Seniors living disputes could be better resolved by improved mediation arrangements and information, resourcing for the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) and input by appropriately experienced legal practitioners and QCAT members.

Image courtesy of our members Halcyon

The Institute provided feedback to the Department of Housing and Public works regarding their review of the dispute resolution system for residential (manufactured home) parks and retirement villages.

The comprehensive Institute submission, developed by the UDIA Seniors Living and Residential Care committee, provided input on the current dispute resolution system and member experiences of the system. It also touched on the quality, availability, and affordability of free contractual advice, and the information prospective residents have to prevent disputes.

Recommendations also included a training program for seniors living lawyers, a publicly available register relevantly experienced lawyers and the referral system to that expertise. Clarification of laws and forms, further methods of discouraging or resolving matters before QCAT is involved, and timeframes for QCAT dispute resolution.

If you have any feedback or questions, please contact Policy Manager, Martin Zaltron.

Email Martin