financial questions
What is the Life Lease Program?
The Life Lease Program is specifically designed for seniors who want to minimize their monthly cost and live in a community setting like Tollendale Village with other like-minded seniors. Under this program a resident purchases the right to occupy a Life Lease Suite.
How does it work?
The resident purchases the right to occupy a suite by paying an Entrance Fee based upon the value of the dwelling suite. Residents pay 100% of the value. For general info on Life Lease, please click here[link to PDF (566 KB)] to download the Life Lease Housing Resource Guide.
Alternatively, you may choose one of the suites which are set aside for rent and simply pay the Occupancy cost of your suite which includes monthly rent, monthly occupancy fees and other fees.
What are the monthly fees that I will be required to pay?
All residents must pay monthly Occupancy fees. In addition, if you want to purchase additional services, such as automobile parking, storage locker additional fees will apply.
What Operating expenses are covered in the monthly Occupancy Fee?
The Occupancy fees cover the cost of the following:
- Property taxes
- All utilities (electricity, gas, and water)
- Cable, home phone, internet and modem
- Reserve Fund
- Administration costs
- Chaplin/Spiritual Care Program
- Repairs and Maintenance to the building and grounds
- Interest charges on debt (mortgages, loans etc.)
- Insurance on the building (not on personal contents)
- Nursing fee based on the number of people per unit
Are there any other charges or fees when I move in?
Flooring removal or transfer to the next resident will be decided by the Maintenance Manager upon vacating of the unit. When a resident has given notice to vacate the unit, the flooring will be inspected by Tollendale Village. If it is deemed non-transferable, it will be removed and disposed of at the vacating resident's expense. It is at the new resident's expense to put in flooring if required. Carpet is mandatory if there is a neighbour below you.
As a Life Lease tenant do I own my suite?
No. You only purchase the right to occupy the suite. As the sponsor of Tollendale Village, Simcoe County Christian Senior Home Inc retains ownership of the facility, including all suites.
What happens when I need to vacate the suite?
When you need to vacate your suite, you must provide at least 60 days notice from the beginning of the following month, in which notice was given. During that 60 day period you will remain responsible for all of your monthly fees. Similarly, upon death, your estate remains responsible for the same 60 day period. Upon receiving notification we will immediately start the process of finding a replacement Life Tenant. If a replacement Life Lease Tenant is not immediately available, Tollendale Village has 120 days after the 60 day period has expired to register a new Life Lease Tenant. Upon receipt of the Entrance Fee from the new resident, we will reimburse 97% of the entrance fee that you paid when you moved in. The remaining 3% is used to restore the suite to its pre-occupancy condition.
Should a replacement tenant not be available during that 120 day period, where do you obtain the funds to refund my Entrance Fee?
Simcoe County Christian Senior Home Inc, the sponsor of Tollendale Village has established a Refund Fund for that eventuality. The monies in this Fund are to be used explicitly for the purpose of refunding Entrance Fees. It should be noted however, that since the establishment of Tollendale Village in 2000, we have never had to access the Refund Fund for this purpose.
What if the Refund Fund should ever be totally depleted, what then?
Your Life Lease agreement states that should this unlikely event ever occur, Simcoe County Christian Senior Home Inc is obligated to commence paying you principal and interest on the outstanding amount for a maximum of 5 years after which they are obligated to make payment of the remaining balance.
If I don't want to move in yet, or if I plan to be away for an extended period of time can I sublet a suite?
No, we do not allow subletting of any of our suites.
What steps should I take before entering into the Life Lease Program?
After accepting a unit for tenancy in Tollendale Village Retirement Community you will receive a package of documents which must be reviewed by you and your solicitor and SCCSHI must receive from each applicant written confirmation that he/she has obtained independent legal advice.
How is the Entrance Fee Amount calculated per suite?
Entrance fees are based on current market values and are adjusted annually to reflect market and other conditions.
How often do the Monthly Fees change?
Monthly Fees are subject to review annually and will be adjusted based on anticipated costs. Our normal adjustment date is September 1st of each year and residents are notified 90 days prior to any adjustments.
What are the Reserve Fees used for?
The Reserve fees are used to establish a Capital Reserve Fund. This fund will be used based on the Reserve Fund Study to cover the cost of common element capital items to ensure that the premises stay in excellent condition. These expenses could include major roof repairs, equipment repairs and/or replacement, other major building repairs, capital replacements, etc.
How do we know that the Capital Reserve Fund is adequate?
Our external auditors review our reserve fund balance as part of our annual audit. Every 6-7 years we carry out a reserve fund study to determine if the funds we are setting aside are adequate for that purpose.
Am I allowed to register my Life Lease Agreement on title?
No. Our financial institution does not allow the agreements to be registered on title.
What if I need to borrow funds to pay for the Entrance fees? Do financial Institutions not require such registration?
It is the responsbility of the potential resident to make their own inquiries.
Do I need to provide my own insurance?
Simcoe County Christian Senior Home Inc. carries comprehensive all-risk and liability insurance. However, this insurance does not cover the contents of the suite/locker nor any liability coverage for the residents if they become liable for an occurrence. We require all residents to carry contents insurance including liability coverage of $2 Million.
