Care Properties Required - Find Suitable UK Property for Care Operators

Care Properties Required by Care Providers, Investors and Specialist Operators - A Practical Guide to Leasing, Selling and Preparing Property for Care Use

When care properties are required, the challenge is often finding buildings that match the operational, planning and regulatory needs of the intended care service. Care providers may be looking for existing care homes, former care facilities, large residential properties, purpose-built accommodation or buildings with potential for conversion.

For landlords and property owners, this creates an opportunity to position suitable buildings for specialist care operators. However, a property needs to be assessed carefully before it is marketed as a care property.

Fraser Bond can help property owners assess potential, prepare properties for the market and connect suitable buildings with specialist operators looking for care accommodation.

What Does Care Properties Required Mean?

“Care properties required” can cover a wide range of property requirements.

A care operator may be looking for:

• Existing care homes

• Nursing home properties

• Former care homes

• Vacant healthcare properties

• Large residential houses

• Properties suitable for conversion

• Purpose-built care accommodation

• Properties with suitable planning permission

• Buildings requiring refurbishment

• Long-term lease opportunities

• Properties available for purchase

• Development opportunities for specialist care accommodation

The exact specification will depend on the type of care service, intended residents, location, budget and operational model.

What Makes a Property Suitable for Care Use?

Care operators generally look beyond the basic size of a building.

Potentially important features include:

• Suitable bedrooms

• Adequate bathrooms and toilets

• Communal living areas

• Dining facilities

• Kitchen space

• Outdoor areas

• Accessibility

• Parking

• Fire safety arrangements

• Heating and ventilation

• Electrical systems

• Secure entrances and exits

• Storage

• Suitable location

• Access to public transport and local services

CQC guidance states that premises used by regulated providers must be clean, secure, suitable for their intended purpose, properly maintained and appropriately located. It also highlights factors such as sufficient bathrooms, space, accessibility, parking and access to public transport.

This means that a large building is not automatically a suitable care property. Its layout, condition and location need to work for the proposed service.

Existing Care Properties

An existing care home can be particularly relevant to operators looking for an established care setting.

Existing care properties may already have features such as:

• Multiple bedrooms

• Communal facilities

• Accessible areas

• Staff facilities

• Specialist bathrooms

• Kitchen facilities

• Fire safety infrastructure

• Established care-related layouts

However, buyers and tenants should still undertake proper due diligence. Existing use does not remove the need to check planning, building regulations, property condition and the operator's regulatory requirements.

Former Care Homes Required

Former care homes can also attract interest from operators.

A vacant former care home may provide an existing layout that can potentially be refurbished for a new operator. Depending on its history and current condition, it may require substantial works before it can reopen or be used for a different service.

Property owners should establish:

• The previous use

• Current planning position

• Building condition

• Existing fire safety arrangements

• Accessibility

• Electrical and gas systems

• Any outstanding works

• Whether previous approvals remain relevant

• Whether the proposed new use requires additional consent

A former care property should therefore be assessed on its current legal and physical position rather than assuming that its previous use automatically permits a new operation.

Large Houses Required for Care Use

Care operators may also consider large houses that have never operated as care homes.

For example, a substantial property in West London could have several bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, generous communal space and a garden. An operator may see potential for the building, subject to planning, building regulations, refurbishment and the proposed service.

This can create an opportunity for owners of larger residential properties that are no longer suited to their current use.

However, owners should avoid carrying out major conversion works before understanding what the prospective operator actually requires.

Planning and Care Properties

Planning should be considered at an early stage.

The proposed care use, existing lawful use and characteristics of the service can affect whether planning permission or another form of consent is required.

CQC guidance also states that providers may need documentary evidence from the local planning authority showing that the premises can lawfully be used for the proposed business. It separately notes that building regulations approval may be required where a property's use is changed for business or institutional purposes such as a nursing home.

Planning permission and building regulations are separate matters, so both should be considered when preparing a property for a care operator.

CQC and Care Property Requirements

Property owners do not automatically become care providers simply because they lease or sell a building to a care company.

Where a proposed service involves regulated activities in England, the provider may need to register with the Care Quality Commission. Carrying on a regulated activity without registration is an offence.

