Terms & Conditions

Our Terms & Conditions

1. General

Associated Retirement Community Operators Ltd (ARCO) is a company registered in England and Wales with registration number 08209801 and registered at 167-169 Great Portland Street, 5th Floor, London, W1W 5PF.

ARCO has a variety of membership types and programme subscriptions, which have differing conditions and requirements:

  • Full Members (ARCO Approved Operators)
  • Provisional Members (Operators with existing IRC schemes)
  • Prospective Members (Operators building/actively marketing their first IRC scheme)
  • Subscribers to the ARCO Accelerator Programme (Future operators)
  • Affiliates (subscribers to the ARCO Affiliate Network)
  • Partners
  • Strategic Partners

All organisations wishing to be associated with ARCO in any of the above forms must confirm compliance with an organisational Declaration of Shared Values, which includes adherence to these terms and conditions.

Upon joining ARCO as any of the above, you acknowledge and accept that we have the right to publicly announce our business relationship with you which shall include but not be limited to announcements on social media. Such announcements shall not be disparaging or otherwise adverse to your business.

As part of ARCO’s vetting process we will conduct company background checks for all organisations applying to join ARCO as a Member, Accelerator, Commercial Partner or Affiliate. Such checks will not appear on any organisation’s credit record.

Confidentiality: You agree that you will not during your membership of ARCO/inclusion in the ARCO Accelerator programme/membership of the Commercial Partnership network or at any time after it ends, use for your own benefit or for the benefit of any other person, firm, company or organisation, or directly or indirectly disclose to any person any Confidential Information in relation to ARCO, its Members, Accelerators, Strategic Partners, Partners or Affiliates or any other Confidential Information which has come to your knowledge during or in connection with your membership of ARCO/inclusion in the ARCO Accelerator programme/membership of the Commercial Partnership network.  These restrictions do not apply to:

  • any Confidential Information which is already in or (otherwise than through your unauthorised disclosure) becomes available to, or within the knowledge of, the public generally;
  • any use or disclosure authorised by ARCO in its sole discretion or required or protected by law.

 

2. Membership (open only to operators of Integrated Retirement Communities)

2.1 All Members

Membership of ARCO is open to Integrated Retirement Community (IRC) Operators who maintain an onsite presence at their registered communities.  Membership is not open to developers, freeholders or landlords of IRCs who do not also manage the operations and service provision in their communities directly or through another entity in their corporate group, unless the operating entity is itself a member of ARCO. 

All ARCO Members must operate (or be building to operate/actively marketing, for Prospective Members) at least one Integrated Retirement Community that complies with all ARCO’s eligibility criteria. All of a Member’s eligible communities must be registered with ARCO and bound by the Standards and Compliance Framework. The eligibility criteria for membership states that registered Integrated Retirement Communities must:

  • Be primarily for older people.
  • Offer self-contained accommodation that can be occupied with security of tenure.
  • Enable residents to take advantage of personal care that is delivered flexibly, usually by staff based on the premises.
  • Have staff onsite and available at the community 24 hours a day.
  • Make meals available in restaurants or dining areas.
  • Offer communal facilities and encourage an active social programme in the community.
  • Aim to offer people a home for life and to enable them to ‘age in place’.

All ARCO Members agree to be bound by ARCO’s Standards and Compliance Framework for their registered communities. This includes:

  • The ARCO Consumer Code.
  • The annual registration and compliance declaration.
  • The ongoing system of independent assessments.
  • Oversight by the ARCO Standards Committee.

Additional compliance features, including monitoring of Key Performance Indicators by ARCO, that will ensure that issues occurring outside of the process outlined are addressed appropriately. All ARCO Members certify that their organisation aims to operate all the communities they register with ARCO according to the principles set out in The ARCO Consumer Code. (This does not apply to schemes that are not eligible, and therefore not registered with ARCO.)

Membership of ARCO can be revoked by the Standards Committee in the event of persistent or gross issues of non-compliance with the ARCO Consumer Code, or by the Board as set out in ARCO’s Articles of Association, for example for non-payment of membership or assessment fees.

The annual membership fee is non-refundable should an organisation decide to leave ARCO before the membership year has ended, the organisation becomes insolvent or no longer fulfils the criteria for ARCO membership, or if membership is revoked by the Board or Standards Committee.

