Ashford Retirement Village
photos: operator / Village Guide
Retirement living · Prebbleton, Selwyn

Ashford Retirement Village

BUPA Retirement Villages Limited · Prebbleton, near Christchurch · independent villas + serviced apartments + on-site care home
Life Score
80
Exceptional
Capital Back
61
the money ↓
See what life here is like — then weigh what it means for your family further down.
The village

Life here

Nestled in Prebbleton just a short drive from Christchurch, Ashford Retirement Village offers the best of both worlds: the relaxed, social atmosphere of a true community alongside modern, warm homes and professional support. Residents like Graham, an 88-year-old retired steam engine driver, thrive here—renewing licenses, hitting Friday happy hours, and staying active in the on-site gym. Whether you choose a spacious villa or a serviced apartment with a helping hand, life at Ashford means independence with connection, beautiful landscaped grounds, and the assurance that care evolves with your needs.

Your home

Living options

Homes to Suit Your Lifestyle

Choose between low-maintenance villas for independent living or serviced apartments with assisted living support designed to evolve with your needs.

One, two and three bedroom villas
Modern kitchen, double glazed windows, heat pump
24/7 emergency alarm system in all homes
Garage (villas)
Serviced apartments with ensuite, kitchenette, open plan living and patio
Single level options available
Living options
A day in the life

What living here is actually like

Life at Ashford is about enjoying your independence while staying connected to a warm, active community.

Community & Activities

The village offers excellent communal facilities and a relaxed social atmosphere where residents enjoy regular gatherings, fitness activities, and shared meals. Friday happy hours, games, arts and crafts, and access to the on-site gym keep life engaging.

Communal lounge and dining area
Gym
Games and activity room
Library
Barbecue area
Beautiful landscaped grounds
Bar happy hours
Arts and crafts
Village van
Always something on
On your doorstep

Facilities & services

Communal lounge
Community dining area
Gym
Games and activity room
Library
Barbecue area
Landscaped gardens
24/7 emergency alarm system
Village van
On-site care home
Peace of mind

Care for life, on site

If your health changes, you won't have to leave the place you know. Ashford Retirement Village offers these levels of care on site:

IndependentServicedRest homeHospitalSecure dementia
✓ Housekeeping · Linen change and laundry · Meal deliveries · Personal laundry service · Medication observation
Care and community
Where it is

Setting & neighbourhood

Ashford Retirement Village is located in Prebbleton, just a short drive from Christchurch city centre. The village sits close to local amenities including pharmacy, supermarket, café, and park, offering residents easy access to everyday services while maintaining a peaceful, village-like setting away from the hustle of the city.

Interested?

Like the look of Ashford?

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Now the practical part

The money — what comes back to your family

You've seen why you'd love it. This is the part most families only discover at the exit statement — so we put it in plain sight. Every figure is from the village's own filed Disclosure Statement.

Capital Back score
61
Above average · #23 of 520
Better than 96% of NZ villages — yet the market median is just 46. The sector is tough.
Deferred fee
28%
charged on your entry price
Your share of capital gain
0%
operator keeps 100% of any uplift
Time to get capital back
~126 days
median, from 8 recent resales
Fees after you leave
Stop
good — many villages keep charging
Before you sign, get independent eyes on the contract.An ORA-review lawyer or independent financial adviser — never paid by any operator — checks what it really means for your family.
⚖ Get independent advice →
How the 61 is built

Nothing hidden — every component

The Capital Back score is a transparent weighting of five filed terms — you can see exactly where this village wins and loses.

Move-in fee you don't get back Deferred Management Fee — weighted 30%
28% deferred fee — lower is better.
30
Share of capital growth Capital gain to resident — weighted 15%
0% — the operator keeps any resale uplift.
0
Speed your capital returns Median resale time — weighted 30%
126 days across recent resales.
90
Fees stop when you leave Weekly fees on exit — weighted 15%
Charges end on vacancy.
100
Interest if repayment is slow Interest on delayed capital — weighted 10%
Interest is payable if capital is returned late.
100
The filed terms, in plain English

What the Disclosure Statement actually says

Every operator uses different words for the same thing — we normalise them so you can compare like with like.

%

Deferred Management Fee

28%

Accrues over your first 3 years, charged on the entry price.

Market: median 30%; only 16% of villages charge under 25%.

Capital gain

0% to the resident

Any increase in the licence value at resale is kept entirely by the operator.

Market: just 8% of NZ villages share any capital gain.

How fast your capital comes back

~126 days median

Your capital is repaid once the unit is re-licensed to a new resident. (Operator-stated average: 150 days.)

Market: median 154 days; 21 villages still average over a year.

Fees & interest on exit

Resident-friendly

Weekly fees stop when you vacate, and interest is payable if your capital is returned late.

Market: 220 of 520 villages keep charging weekly fees after you've gone.
Before you sign the ORA

The reckoning usually arrives too late

  • You're buying a licence to occupy, not the home — you can't sell, rent or borrow against it.
  • A large deferred fee is gone within a few years, whatever the unit later sells for.
  • Your family carries the risk of how long resale takes — and the operator's ability to pay.
  • None of this is hidden — it's all in the Disclosure Statement most people sign without reading.
Have someone independent read it first

We'll connect you with a retirement-village review lawyer or independent financial adviser — no operator pays to be here.

Request an ORA review → Talk to a financial adviser