For example, CQC explains that the regulated activity covering accommodation for people requiring nursing or personal care applies where residential accommodation and nursing or personal care are provided together as a single package. Where accommodation and care are genuinely separate and residents can choose a different care provider, the arrangement may instead fall within supported living or extra care housing.

The property and the care business should therefore be considered separately when structuring a transaction.

What Care Operators May Require From Landlords

When a care provider searches for property, it may have specific commercial requirements.

These can include:

• Long-term lease availability

• Suitable rent

• Appropriate repair obligations

• Permission for refurbishment

• Alteration rights

• Suitable break clauses

• Assignment provisions

• Insurance arrangements

• Responsibility for maintenance

• Compliance responsibilities

• Sufficient time for planning or registration processes

A landlord should understand these requirements before agreeing to a lease.

A care operator may also require time to complete refurbishment, obtain necessary approvals and prepare its registration before opening.

Leasing Care Property

Leasing can be attractive to both landlords and operators.

A landlord may retain ownership of the building while the care provider operates the service. The operator can then invest in the business and, where agreed, carry out appropriate improvements to the property.

The lease needs to clearly establish who is responsible for repairs, maintenance, insurance, alterations, compliance and reinstatement.

Specialist legal and property advice can be valuable because care-related leases can be considerably more complex than ordinary residential lettings.

Selling Care Property

Some property owners may prefer to sell rather than lease.

Potential buyers can include:

• Care operators

• Healthcare companies

• Specialist investors

• Property developers

• Existing care groups

• Investors seeking redevelopment opportunities

The property's planning position, condition, location and potential use can all affect the type of buyer it attracts.

A well-prepared sales campaign should clearly explain the property's existing use and potential rather than making unsupported claims about future care use.

Preparing a Property for Care Operators

Owners do not necessarily need to complete every possible improvement before approaching operators.

In many cases, it can be more efficient to understand the operator's requirements first.

For example, one operator may require additional en-suite bathrooms, while another may prioritise communal space, accessibility or outdoor facilities.

A property assessment can identify potential works involving:

• Bathrooms

• Bedrooms

• Accessibility

• Fire safety

• Heating

• Electrical systems

• Kitchen facilities

• Communal areas

• Security

• External areas

CQC's current registration guidance also identifies documents such as floor plans, fire risk assessments, evidence of legal occupancy and gas and electrical safety certificates among additional information that may be required for care home applications.

How to Market a Care Property

A property marketed to care operators should provide enough information for them to assess whether it fits their requirements.

Useful information includes:

• Location

• Property size

• Number of bedrooms

• Number of bathrooms

• Existing use

• Planning position

• Parking

• Outdoor space

• Accessibility

• Building condition

• Previous care use

• Availability

• Lease or sale preference

• Potential refurbishment requirements

The more accurately the opportunity is presented, the easier it becomes to identify operators who are genuinely interested.

Finding the Right Care Operator

Finding an operator is not simply about locating a company that says it needs property.

Property owners should carry out appropriate due diligence on potential tenants or buyers.

This can include reviewing:

• Company history

• Financial position

• Existing operations

• Management experience

• CQC registration where applicable

• Business plan

• References

• Insurance

• Proposed use

• Refurbishment plans

• Lease requirements

The operator's proposed service should also be compatible with the property's planning and physical characteristics.

Care Properties Required in London and the UK

Demand for specialist property can vary significantly between locations and types of care.

A property in North London may appeal to a different operator from a large former care home in Surrey or a development opportunity in the Midlands.

For this reason, property owners should consider the building's location alongside its physical characteristics and proposed use.

Local transport, access to services, surrounding residential areas, parking and the needs of the intended residents can all influence an operator's interest.

How Fraser Bond Can Help

Fraser Bond works with property owners, investors and specialist operators across the UK property market.

For owners with care properties required or buildings that could potentially be suitable for care use, Fraser Bond can help assess the opportunity, advise on property requirements, coordinate refurbishment and building works where appropriate, market the property to suitable operators and support lease or sale negotiations.

Whether you own an existing care home, former care facility, large residential property or potential conversion opportunity, the first step is to understand what the property can realistically support.

A properly assessed property can then be presented to operators looking for suitable care accommodation.