Houses Suitable for Care Providers - What Makes a Property Suitable?

Explore houses suitable for care providers, including property size, bedrooms, accessibility, planning, CQC considerations, location, refurbishment and how Fraser Bond can help owners prepare suitable homes.

Finding houses suitable for care providers can open up opportunities for landlords, property owners and investors who have larger residential properties that may be appropriate for specialist care or supported living.

Care providers can require houses for different purposes. Some may need a residential care home, while others may be looking for supported living accommodation or an office from which domiciliary care is managed.

The requirements are therefore not identical.

A house that works for one care model may be unsuitable for another, which is why landlords should establish the proposed use before marketing a property to a care provider.

CQC's current guidance distinguishes between care homes, where people may live as their main residence and receive care, and supported living, where people generally live in their own accommodation while care is managed separately.

What Houses Can Be Suitable for Care Providers?

Care providers may consider a range of residential properties, including:

• Large detached houses

• Semi-detached houses

• Bungalows

• Former care homes

• Former residential homes

• Houses with multiple bedrooms

• Properties with large gardens

• Houses with parking

• Adapted residential properties

• Properties requiring refurbishment

• Houses suitable for supported living

• Larger properties that can accommodate staff facilities

The fact that a house is large does not automatically make it suitable.

The layout, location, planning position, accessibility, condition and proposed care model all need to be considered.

What Makes a House Attractive to a Care Provider?

A care provider may investigate several characteristics before deciding whether to proceed.

These can include:

• Number of bedrooms

• Number of bathrooms

• Bedroom sizes

• Communal living space

• Kitchen facilities

• Staff areas

• Storage

• Garden

• Parking

• Accessibility

• Transport links

• Local amenities

• Property condition

• Potential for adaptations

• Planning position

The importance of each feature will depend on who the provider supports.

Bedrooms and Internal Layout

The number and arrangement of bedrooms can be particularly important for residential care operators.

A provider may assess:

• Number of available bedrooms

• Bedroom dimensions

• Natural light

• Bathroom access

• Privacy

• Circulation space

• Ground-floor accommodation

• Communal areas

• Staff workspace

A house with six bedrooms may look attractive, but poor circulation or insufficient bathroom provision could make adaptation expensive.

Conversely, a property with fewer bedrooms may work well for a smaller specialist service if its layout and location are appropriate.

Bathrooms Matter

Care properties can require more bathroom facilities than an ordinary family home.

Providers may consider:

• Number of bathrooms

• Ground-floor toilets

• Accessible bathrooms

• Walk-in showers

• Wet rooms

• Space for mobility equipment

• Distance between bedrooms and bathrooms

• Potential for bathroom conversion

Where adaptations are needed, the landlord and operator should agree who will fund and manage the works.

Communal Space Can Be Important

Some care models require residents to have access to appropriate communal areas.

A suitable house may therefore benefit from:

• Large lounge

• Dining room

• Second reception room

• Kitchen

• Quiet room

• Activity area

• Garden

• Conservatory

• Staff room

For some smaller services, several separate living spaces can make a house more flexible.

The provider should assess whether the layout supports the needs of its intended residents.

Houses With Gardens Can Offer Additional Value

Outdoor space can be an important consideration for some care providers.

A suitable garden can provide:

• Outdoor seating

• Accessible paths

• Secure recreational space

• Gardening activities

• Quiet areas

• Space for residents to spend time outdoors

The garden should be safe and appropriately maintained.

Where residents may have mobility or cognitive support needs, the provider may also need to consider boundaries, gates, pathways and accessibility.

Parking and Access

Parking can be particularly useful where a care service has:

• Staff working shifts

• Visiting professionals

• Transport requirements

• Family visitors

• Mobility vehicles

• Deliveries

The property should also be assessed for vehicle access.

A house with narrow access, limited parking or difficult road conditions may require additional consideration before being taken on by a care operator.