There is a limit of one colleague per organisation per free event unless otherwise specified (and then subject to availability). There is no set limit on the number of colleagues who can purchase tickets for paid events (e.g. the ARCO Annual Conference) at the discounted rate.

Timely payment of the yearly membership fee and any assessment fee is a condition of membership. All outstanding debts to ARCO must be settled at the point of registration and all fees must be paid before attending any events.

All Members will be listed on the ARCO website and may be represented in other ARCO materials. It is up to the Member to keep ARCO informed of any changes of logo, website, or other information on their page. This also can be managed through your nominated key contact (the Code Compliance Officer)’s online ARCO website portal.

All Members agree to display the appropriate ARCO logos and branding as set out in ARCO’s brand guidelines.

Applications for ARCO membership (Provisional and Prospective) and applications for full membership are subject to the approval of the ARCO Board.  

 

2.2 Full members (ARCO Approved Operators)

All Full Members have achieved compliance against the ARCO Consumer Code and have been certified as Approved Operators by the ARCO Standards Committee. New applications for full membership must be approved by the ARCO Board.

Each Full Member that does not take up the small member discount has the right to stand for election to ARCO’s Board of Directors. ARCO’s Board is elected annually at the ARCO AGM and is made up of seven to nine directors, including senior representatives from Full Member organisations in addition to ARCO’s Chief Executive and any co-opted directors.

Each Full Member is able to send a senior representative to attend the ARCO Leadership Forum.

ARCO’s relationship with all Full Members is governed by ARCO’s Articles of Association.

 

2.3 Provisional and Prospective Members

Provisional Members are organisations that have applied to join ARCO that currently operate at least one Integrated Retirement Community eligible for ARCO registration. Until an organisation has been granted Approved Operator status by the ARCO Standards Committee after successfully achieving compliance on assessment of an operational community against the ARCO Consumer Code, they will remain a Provisional Member.

Prospective Members are organisations that have applied to join ARCO that are building (to operate)/actively marketing at least one Integrated Retirement Community eligible for ARCO registration. Until the organisation has been granted Approved Operator status by the ARCO Standards Committee after successfully achieving compliance on assessment of an operational community against the ARCO Consumer Code, they will remain a Prospective Member.

Once a Provisional or Prospective Member has become an Approved Operator, the Board will vote on making that organisation a Full Member (i.e. a legal Member of the Associated Retirement Community Operators Ltd).

Provisional and Prospective Members cannot sit on ARCO´s Board of Directors, as they have not been confirmed as legal Members of ARCO.

Each Provisional/Prospective Member is able to send a senior representative to attend the ARCO Leadership Forum.

Applications for Provisional or Prospective membership are subject to approval by the ARCO Board. Prospective or Provisional Membership of ARCO can be revoked by the ARCO Standards Committee, in the event of persistent or gross issues of non-compliance with the ARCO Consumer Code, or by ARCO in its sole discretion, for example in the event of insolvency, non-payment of fees, non-compliance with the Declaration of Shared Values or Terms and Conditions or if the organisation is no longer eligible for ARCO membership or presents a significant reputational risk to ARCO.  The annual subscription fee is non-refundable should an organisation decide to leave membership before the subscription year has ended, the organisation becomes insolvent or is no longer eligible for membership, or if membership is revoked by the Standards Committee, or by ARCO in the event of insolvency, non-payment of fees, or non-compliance with these Terms and Conditions or the Declaration of Shared Values.

Provisional and Prospective Members have specific branding rights available to them, please see ARCO’s brand guidelines.

 

3. The Accelerator Programme

The ARCO Accelerator Programme is for organisations planning their entry into the UK Integrated Retirement Community market that do not currently operate and are not yet building to operate an Integrated Retirement Community (see 2.3 Provisional and Prospective Members).

Taking part in the ARCO Accelerator Programme does not mean that organisations become Members of Associated Retirement Community Operators Ltd. Only current operators of Integrated Retirement Communities can become Members of ARCO.

Once an Accelerator begins actively marketing their first community, they must become Prospective members and are subject to the ARCO Consumer Code. Accelerators must inform ARCO at least 6 months before they begin marketing their first community.

