents who purchase a ‘movable dwelling’ and rents the land on which the dwelling will sit. Homes in Edenlife Communities are all movable dwellings as they can be moved to a different location.
The first leases will be for a term of 60 years. Each subsequent change of ownership will include the balance of the lease period. For example, if you sell your home after 10 years of occupying the site, the new owners will take over your lease with 50 years remaining. Your obligations and lease conclude once your home is sold.
As you pay a site fee (rent), and if you are a pensioner, you are more than likely entitled to Commonweath rent assistance. We can provide you with a letter for Centrelink to make the process as smooth as possible. If you would like more information on rent assistance, please visit the Services Australia or Veterans Affairs websites.
Land lease = no stamp duty, council rates, water rates or conveyancing fees (when you sell your home). Eligibility for Commonwealth rent assistance (subject to their eligibility criteria).
Freehold = you pay stamp duty on the purchase, council rates, water rates and conveyancing fees. Commonwealth rent assistance is not available if you own the land.
No, only owner-occupiers are permitted in Edenlife Communities.
Selling your home in the community
You can sell your home at any time through the Edenlife Communities sales team or through a local real estate agent – the choice is yours. When you have sold your home, a new long-term secure lease will be provided to the purchaser.
If you decide to sell using a local real estate agent, the buyer will be required to undergo a community manager’s interview to ensure they understand community living, their responsibilities and are suitable to reside at Edenlife.
There is a selling and marketing fee of 3% of the selling price, payable to Edenlife Communities. If you elect to sell your home using a real estate agent, you will need to negotiate a separate selling commission with the real estate agent, an Edenlife administration/marketing fee of 1% will still apply.
Many land lease communities charge a deferred management fee (DMF) when you sell and it can be as high as 30% of the sale price of your home. Edenlife Communities charges no deferred management fee and any capital gain you make when you sell your home is 100% yours to keep.
Home quality & maintenance period
Homes are constructed from high quality materials to last the test of time and comes with a 6 year structural warranty.
Only high quality fixtures, fittings and finishes are selected for your new home, with a 6 month maintenance period.
Why you can trust Edenlife Communities
Edenlife is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lester Group, a family owned and run, well-known and respected national property developer and investor, established in 1995.
With our initial community located within the heart of Australind, Edenlife is planning to release a number of further communities in carefully selected locations throughout Western Australia.
In 2021, Edenlife Communities was announced as the winner of the award for excellence in seniors living.
Edenlife’s commitment to creating quality lifestyle communities for independent over 50’s continues.
UDIA, the Urban Development Institute of WA, promotes excellence and innovation in the creation of sustainable communities.