Accessibility Can Determine Suitability

A conventional residential house may require significant adaptation before it can support people with mobility needs.

Potential improvements include:

• Ramps

• Handrails

• Accessible entrances

• Wider doors

• Level access

• Stair adaptations

• Accessible bathrooms

• Walk-in showers

• Grab rails

• Accessible parking

• Improved lighting

The proposed adaptations should be assessed before the lease or purchase is agreed.

Building regulations and, where applicable, planning requirements should also be considered.

Large Houses for Residential Care

A larger house can potentially be suitable for a small residential care service, depending on its layout and the proposed model.

Residential care homes are treated by CQC as locations where people may live as their main or sole residence and receive care or treatment.

Potential property features can include:

• Multiple bedrooms

• Communal lounges

• Dining space

• Kitchen

• Bathrooms

• Staff facilities

• Storage

• Garden

• Parking

The property still needs to satisfy the relevant planning and regulatory requirements for the proposed use.

Houses for Supported Living

Supported living can involve a different property arrangement.

Residents may live in their own homes while receiving care or support under separate arrangements.

CQC states that individual houses where people live under a supported living scheme are generally not CQC locations. Instead, the location is usually the premises from which the provider coordinates and manages the regulated care activity.

This means a landlord should not automatically assume that a supported living house needs to be operated like a registered care home.

The provider should explain its housing and support model before the property is marketed for this purpose.

Houses for Domiciliary Care Providers

Some care companies may be looking for a house or other property to use as an office rather than as accommodation for residents.

A domiciliary care provider may need:

• Office space

• Meeting room

• Staff area

• Training space

• Secure records storage

• Reception

• Parking

CQC identifies the premises from which a provider organises or manages regulated care delivered in people's own homes as a potential CQC location.

Therefore, a landlord with a suitable house could potentially be serving a care business without the property itself being a residential care home.

Planning Permission Should Be Checked

Planning is one of the most important issues when assessing a house for care use.

Questions include:

• What is the property's existing planning use?

• What was its previous use?

• How many people will occupy the property?

• Will they receive care there?

• Will staff be permanently based there?

• Will bedrooms be added?

• Will internal alterations be required?

• Will the property's character or external appearance change?

• Is a material change of use proposed?

For residential care homes in England, C2 is commonly relevant to residential institutions, including care homes and nursing homes.

However, the correct planning position depends on the actual operation.

Landlords should not advertise a house as automatically suitable for C2 or another use without appropriate planning advice.

Planning and CQC Are Separate

A house having planning permission for a particular use does not automatically give a care provider CQC registration.

Likewise, a provider's CQC registration does not replace planning permission where planning consent is required.

The two issues should be investigated separately.

This is particularly important when a landlord owns a former care home and assumes that the previous regulatory arrangements will continue under a new operator.

CQC Registration Does Not Simply Transfer With a House

A previous care use can be useful information, but landlords should be careful about describing a property as "CQC registered".

CQC registration relates to the provider and its regulated activities.

A new operator must establish its own registration requirements.

CQC's current location guidance confirms that providers must identify the locations from which regulated activities are carried on or managed.

For a landlord, the more accurate approach is to describe the property's previous use, planning position and physical characteristics rather than suggesting that regulatory approval automatically comes with the building.

Location Matters to Care Providers

A house may be physically suitable but commercially unsuitable because of its location.

Providers can consider proximity to:

• Shops

• GP surgeries

• Pharmacies

• Hospitals

• Public transport

• Parks

• Community centres

• Schools or colleges where relevant

• Employment opportunities

• Family networks

• Local amenities

For people with learning disabilities and autistic people, CQC guidance and current service practice place importance on independence, choice and access to ordinary community life. Recent CQC assessments also continue to assess services against these principles.

This makes location an important part of evaluating a potential care property.

Residential Areas Can Be Relevant

Some smaller specialist care services operate from houses within ordinary residential communities.

This can be particularly relevant to smaller-scale accommodation for people who need support to live as independently as possible.

