Shake off the burdens of a big house

Leaving behind the burdens of a big house

As spring arrives, many people turn their attention to their gardens, home maintenance, and the long list of seasonal tasks that come with keeping a property in top condition. While the warmer weather is welcome, the thought
of mowing lawns, trimming hedges, and tackling outdoor upkeep can start to feel overwhelming.

For many homeowners at Adlington Retirement Living communities, the appeal of leaving all that behind was one of the reasons they decided to move.

Upkeeping a large garden

Homeowners Tim and Angela moved to The Spindles, in Menston, looking forward to having support on hand whenever they needed it and leaving behind the upkeep of their house and large garden.

Angela: “The garden was really what sold us the house in Harrogate. It was lovely, although a bit too big in the end, with a beautiful greenhouse, which I’d wanted all my life. I grew plants and flowers, and we had a pond with a waterfall. After five years, we had to start employing a gardener for various health reasons. Even with that help, we couldn’t keep up with it in the end. We lived there for eight and a half years.”

Tim felt the expense of hiring a gardener, a cleaner, and handling maintenance made the move to The Spindles more appealing. “With a gardener for three or four hours a week and a cleaner as well, it was getting very expensive. There was also ongoing maintenance. We had electric gates that needed servicing, and that wasn’t cheap. We totted it all up, and the expenses we were paying at home in Harrogate for those things were pretty much equal to the costs here at The Spindles. So, we thought we might as well move. All the outside work and ongoing maintenance here is covered.”

Freedom from home maintenance

Since moving to The Sidings, in Lytham, Trevor has enjoyed his newfound freedom from home maintenance.

“There’s so much stress and anxiety that comes with maintaining such a huge place. My wife had been ill for a long time, so I hadn’t had the exterior painted for four years. The last time cost nearly £3,000, so I thought it would be at least £5,000 this time. I also needed new decking on the balcony, which was going to be another £10,000. It all mounts up. All that worry has been taken away from me now. I’m the worst DIY person on this planet, so we had a handyman, cleaners, a gardener – but it was still a worry. When you’re paying for odd jobs week by week, you don’t realise how much it adds up over the years. Some people think service charges for retirement communities are expensive, but when you consider what you get, I think it’s worth it.

“If I was talking to someone considering a move, I’d say it relieves an enormous amount of stress and adds so much positive social interaction. I enjoy meeting new friends, socialising, and not having any worries at all.”

A real sense of relief and freedom

When Ann and Harry moved to The Sidings, letting go of home maintenance responsibilities was a key factor for Ann.

“When you have a house, you become a servant to it. I’ve thought that many times. You have to keep it sellable and up to scratch. I used to live in a Victorian house, then a townhouse, both of which required a lot of work. I’m quite handy – I can plaster walls and lay drains – but the day comes when you don’t want to do it anymore. It starts to worry you.”

Since their move, Ann and Harry have felt a real sense of relief and freedom.

Ann: “You don’t have worries here. It’s like being on holiday all the time. I can’t get over it. It’s wonderful. It takes all that anxiety away.”

Harry added: “We got rid of two houses and all the worry of painting and weeding the garden. It’s all done here. If anything goes wrong, we just report it, and someone is here within a couple of days. There’s even an on-site
maintenance chap who’s very helpful.”

Ann: “And we have the gardeners. It was beautiful when the tulips were in bloom, and now it’s lovely with the hydrangeas.”

Harry: “We’ve got seating areas dotted around. There’s a Pétanque court, and we’re setting up a team. Everything’s a big laugh, and Ann never stops laughing.”

For retirees looking to shed the burdens of a large house to gain more time to enjoy life, a move to a retirement community could be the perfect solution. Read more about the well-being benefits of making a move to an Adlington retirement community or explore a location near you.

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