Care Provider Property Search: Finding Suitable UK Care Premises

A practical guide for care providers, healthcare operators, investors, landlords and developers searching for suitable care property across London and the UK

A care provider property search is more than finding a building with enough bedrooms or a suitable commercial address. The property needs to match the provider's care model, the needs of the people who will use the service, planning requirements, regulatory expectations and the practical realities of operating a care business.

For providers looking for a care home, supported living property, specialist care accommodation, rehabilitation facility or operational premises for a domiciliary care service, choosing the right building can have a significant impact on registration, refurbishment costs, staffing, accessibility and long-term viability.

CQC expects regulated providers to identify the locations from which regulated activities will be delivered or managed, and premises must be suitable for their intended purpose. CQC also considers factors including the size, layout and design of premises when assessing applications.

What is a care provider property search?

A care provider property search involves identifying and assessing buildings that could accommodate a specific care service.

The search may be for:

• Residential care homes

• Nursing homes

• Supported living properties

• Specialist care accommodation

• Dementia care homes

• Disability care properties

• Learning disability accommodation

• Mental health supported accommodation

• Rehabilitation centres

• Children's homes

• Domiciliary care offices

• Healthcare premises

• Former care homes

• Former nursing homes

• Large residential properties suitable for conversion

The right property depends on the provider's intended service, resident profile, staffing model and regulatory requirements.

Start with a clear care property brief

Before beginning a property search, a care provider should establish exactly what the service requires.

A property brief might specify:

• Preferred locations

• Maximum purchase price

• Target rent

• Number of bedrooms

• Required bathrooms

• Resident capacity

• Accessibility requirements

• Garden or outdoor space

• Parking requirements

• Staff accommodation

• Office space

• Communal areas

• Therapy or treatment rooms

• Kitchen requirements

• Storage

• Transport links

• Planning requirements

• Refurbishment budget

This allows a property search to focus on buildings that have realistic potential rather than producing a long list of unsuitable commercial properties.

Match the property to the care model

Different care services require very different buildings.

A small supported living service may work well from a large residential house divided into appropriate private and communal areas. A nursing home may require more extensive care infrastructure, bathrooms, staff facilities and specialist equipment.

A dementia care home may require carefully considered circulation, wayfinding, communal areas and secure outdoor space.

A rehabilitation centre may require therapy rooms, treatment areas, accessible bedrooms and suitable communal facilities.

The property therefore needs to be assessed against the intended service rather than simply its existing use.

Existing and former care homes can be useful starting points

Former care homes and nursing homes are often considered during a care provider property search because they may already contain specialist infrastructure.

Potential features include:

• Multiple bedrooms

• En-suite bathrooms

• Communal lounges

• Dining areas

• Kitchens

• Staff offices

• Laundry facilities

• Accessible entrances

• Lifts

• Fire safety systems

• Storage areas

• Gardens

• Parking

However, previous use does not automatically make a property suitable for a new care provider.

The building may require significant refurbishment, and its planning history and regulatory position should be investigated before an acquisition or lease is agreed.

Large houses can sometimes provide opportunities

Care providers do not always need to search specifically for buildings marketed as care properties.

Large detached houses, former guest houses, former schools, former residential facilities and other substantial buildings may sometimes offer potential, depending on the proposed use and necessary planning and regulatory approvals.

A large residential property could potentially provide:

• Private bedrooms

• Shared communal areas

• Staff facilities

• Kitchen and dining space

• Gardens

• Parking

• Flexible accommodation

However, conversion costs can be substantial. Layout changes, fire safety works, accessibility improvements, bathrooms, electrical systems and other upgrades need to be incorporated into the financial appraisal.

Consider location carefully

Location is one of the most important parts of a care provider property search.

A suitable building should be assessed in relation to:

• Public transport

• Local amenities

• Healthcare services

• Hospitals and GP services

• Shops

• Community facilities

• Schools where relevant

• Staff recruitment

• Parking

• Accessibility

• Local demand

• The surrounding residential environment

CQC guidance states that premises should be appropriately located for the purpose for which they are used, taking account of people's anticipated needs and access to relevant facilities and the local community.

A property that looks attractive in isolation may therefore be unsuitable if residents cannot easily access essential services or staff face significant transport difficulties.

Planning should be checked early

Planning is an important part of assessing any potential care property.

Before committing to a building, the provider should investigate:

• Existing lawful use

• Previous planning history

• Current use class where relevant

• Planning restrictions

• Conditions attached to permissions

• Proposed changes of use

• Extensions

• Internal alterations

• Additional bedrooms

• Parking changes

• External works

A former care home may have useful planning history, but that does not guarantee that a new operator can use the property in exactly the same way.

