INSPECTORS from Fair Trading are swooping on 50 retirement villages across NSW as part of a state government blitz on the industry.
The swoop comes as Kathryn Greiner finalises her much-anticipated report into the state of the retirement industry, with anecdotal and documented evidence of a swath of complaints.
The blitz also comes amid the federal government’s apparent get-tough attitude with the industry — after a decade of neglecting its own parliamentary findings.
According to Fair Trading sources, inspectors were looking at retirement village fees, prescribed notices and audits.
The 50 in focus were a mixture of random selections and those that had complaints filed against them in the past.
Innovation and Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean said more transparency in the industry was required and that would come from the blitz and Greiner report.
“We need to make sure that retirement village residents are being treated fairly and with the respect and dignity they deserve,” Mr Kean said.
