Charles Upham Retirement Village
photos: operator / Village Guide
Retirement living · Rangiora, Waimakariri

Charles Upham Retirement Village

Charles Upham Retirement Village Limited · Rangiora · independent apartments, townhouses + full care for life
Life Score
97
Exceptional
Capital Back
60
the money ↓
See what life here is like — then weigh what it means for your family further down.
The village

Life here

Nestled in peaceful, beautifully landscaped gardens close to Rangiora town centre, Charles Upham Village welcomes residents seeking independence with community. Whether you choose a light, spacious townhouse, a comfortable apartment, or a serviced apartment with added support, you'll find yourself part of a vibrant village where there's always something to do—from organised outings and movie nights to swimming, bowls, and time with grandchildren. Should your care needs change, the on-site care centre with 120 rooms offers rest home, hospital, and specialist dementia care, all within the same community you call home.

Your home

Living options

Independent & Assisted Living

Choose from light, spacious townhouses designed with the 70-plus person in mind, independent apartments with room for everyone, or serviced apartments that combine independence with housekeeping and chef-prepared meals.

Townhouses (2 bed, 1.5 bath, ~103 m²)
Apartments (3 bed, 1.5 bath, ~109 m²)
Serviced Apartments with support
All designed for warmth, comfort and accessibility
Living options
A day in the life

What living here is actually like

Community is central to life at Charles Upham.

Connect, Unwind & Thrive

Residents enjoy a full calendar of organised events, social outings, and activities that inspire movement and connection. The village café, dining room, and bar create natural gathering spaces, while the movie theatre, library, workshop, and craft room cater to every interest and passion.

Indoor heated swimming pool & spa pool
All-weather bowling green & lawn bowls
Movie theatre & cinema room
Gym & exercise classes
Hair & beauty salon
Village shop & café
Community garden plots
Organised entertainment, dinners & happy hours
Cards, board games, bingo & quizzes
Always something on
On your doorstep

Facilities & services

Community Centre
Library
Cinema & Movie Theatre
Workshop / Men's Shed
Hairdresser & Beauty Salon
Garden Plots
Village Shop
Gym
Billiards / Pool Table
Dining Room
Bar & Café
Piano
Spa Pool
Indoor Swimming Pool
Bowling Green
Communal Lounge
Arts & Crafts Room
Peace of mind

Care for life, on site

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

IndependentServicedRest homeHospitalSecure dementia
✓ Registered nurse available for appointments · Emergency call system in units · In-home personal assistance (showering, grooming) · Village van · Meal deliveries
Care and community
Where it is

Setting & neighbourhood

Located on Charles Upham Drive in Rangiora, the village sits in peaceful, beautifully landscaped gardens with convenient access to the town centre. The neighbourhood offers the historic Town Hall Movie Theatre (dating to the early 1900s), Conway Lane with its cafés and boutique shopping, and Victoria Park with its rose garden and shaded areas. The setting combines modern village amenities with a rural feel and easy access to local services.

Interested?

Like the look of Charles Upham?

Get the brochure, current pricing and availability, or book a look around — sent straight to you. No pressure, and we'll never pass your details to the village without asking.

We only use this to send you village info. Independent — no operator pays to be listed.
✓ On its way

We'll email the details shortly.
Want a second opinion on the contract too? Get independent advice →

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
60
Above average · #43 of 520
Better than 92% of NZ villages — yet the market median is just 46. The sector is tough.
Deferred fee
30%
charged on your entry price
Your share of capital gain
0%
operator keeps 100% of any uplift
Time to get capital back
~115 days
median, from 42 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 60 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%
30% deferred fee — lower is better.
25
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%
115 days across recent resales.
92
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

30%

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

~115 days median

Your capital is repaid once the unit is re-licensed to a new resident. (Operator-stated average: 116 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