Frequently Asked Questions

A family owned and managed Village where our resident’s safety and wellbeing is our priority.

We’re sure you have plenty of questions, so to help you gain a better understanding of what Renaissance Living is all about we’ve put together the following answers to the things we’re most often asked by prospective residents.

If you have any further questions at any time, please know that we’re always just a phone call away.

Nestled in the beautiful, leafy suburb of Surrey Hills, Renaissance Living is an independent lifestyle community for over 55s, where you’ll have the freedom of your own home, close to everything you love, without all the upkeep.

Architect-designed and built by Ravida to the highest standards of quality, luxury and energy efficiency, Renaissance Living is an intimate retirement village of just 43 spacious and light-filled 1, 2 or 3-bedroom apartments, each of which includes:

  • High-end appointments from designer brands like Villeroy & Boch, Grohe, Smeg, Verisol and Caesarstone
  • Video intercom, 24-hour security and help line
  • Allocated and secure undercover parking & lock-up storage
  • Fully insulated walls and double-glazed windows for peace and energy efficiency
  • Independently controlled inverter heating &cooling systems
  • Wi-Fi internet
  • A private courtyard or balcony, and
    much more.

With both the Through Road shops and the number 70 tramline at your doorstep, you will have a close connection to this vibrant and friendly local community.

Renaissance Living is family-owned and run by the Ravida Group. Managing Director, Don Ravida, regularly visits the village, knows all the residents and is caring, responsive and respectful.

The village is run with a focus on providing quality facilities and service that is always focused on meeting the needs of every resident.

Not all retirement villages are the same. Here are just some of the many reasons why Renaissance Living is very different to the large, corporate retirement facilities

  • Caring and local
  • Intimate village of just 43 apartments
  • Focused on service and the needs of residents
  • Fair and transparent deferred-management-fee model spread over 10 years
  • Low ongoing service fee while maintaining a high level of amenity and service
  • Family-owned and run by Don Ravida, who regularly visits the village, knows the residents, and is caring, responsive and respectful
  • We never charge extra for coffee, tea, milo, or for simply doing someone a favour, like opening a locked door or changing a light bulb
  • Delicious, great value meals available ‘at cost’ for the benefit of residents
  • When you vacate your property, we’ll help you prepare it for sale and help organise any work that is
    genuinely required on an ‘at cost’ basis
  • No limits on age of entry. In fact, anyone over the age of 55 is welcome in our village and we provide
    and coordinate services that help residents stay longer
  • Renaissance is an integral part of – and connected to – the wider local community.

If you’re tired of house maintenance, looking to downsize or just like the idea of secure, easy living in a fabulous lifestyle location, a Renaissance Living apartment could be your ideal next step. Anyone over 55 is welcome to live in our village.

Independent lifestyle communities are becoming an increasingly popular option for active over 55s, because they provide the opportunity to do less of the things you have to do, and more of the things you want to do. If that sounds like you, then now is the right time to consider making a move.

Anyone over the age of 55 is welcome to become part of the Renaissance Living community – you may be retired or working part-time.

YES. We understand that your pets are an important part of your life and we take a commonsense approach in assessing the suitability of your pet to the Renaissance Living community. Simply have a chat with us about your pets and we will arrange a time for you to meet with the manager to discuss your individual requirements.

YES. You are most welcome to invite guests to stay at your home for up to eight weeks a year. We even have a separate guest apartment set aside for family and friends to use for a small fee. If your friends or family intend to stay for an extended period of time, please have a chat to the manager. To maintain safety and security, you will need to notify the manager prior to your guests’ arrival.

YES. Renaissance Living has a fully licensed restaurant and bar available for residents to enjoy from time to time throughout the week, offering a wonderful selection of delicious options. Your family and friends are welcome to join you any time. Plus we offer delicious, great-value meals delivered to your apartment.

Renaissance Living features an array of facilities and services designed to support your active and social lifestyle. Our Active Health and Leisure Centre includes a fully equipped gym, heated exercise pool and hydrotherapy bath.

We can even organise for visiting health and beauty practitioners, so you can enjoy all kinds of personal services, including hairdressing, podiatry treatment, manicure, medical services and massage, just moments from your doorstep.

Other key facilities at Renaissance Living include:

  • Licensed restaurant and bar
  • Private dining and meeting rooms
  • Swimming pool and gym
  • Outdoor entertaining areas, including barbecue deck, terrace and central courtyard
  • Games area, for billiards, cards, chess and conversation
  • Workshop
  • Vegetable garden
  • Meditation/yoga room
  • Library
  • Guest apartment
  • On-site management and staff
  • Dedicated parking for guests’ cars and bicycles.

One of the other great pleasures of living at Renaissance Living is that our friendly staff look after all the maintenance, right up to your front door, and they are there to help with whatever you need, from picking-up and dropping off your chemist prescriptions, shopping, laundry, dry cleaning or meals, to arranging cleaning for your apartment.

