The ARCO Consumer Code: What Protection Do You Get? (2026)

In short: ARCO is the body for operators of retirement villages and similar "Integrated Retirement Communities". Its members agree to follow the ARCO Consumer Code, which requires clear information on fees before you move in, a proper complaints process, and access to The Property Ombudsman if a complaint is not resolved. The code is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. It only covers communities registered with ARCO, so check before you rely on it.

What is ARCO?

ARCO (the Associated Retirement Community Operators) describes itself as the main body representing the Integrated Retirement Community sector in the UK. An Integrated Retirement Community is housing for older people, bought or rented, with on-site staff, shared facilities and care available if needed. ARCO says these are also called retirement villages, extra care housing, housing with care, assisted living or independent living.

On 12 October 2026, ARCO's members page listed 24 members. They include Audley Group and Inspired Villages Group, as well as organisations such as ExtraCare Charitable Trust, MHA and St Monica Trust. Some large retirement housing operators, such as McCarthy & Stone and Churchill, are not on the list.

What the Consumer Code covers

ARCO says the code was launched in 2015 and updated in 2024. Its key principles are transparency and fairness. Members agree to:

• give you clear information about fees and service charges well before you decide to move in;
• keep core levels of service in their communities;
• have a fair relationship with residents, and consult them;
• have a clear complaints procedure, with a timetable for dealing with written complaints.

The Key Facts document

ARCO says all Approved Operators should give you a Key Facts document when you register an interest in a community. Its template is designed to make clear:

• the property and tenure (for example, how long the lease is);
• charges you must pay to the operator before you join, while you live there, and when you leave;
• charges you must pay to other companies;
• which services cost extra;
• how major repairs are paid for, and whether residents could be asked to pay more if the funds run short;
• any charges for subletting, where that is allowed.

Approved by Trading Standards

The code is approved under the Chartered Trading Standards Institute's (CTSI) Approved Code Scheme, which recognises codes of practice that meet high standards of consumer protection. CTSI's register says the code was granted Approved Code status in April 2025. CTSI says the code aims to protect customers and residents from misleading advertising, high-pressure sales and other "sharp" practices. CTSI's register also lists an audit of the code in May 2026.

ARCO checks members against the code through regular compliance reviews and mystery shopping by an independent company. Its Standards Committee, which has an independent chair, decides which members become "Approved Operators".

How to complain

ARCO does not handle complaints itself. It passes any complaint it receives to the operator. If you are still unhappy after the operator's procedure has finished (or if the operator misses its time limits), you can go to The Property Ombudsman. ARCO says this is free and independent, and The Property Ombudsman can make decisions on disputes under the code and provide redress if the code was broken. CTSI says the ombudsman's decisions are binding on the business, but you can still go to court afterwards.

If you are worried about the safety or welfare of a vulnerable person, ARCO says to raise it with the care provider or the operator, and you can also contact the Care Quality Commission (CQC) or the council's adult safeguarding team. If someone is in danger, call the police.

What the code does not do

• It does not cover everything a member does. ARCO says it does not cover other services members may provide, such as care homes, sheltered housing or other forms of retirement housing.
• Not every community is checked every year. Operators show they comply on a sample of their communities.
• Newer members may not be approved yet. Provisional and Prospective Members have agreed to follow the code, but only become Approved Operators once they have passed one or more reviews.
• It is not a quality rating. The code is about information, fair treatment and complaints. Care services are regulated separately, so look at the CQC rating of any care provider too.

How to check if a community is covered

• Look for the community on ARCO's map of members' communities.
• ARCO says each registered community has a certificate on display on site.
• Approved Operators can show ARCO's blue Approved Operator badge, and members may display the CTSI "Approved Code" logo.
• If an operator is not an ARCO member, ask which code of practice, if any, it follows and which ombudsman you could go to.

Related guides

• Retirement Village Fees Explained: Service Charges, Event Fees and Exit Fees
• Deferred Management Fees: How Much Will You Really Pay?
• Do Retirement Flats Lose Value? What Affects Resale
• How to Sell a Retirement Flat: Options and Realistic Timescales

Sources

• ARCO Consumer Code (ARCO)
• Consumer Code FAQs (ARCO)
• Complaints (ARCO)
• Key Facts template (ARCO)
• What CTSI approval means for you (ARCO)
• Our Standards and Compliance Programme (ARCO)
• Information for customers and their families (ARCO)
• Our members (ARCO)
• ARCO Consumer Code: Approved Code register (Chartered Trading Standards Institute)
• ARCO commits to highest standards of consumer protection (Chartered Trading Standards Institute)