Okay - you lease a car that includes gasoline and all maintenance. The agreement is that you get to drive it until you die. You pay $80,000 up front for the car and $100/mo for the maintenance, which can increase per the lease. You go along for 4-5 years, and each year your maintenance increases, maybe to $130/mo today, because of the cost of gas and parts needed. You can leave at any time, but if you ever leave or die, you don’t get to keep the car - it still technically belongs to the leaseholder. You forfeit the $80k.
Well, the company sold and the new owners can’t find enough people with $80k lying around to buy in, so they decided they’ll just change the model to include the cost o the car - and charge $650/mo for the service. You get a letter that at your next annual increase, the monthly fee is going to from $130 to $650 because they’ve changed what constitutes “maintenance” as part of their terms and conditions. You can either stay with the package and pay $650/mo or you can leave and have no money to go find a new car. Oh, and you have no job and are on a fixed income because you’re 75 years old.
The agreement is that you get to drive it until you die.
This was not their rental agreement.
A more apt comparison would be that I’m leasing a car, and after my lease expires, the next lease has higher rates.
Well, the company sold and the new owners can’t find enough people with $80k lying around to buy in
This is the opposite of the situation the property owners are in.
It would save you a lot of pointless stress if you read the articles you respond to.
CCRC buy-ins/contracts are for life. I used to design the buildings for them, I still do design work on existing facilities. I’ve also gone over a contract with my own parents. You essentially pay full price for a residential “unit” and as you require more care you are moved, without additional cost, into a higher care location. The owners than re-“sell” your previous unit to the next resident. When you die, there is no equity that your heirs will receive - in that way it’s like a lease. The contract is for life with an annual escalation for maintenance and service.