Yes! We offer a range of fun and fully optional activities every week, like organised outings (such as Yarra Valley winery tours) social events (like Melbourne Cup day), book and wine clubs, and group exercise sessions, ranging from walking, yoga and meditation, to water aerobics, strength and fitness classes, as well as card and board games. If you’d like to see an example of what goes on at Renaissance Living in a typical week, please ask for a copy of our weekly activity schedule. Click here to find out more

YES. If you’re in the mood to get out and about in nature, the beautiful parklands of South Surrey Park and Wattle Park are just a stroll away, along with public and private golf courses, bowls, leisure, sporting and social clubs.

Renaissance Living offers the convenience of being just a 20-metre walk away from the flourishing and friendly Through Road shopping strip, with its vibrant array of stores and services, including:

  • IGA supermarket
  • Bakery, 2 Cafes, 2 Restaurants
  • Milk bar,
  • Take-away food outlets
  • Wine merchant
  • Gift Shop
  • Chemist
  • Medical centre, pharmacy/post office, osteopath, chiropractor, periodontist, dentist
  • Dry cleaner and laundry
  • Op shop

Many of these local outlets are happy to take phone orders and can deliver upon request.

With the No. 70 tram stop at your doorstep, you’ll also be in easy reach of the area’s best shopping, restaurants, cafés and cinemas. You can take the tram all the way to Docklands, Camberwell Junction or just to Riversdale Station for a quick trip to the city. Or grab one of the regular local buses to Chadstone, Box Hill or Doncaster – the options are endless!

The award-winning Renaissance Living community includes an array of environmentally sustainable features designed to improve energy efficiency, reduce costs for residents and help the planet. These include:

  • Double-glazed windows for thermal efficiency and sound reduction
  • The maximisation of natural light and winter sun wherever possible
  • Verosol, heat and light control window blinds to help keep your apartment cool in summer and warm in winter
  • Large rainwater tanks – collecting building water run-off for use in landscaped areas and for cleaning common areas.

In addition, each apartment is divided by 258mm-thick walls, comprising plasterboard, metal shield framing, insulation, air space, Hebel panel, top hat battens and further insulation – all designed to maximise thermal efficiency and reduce noise.

Your weekly service fee is comparable to the body corporate fee of a standard apartment yet provides an array of extra services and features as well as covering the running of the community: Services include

Access and use of games room, library, heated pool and hyrdrotherapy bath, fully-equipped gym, gymnasium, health & leisure centre, reception, piano lounge, barbeques, vegetable garden and meeting rooms

Full cleaning, maintenance and repairs for the communal areas, including the heated pool and landscaped areas

24-hour emergency call system, help line and monitored security system

Communal area rates, plus discounted council rates on your own apartment

Building and public liability insurance (please note that this does not cover your personal effects and it is advised that you obtain your own contents insurance)

Implementation of a comprehensive waste management plan that includes removing and wherever possible, recycling all household and common-area rubbish

Staff to assist with co-coordinating social activities and special events such as community barbeques, private functions, craft, social clubs, wine group, outings, group exercise sessions and many more activities

Programmable C-Bus system and motion sensors in all communal areas to control lighting and air conditioning.

Discounted electricity, phone and Internet through bulk purchase agreements.

As with any residence, you will need to allow for the regular expenses and services required to run a home. These include electricity, water usage, phone, pay-TV and Internet. If you choose to use personal services, or order food and drinks from the restaurant, these would be at your expense. Unlike some other villages, we offer delicious, great value meals ‘at cost’ for the benefit of residents, and we never charge extra for coffee, tea, Milo, changing a light bulb, opening a locked door or holding your mail while you are on holidays.

To reside in the community, you will need to enter into a 49-year lease. This type of arrangement is common in most retirement living communities and offers a sense of security and flexibility. A feature of this arrangement is the benefit of paying no stamp duty. It also enables you to take advantage of discounted council and utility rates.

A deferred management fee enables beautiful lifestyle communities like Renaissance Living to offer communal facilities and specialised services at lower entry costs. Our goal is always to keep ongoing fees low and services high. The deferred-management-fee model employed by Renaissance Living is spread over 10 years, so you can make the most of your life now. Our deferred fee is 3% per annum for each year of occupancy (capped at 10 years). Upon exit, you would also be required to cover:

  • A village maintenance contribution of 0.25% per annum for each year of occupancy (this is also capped at 10 years). This is a contribution towards the continual improvement and overall maintenance of the community, as well as infrastructure and capital works to the building and facilities that ensure it retains its appearance, quality and value for the long term
  • An administrative fee for expenses incurred in promoting, advertising, preparing and refurbishing (if required) your unit for sale to a new resident. You can also choose to use an external real estate agent if you prefer. Note that we will help you prepare it for sale on an ‘at cost’ basis and only for work that is genuinely required

No! A key advantage of the arrangement offered at Renaissance Living is that no stamp duty or water rates are payable. Additional financial benefits include discounted council rates and reduced costs on electricity, phone and Internet.

Your lease will be revoked, and the purchaser of the apartment will enter into a new 49-year lease.

While there is a high demand for Renaissance Living apartments, they do become available from time to time. To see if any apartments are currently available, join our waiting list or find out more.

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