However, the proposed use must still be assessed against planning requirements and the needs of the residents.

A residential location should not be presented as automatically appropriate simply because neighbouring properties are ordinary houses.

Houses Requiring Refurbishment

A care provider may consider a property that requires work if the underlying building and location are suitable.

Potential refurbishment could include:

• Bathroom upgrades

• Wet-room installation

• Kitchen refurbishment

• Electrical works

• Heating improvements

• Plumbing

• Flooring

• Decoration

• Accessibility adaptations

• Fire safety improvements

• Door alterations

• Garden works

• Security upgrades

Fraser Bond can support landlords and care operators with refurbishment planning, building works, contractor coordination, repairs and maintenance.

Fire Safety Needs Early Consideration

A house being considered for care use should be assessed for appropriate fire safety arrangements.

Depending on the proposed use and building, considerations may include:

• Smoke alarms

• Fire doors

• Escape routes

• Emergency lighting

• Fire-resistant construction

• Compartmentation

• Signage

• Emergency access

• Evacuation arrangements

The requirements will depend on the building and proposed occupation.

Landlords should avoid promising that an ordinary residential house is ready for care use until the necessary assessments have been carried out.

Property Condition Checklist

Before marketing a house to care providers, owners should review:

• Roof

• Damp

• Windows

• Doors

• Heating

• Hot water

• Plumbing

• Electrical installations

• Bathrooms

• Kitchen

• Flooring

• Stairs

• External areas

• Drainage

• Fire safety

• Security

A building survey can help identify issues that may affect the operator's refurbishment budget.

What Landlords Should Prepare

A landlord can make a property easier for care providers to assess by preparing a property information pack.

Useful information includes:

• Property address

• Floor area

• Floor plans

• Number of bedrooms

• Number of bathrooms

• Communal rooms

• Kitchen

• Garden

• Parking

• Accessibility features

• EPC

• Current planning use

• Planning history

• Previous care use

• Property condition

• Recent refurbishment

• Asking rent

• Proposed lease term

• Availability

Providing accurate information can help care providers determine whether the property is worth inspecting.

Lease Terms for Houses Used by Care Providers

If the property will be leased to a care provider, the lease should clearly establish:

• Permitted use

• Lease length

• Rent

• Rent reviews

• Break clauses

• Repairs

• Maintenance

• Insurance

• Alterations

• Adaptations

• Planning responsibilities

• Compliance responsibilities

• Assignment

• Subletting

• Reinstatement

• Access for inspections

A provider may want a longer lease if it is expected to spend significant money adapting the house.

The landlord should obtain specialist legal advice before agreeing the final terms.

Who Pays for Adaptations?

The parties should agree this before occupation.

Possible arrangements include:

Landlord-funded works

The landlord completes agreed adaptations before the provider moves in.

Provider-funded works

The care provider pays for approved improvements.

Shared funding

The landlord and provider contribute to agreed works.

Rent-adjusted arrangement

The commercial terms take the provider's investment into account.

The agreement should also state what happens to the improvements when the lease ends.

What Care Providers Should Ask About a House

Before taking a property, the operator should investigate:

• Planning use

• Property condition

• Accessibility

• Fire safety

• Number of bedrooms

• Bathroom provision

• Parking

• Garden

• Heating

• Electrical systems

• Lease terms

• Rent

• Repair obligations

• Adaptation rights

• Local amenities

• Regulatory requirements

The provider should calculate the total cost of making the property operational rather than assessing it on rent alone.

What Landlords Should Ask Care Providers

Property owners should also carry out due diligence on the prospective tenant.

Questions can include:

• What type of care service do you operate?

• Who will live at or use the property?

• How many people are expected?

• What support will be provided?

• What staffing model will be used?

• What adaptations are required?

• What planning approvals are needed?

• What regulatory registration applies?

• Who will pay for refurbishment?

• Who will handle maintenance?