Care Property Consultant: Finding the Right UK Care Property

A practical guide for care providers, operators, investors, landlords and developers looking for expert advice on care property across London and the UK

Finding the right property for a care service involves more than comparing asking prices and floor areas. A care property needs to support the intended care model, accommodate residents safely, satisfy relevant planning requirements and provide a practical environment for staff and service users.

A care property consultant can help care providers, investors, landlords and developers assess property opportunities, identify suitable premises, coordinate professional advice and plan acquisitions, leases or refurbishment projects.

For services regulated by CQC, premises must be suitable for their intended purpose, properly maintained and appropriately located. CQC guidance also considers factors such as layout, space, bathrooms, storage, accessibility and access to relevant facilities.

What does a care property consultant do?

A care property consultant provides property advice specifically for the care and specialist healthcare sector.

Depending on the client's requirements, this can include:

• Care home property sourcing

• Nursing home property

• Supported living property

• Specialist care accommodation

• Dementia care property

• Children's care property

• Rehabilitation property

• Mental health accommodation

• Disability care property

• Former healthcare buildings

• Former care homes

• Care development sites

• Property investment opportunities

The consultant can help assess whether a property is commercially and operationally appropriate before the client commits significant capital.

Why care property requires specialist advice

A standard residential property may look suitable during a viewing but still present significant challenges when converted or adapted for care.

Potential requirements can include:

• Accessible bedrooms

• En-suite bathrooms

• Communal lounges

• Dining facilities

• Treatment or care rooms

• Staff offices

• Staff rest areas

• Medication storage

• Laundry facilities

• Kitchen facilities

• Secure storage

• Fire safety systems

• Lifts

• Accessible entrances

• Parking

• Outdoor space

CQC's Regulation 15 guidance states that premises must be suitable for their purpose and sufficiently large for the number of people using the service. It also requires appropriate facilities and amenities, while taking people's needs into account when premises are designed, renovated or adapted.

This makes specialist property advice valuable before acquisition.

Start with the care model

The first step in a care property consultancy project should be understanding the proposed service.

Different care models can require very different buildings.

These may include:

• Residential care

• Nursing care

• Dementia care

• Learning disability care

• Physical disability care

• Mental health care

• Complex care

• Acquired brain injury rehabilitation

• Supported living

• Children's residential care

• Specialist rehabilitation

• Substance misuse rehabilitation

A dementia care home, for example, may require a different layout and outdoor environment from a supported living property for younger adults with physical disabilities.

The property should therefore be assessed against the intended residents and care model rather than simply being described as a "care property".

Preparing a care property brief

A detailed property brief helps a consultant identify suitable opportunities.

The brief can include:

• Type of care

• Number of residents

• Age group

• Level of dependency

• Number of bedrooms

• Bathroom requirements

• Accessibility requirements

• Staff accommodation

• Communal areas

• Specialist rooms

• Outdoor space

• Parking

• Preferred locations

• Purchase budget

• Rental budget

• Refurbishment budget

• Planning requirements

• Target opening date

A well-defined brief can significantly reduce the number of unsuitable properties considered.

Assessing the location

Location is a major part of care property assessment.

Depending on the service, the consultant may examine:

• Public transport

• Road access

• Parking

• Healthcare facilities

• GP surgeries

• Hospitals

• Pharmacies

• Shops

• Community facilities

• Schools

• Local amenities

• Staff recruitment

• Neighbouring uses

• Local development

• Privacy

CQC guidance states that providers should consider the anticipated needs of people using the service and provide appropriate access to relevant facilities and the local community.

A property therefore needs to be assessed in the context of its surrounding area rather than purely on the building itself.

Planning and care property

Planning due diligence should take place before a care property is acquired or leased.

The consultant may coordinate investigation of:

• Existing lawful use

• Planning history

• Previous care use

• Current use class

• Planning conditions

• Proposed use

• Change of use requirements

• Extensions

• Additional bedrooms

• Parking

• External alterations

• Development potential

Use Class C2 covers residential institutions, including certain residential care uses, but the appropriate planning classification depends on the actual use and circumstances of the property. GOV.UK planning guidance confirms that use classes group common uses of land and buildings, while specialist accommodation can require assessment of the precise nature of the proposed use.

Previous care use can therefore be helpful, but it should not be treated as automatic evidence that a new care operation can proceed without further planning assessment.

CQC and care property

Where the proposed service is regulated by CQC, property planning should be considered alongside registration requirements.

CQC's regulations cover premises and equipment used by registered providers, with Regulation 15 requiring premises to be clean, secure, suitable, properly maintained and appropriately located.

The property can therefore form an important part of the operator's wider regulatory preparation.

A care property consultant can assist with property-related requirements, but the care provider remains responsible for meeting the applicable regulatory obligations.

Bedrooms and bathrooms

Bedrooms are often one of the biggest considerations when assessing a care property.

A consultant may review:

• Number of bedrooms

• Bedroom sizes

• Single or shared accommodation

• En-suite provision

• Accessible bedrooms

• Ground-floor rooms

• Natural light

• Ventilation

• Storage

• Privacy

• Distance from communal areas

• Bathroom capacity

Bathrooms also need careful assessment.

Depending on the service, the property may require:

• Level-access showers

• Wet rooms

• Accessible toilets

• Specialist bathing facilities

• Grab rails

• Hoist-compatible bathrooms

• Multiple bathrooms

• En-suite facilities

CQC guidance specifically identifies adequate toilets and bathrooms as part of premises suitability where relevant to the service.

Communal and operational areas

A successful care property needs to work for residents and staff.

Useful areas can include:

• Lounges

• Dining rooms

• Kitchens

• Activity rooms

• Quiet rooms

• Therapy rooms

• Treatment rooms

• Staff offices

• Meeting rooms

• Laundry rooms

• Storage

• Medication areas

The right balance depends on the care model.

