As the warmer weather arrives, many homeowners turn their attention to their gardens, home maintenance, and the long list of seasonal tasks that come with keeping a property in top condition. Although the change in temperature 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.

David moved to The Spindles in Menston, West Yorkshire, at the end of April 2024, following his late wife’s advice: ‘Don’t become a slave to the house.’

“We lived in a big four-bedroom detached house with the most superb views. It was a struggle to part with that. I absolutely loved it. We’d been there since 1989, but I got to the point where I thought, ‘David, what are you cleaning four bedrooms and two toilets for?’

“I looked at buying a bungalow but thought, ‘Am I going to be doing this again in four years’ time?’ When I came to look at The Spindles, I thought, ‘This is the one.’

“Since moving in, everything has been even better than I expected. You’re not constantly looking at jobs that need doing around the house and garden. The worry has instantly gone away. You see people taking care of the gutters, and you know all these things are sorted. You don’t have to lift a finger.

“Here, you have camaraderie, friendship groups, and all the things you can enjoy. We spend less time doing chores and more time enjoying life.”

Angela and Tim moved to The Spindles in May 2023, looking forward to having support on hand whenever they needed it and leaving behind the upkeep of their house and large garden.

Angela: “Our garden was lovely, although a bit too big in the end, with a beautiful greenhouse. I grew plants and flowers, and we had a pond with a waterfall.

“After five years, we had to start employing a gardener. Even with that help, we couldn’t keep up with it in the end.”

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.”

Since moving to The Sidings, in Lytham, in April 2023, Trevor has enjoyed his newfound freedom from home maintenance.

“I was rattling around in our five-bedroom, four-reception-room house on my own. There’s so much stress and anxiety that comes with maintaining such a huge place. 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.”

Ann and Harry moved to The Sidings in December 2022. Letting go of home maintenance responsibilities was a key factor for Ann.

“When you have a house, you become a servant to it. You have to keep it sellable and up to scratch. 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’ve got rid of 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 homeownership while gaining more time to enjoy life, a move to a retirement community could be the perfect solution.

If you would like to find out more about Adlington Retirement Living, you can book a tour with our friendly sales team from Monday to Saturday at The Woodlands in Heaton Mersey, Stockport, The Sidings in Lytham, Lancashire, The Spindles in Menston, Yorkshire, The Newells in Kempston, Bedfordshire, Broadleaf House in Wylde Green, West Midlands, Brookfields House in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Radford House in Exeter, Devon, and Riverside Gardens in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Call 0800 118 1694 to find out more or visit adlington.co.uk