You don’t need to spend much time browsing for information on living options in retirement to come across luxury retirement villages and similar developments proudly declaring themselves to be ‘lock up and leave.’
So, what exactly does this mean? Anyone who has owned a house for many years will be familiar with the precautions and arrangements it calls for when it comes time to go on holiday or travel for other reasons.
Depending on the scale and location of your home, and how long you plan to be away for, making provision to leave it secure and safe while you’re away may involve turning off heating systems, pulling out electrical appliances, putting regular deliveries and services on hold, re-programming home systems and devices, arranging for plants to be watered and the lawn to be mown. Keys are then left with nearby friends or neighbours with alarms primed and alarm services advised that you are away.
Lock up and leave, in contrast, describes luxury retirement village properties that can safely have the key turned in the front door as you head off, comfortable in the knowledge that everything is safe and secure and there are people on hand to keep an eye on things in your absence.
Luxury retirement villages and lock up and leave
Being able to just lock up and leave is a luxury that is fairly difficult to arrange for most private homeowners. However, in retirement it can be a different story entirely. For those who decide to downsize and relocate to a good quality retirement community or luxury retirement village like Santhem Residences, the ability to lock up and leave safely whenever you wish forms a large part of the attraction.
At luxury retirement villages like Santhem, the maintenance of the gardens, grounds and common parts of the building that you enjoy around you is not your responsibility. These carry on just the same, day after day, when you’re not there, under the management of the maintenance team – simply, not your problem! If you wish to travel around South America for six months, or to spend the entire winter with your grandchildren in Australia, off you go! You can usually arrange for a member of the village management team to check your personal apartment at agreed intervals while you’re away, just to make sure everything is OK inside.
What makes a lock up and leave retirement village especially secure?
If you do like to travel at the drop of a hat, whether that’s overseas or staying in the UK to walk, paddle in the sea, or visit family & friends, the lock up and leave model at a luxury retirement village will provide you with even more assurance about security than locking up a private home.
Luxury retirement villages like Santhem Residences provide round the clock manned security, with centrally monitored cameras at multiple points around the site. Because it’s a community, there are always lots of people around including neighbours in and around the building. Even though you’ve locked up and left, your apartment is far from abandoned and offers no outward signs to strangers that you’re off enjoying yourself away from home.
Things that lock up and leave means you’re free to enjoy
The freedom of lock up and leave living makes plenty of leisure and social activities easier, safer and less hassle to enjoy:
- Love weekend getaways? When you know you can safely pack a bag, close the door and go, the full beauty and diversity of the UK’s lakes, mountains and national parks is waiting for you. Plus, being retired… it’s entirely up to you how long you decide a ‘long weekend’ should be.
- Do your children and grandchildren, or maybe your siblings, live in another part of the country? Again, just lock up and leave, even if your children or siblings are living on the other side of the world.
- Fancy sneaking off to warmer climates for a few weeks, or booking onto a luxury cruise when you get the itch to get away? The same applies.
Freed of the need to cancel services or worry about security and maintenance, you can simply lock the door and head for the airport.
Talk to us about lock up and leave living
Our team here at our luxury retirement village in Shenfield have lots of experience in helping people make the move from a home where everything is their own responsibility, to one where they can lock up and leave. At Santhem Residences, you can go whenever and wherever you like, knowing friendly and helpful staff are on hand to take care of all the responsibilities of the property.
Get in touch with our team for more information about lock up and leave living at our luxury retirement village Santhem Residences, or arrange a visit on one of our open days if you’re ready to leave all responsibilities of being a private homeowner behind and relax into the freedom of luxury retirement living.