For example, a specialist dementia facility may benefit from clear circulation and accessible communal areas, while a rehabilitation facility may require larger therapy and treatment spaces.

Accessibility and specialist requirements

Accessibility should be assessed early rather than added to the project after acquisition.

Potential requirements include:

• Step-free entrances

• Accessible parking

• Passenger lifts

• Wide doorways

• Level-access bathrooms

• Ground-floor bedrooms

• Appropriate corridor widths

• Turning space

• Specialist equipment storage

• Accessible gardens

CQC guidance requires reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of disabled people and states that people should be able to enter, exit and move around premises as independently as possible.

A care property consultant can help identify buildings where accessibility requirements are achievable without disproportionate refurbishment costs.

Building condition and refurbishment

Older care properties can require substantial capital expenditure.

A detailed building survey may examine:

• Roof

• Structure

• Damp

• Windows

• Doors

• Heating

• Electrical systems

• Plumbing

• Drainage

• Ventilation

• Fire alarm systems

• Emergency lighting

• Lifts

• Bathrooms

• Kitchen

• External areas

CQC expects providers to maintain premises and equipment properly, with maintenance arrangements and budgets sufficient to keep buildings and systems safe and operational.

This makes a realistic refurbishment budget an important part of the acquisition process.

Former care homes as property opportunities

Former care homes can be attractive to operators because they may already contain infrastructure associated with residential care.

Potential features include:

• Multiple bedrooms

• En-suite bathrooms

• Communal lounges

• Kitchens

• Staff rooms

• Accessible entrances

• Lifts

• Gardens

• Parking

• Fire safety systems

However, a closed or former care home should not automatically be assumed to be ready for reopening.

The consultant should help establish why the property closed, how long it has been vacant, whether its planning use remains appropriate and what refurbishment may be required.

A recent UK planning appeal illustrates the importance of investigating historic use carefully: a former care home building's historic C2 use was considered as part of a dispute over whether the use had continued.

Buying care property

Buying can make sense for operators and investors seeking long-term control of an asset.

Potential acquisition opportunities include:

• Existing care homes

• Nursing homes

• Former care homes

• Specialist care facilities

• Supported living properties

• Rehabilitation centres

• Large residential properties

• Healthcare buildings

• Development sites

The financial appraisal should go beyond the purchase price.

Consider:

• Stamp Duty Land Tax

• Legal fees

• Surveys

• Planning advice

• Professional fees

• Refurbishment

• Accessibility works

• Fire safety upgrades

• Equipment

• Financing

• Maintenance

• Potential void periods

Leasing care property

Leasing can allow a care operator to secure premises without purchasing the freehold.

Important lease considerations include:

• Lease length

• Rent

• Rent reviews

• Break clauses

• Repair obligations

• Insurance

• Service charges

• Permitted use

• Alteration rights

• Landlord consent

• Refurbishment responsibilities

• Reinstatement obligations

Where significant investment is required to adapt the building, the operator should consider whether the lease provides sufficient security to justify that expenditure.

Care property investment consultancy

Care property can also form part of a specialist property investment strategy.

Investors may consider:

• Care home freeholds

• Nursing home investments

• Long-term operator leases

• Former care homes

• Specialist healthcare buildings

• Supported living property

• Development opportunities

A care property consultant can help investors assess the relationship between the property, operator, lease, location, planning position and required capital expenditure.

The investment case should be based on the specific asset and operator rather than assuming that every care property has the same characteristics.

Off-market care property

Some care operators have requirements that make conventional property searches inefficient.

Off-market sourcing can be useful where a client needs:

• A particular number of bedrooms

• A large detached property

• Existing care infrastructure

• Specialist accessibility

• Extensive grounds

• A specific London borough

• A former care home

• A former healthcare building

• Conversion potential

• A development opportunity

A targeted care property consultant can approach owners and identify opportunities that may not be publicly marketed.

Care property in London

London offers a broad range of care and healthcare property, from smaller supported living houses to larger residential care facilities.

Different locations can suit different care models.

A care home may prioritise local healthcare access and suitable residential surroundings, while a supported living provider may place greater emphasis on transport, community facilities and access to employment or education.

Property costs can also vary substantially between London boroughs, making location and operational viability important parts of the assessment.

Working with Fraser Bond

Fraser Bond can support care providers, healthcare operators, investors, landlords and developers with specialist care property requirements across London and the UK.

Support can include:

• Care property sourcing

• Property acquisition

• Lease negotiations

• Investment assessment

• Planning coordination

• Refurbishment planning

• Building works

• Contractor coordination

• Property management

• Specialist care property requirements

• Development consultancy

The focus is on connecting the client's care model with property that can support its operational, planning and commercial requirements.

Finding a care property consultant in the UK

Before engaging a care property consultant, operators should establish their core requirements.

This can include:

• Type of care

• Number of residents

• Location

• Property size

• Bedroom requirements

• Accessibility

• Communal facilities

• Staff facilities

• Outdoor space

• Parking

• Purchase or rental budget

• Refurbishment budget

• Planning requirements

• Target occupation date

The more precise the brief, the easier it is to identify properties that warrant further technical and financial investigation.

Find suitable care property across London and the UK

Care property is a specialist area of the UK property market, and the right building needs to work for both the people receiving care and the organisation operating the service.

Planning, location, accessibility, building condition, layout, regulatory requirements, refurbishment costs and lease or acquisition terms should all be considered before committing to a property.

Fraser Bond can help care providers, healthcare operators, investors, landlords and developers source and assess suitable care property across London and the wider UK.

If you are looking for a care property consultant, need premises for a new ca