There is a limit of one colleague per organisation per free event unless otherwise specified (and then subject to availability).

Each Accelerator is able to send a senior representative to attend the ARCO Leadership Forum alongside all ARCO Members.

There is no set limit on the number of colleagues who can purchase tickets for paid events (e.g., the ARCO Annual Conference) at the discounted rate.

The subscription to the ARCO Accelerator Programme must be paid before attending any events.

Organisations in the ARCO Accelerator Programme have specific branding rights available to them, please see ARCO’s brand guidelines.

The annual subscription fee is non-refundable should an organisation decide to leave the Accelerator Programme before the subscription year has ended, the organisation becomes insolvent or is no longer eligible for membership of the Accelerator Programme, or if inclusion in the Accelerator programme is revoked by ARCO or the Board following non-compliance with these Terms and Conditions or with the Declaration of Shared Values. In addition, ARCO may revoke inclusion in the ARCO Accelerator Programme in its sole discretion, for example in the event of insolvency, non-payment of fees, non-compliance with the Declaration of Shared Values or Terms and Conditions or if the organisation is no longer eligible for ARCO membership or presents a significant reputational risk to ARCO.

Organisations in the ARCO Accelerator Programme may be represented on the ARCO website and in other materials. It is up to the organisation to keep ARCO informed of any changes of logo, website, or other information. This also can be managed through your nominated Key Contact’s online ARCO website portal.

 

4. The ARCO Commercial Partnership Network

Application to join the ARCO Commercial Partnership Network is open to any organisation working within the Integrated Retirement Community sector that does not operate and is not building to operate an Integrated Retirement Community themselves and applications will be determined by ARCO.

Organisations belonging to the ARCO Commercial Partnership Network are known as:

  • Affiliates
  • Partners
  • Strategic Partners

Organisations belonging to the Commercial Partnership Network are not legally Members of the Associated Retirement Community Operators Ltd – membership of ARCO is limited to operators of Integrated Retirement Communities.

Similarly, organisations that operate or are building to operate Integrated Retirement Communities that are eligible for ARCO membership cannot apply to be ARCO Affiliates, Partners, or Strategic Partners. They can only apply for membership and must agree to be bound by the Standards and Compliance Framework.

For all commercial partnership tiers:

There is a limit of one colleague per organisation per free event unless otherwise specified (and then subject to availability).

There is no set limit on the number of colleagues who can purchase tickets for paid events (e.g., the ARCO Annual Conference) at the discounted rate.

Timely payment of the annual subscription fee is a condition of partnership and any outstanding debts to ARCO must be settled at the point of registration. All fees must be paid before attending any ARCO events.

The annual subscription fee is non-refundable should an organisation decide to leave the Commercial Partnership Network before the subscription year has ended, the organisation becomes insolvent or is no longer eligible for inclusion in the Commercial Partnership network, or if inclusion in the network is revoked by ARCO (or for Strategic Partners, the ARCO Board) in the event of insolvency, non-payment of fees, or non-compliance with these Terms and Conditions or the Declaration of Shared Values.  In addition, ARCO (or for Strategic Partners, the ARCO Board) may revoke inclusion in the Commercial Partnership Network in its sole discretion, for example in the event of insolvency, non-payment of fees, non-compliance with the Declaration of Shared Values or Terms and Conditions or if the organisation is no longer eligible for inclusion in the Commercial Partnership network or presents a significant reputational risk to ARCO.

Only Approved Operators (Full Members) may use ARCO’s Approved Operator logo set. Subscribers to the Commercial Partnership Network are permitted to use the ARCO logo on their website and in publications providing they meet the set branding guidelines.  Members of the Commercial Partnership network must not describe themselves as “ARCO members” or “Members of ARCO”.  Affiliates, Partners and Strategic Partners can each have an entry on the Suppliers Directory and may be represented in other ARCO materials. It is up to the Affiliate, Partner or Strategic Partner to keep ARCO informed of any changes of logo, website, or other information on the Directory. This also can be managed through your nominated Key Contact’s online ARCO website portal.

ARCO Strategic Partners Only

Organisations applying to become a Strategic Partner are subject to approval by the ARCO Board.

For any queries about these terms and conditions please contact members@arcouk.org

Last updated on 06/08/2024.