Where substantial conversion is proposed, planning and building control advice should be obtained before the transaction progresses too far.

CQC requirements can affect the property search

For regulated adult health and social care services in England, providers generally need to register with CQC before carrying on regulated activities. CQC also requires providers to identify the locations from which regulated activities are delivered or managed.

This makes the property itself an important part of the provider's registration preparation.

CQC's premises requirements include suitability, cleanliness, security, maintenance and appropriate location. Premises should also be large enough for the number of people using the service and provide appropriate facilities such as toilets, bathrooms, storage and seating where relevant.

For a new provider, the property search should therefore take place alongside the wider operational and regulatory planning process.

Check whether the building is physically suitable

A viewing should go considerably further than looking at the number of rooms.

A care provider should assess:

• Roof condition

• Damp

• Structural condition

• Windows and doors

• Heating

• Electrical systems

• Plumbing

• Drainage

• Ventilation

• Fire alarm systems

• Emergency lighting

• Lifts

• Bathrooms

• Kitchen facilities

• Accessibility

• External areas

• Security

• Storage

CQC guidance states that premises used for care should be suitable for their purpose, properly maintained and appropriately located.

A professional building survey can help identify defects that may significantly affect the cost of bringing the property into operation.

Bedrooms and bathrooms need careful assessment

For residential care providers, bedrooms and bathrooms are central to the suitability of a property.

The search should consider:

• Number of bedrooms

• Bedroom dimensions

• Single occupancy

• En-suite provision

• Accessible bedrooms

• Bathroom capacity

• Wet rooms

• Privacy

• Circulation space

• Natural light

• Ventilation

• Potential for adaptation

A property with many bedrooms is not necessarily a good care property if the rooms are too small, poorly arranged or difficult to adapt.

Similarly, inadequate bathroom provision can create significant operational and refurbishment challenges.

Communal and staff areas matter too

A care property needs more than accommodation.

Depending on the service, the building may require:

• Communal lounges

• Dining areas

• Quiet rooms

• Activity spaces

• Therapy rooms

• Consultation rooms

• Staff offices

• Staff rest areas

• Medication storage

• Laundry facilities

• Secure records storage

• Equipment storage

• Kitchen facilities

CQC's Statement of Purpose requirements also require providers to describe each location, the service provided, the needs of service users and the regulated activities carried out there.

The physical layout should therefore support the actual service model described by the provider.

Accessibility should be considered from the beginning

Accessibility can be particularly important for providers supporting older people, disabled adults, people with neurological conditions or residents with mobility difficulties.

Potential requirements include:

• Level or accessible entrances

• Ramps

• Wide doorways

• Accessible bathrooms

• Wet rooms

• Lifts

• Handrails

• Accessible parking

• Appropriate circulation space

• Suitable bedroom layouts

• Mobility equipment storage

CQC guidance specifically highlights the need for premises to accommodate people's needs and for reasonable adjustments to be made for people with disabilities.

Consider refurbishment before agreeing the price

A property may appear suitable until refurbishment costs are calculated.

Potential works can include:

• New bathrooms

• Kitchen upgrades

• Fire safety improvements

• Accessibility works

• Electrical upgrades

• Heating replacement

• New flooring

• Reconfiguration

• Decoration

• Security improvements

• New staff facilities

• Garden works

• Lift repairs or installation

For example, a care provider considering a former nursing home in London may need to compare the cost of upgrading an existing building with the cost of acquiring a larger but less specialised property.

The purchase price or rent should therefore be considered alongside the full cost of bringing the property into service.

Buying versus leasing care property

Care providers may choose to purchase a property or lease it from a landlord.

Buying can provide:

• Greater control over the building

• Long-term asset ownership

• Potential capital appreciation

• Greater freedom to undertake certain improvements

Leasing can provide:

• Lower initial capital requirements

• Faster access to property

• Greater flexibility

• The ability to expand through multiple leased locations

For a lease, the operator should carefully examine:

• Lease length

• Break clauses

• Rent reviews

• Repair obligations

• Alterations

• Planning responsibilities

• Compliance responsibilities

• Insurance

• Dilapidations

• Assignment and subletting

• Landlord consent requirements

The lease should reflect the intended care use and the investment required to adapt the property.

Off-market property can widen the search

Some suitable care properties may not be openly advertised.

Potential off-market opportunities can include:

• Former care homes

• Vacant nursing homes

• Properties approaching retirement from the market

• Former healthcare premises

• Large residential buildings

• Landlord-owned specialist properties

• Underused commercial buildings

Direct property sourcing can help care operators identify opportunities before they become widely marketed.

This can be particularly useful when the provider has a specific location, capacity or building specification.

Property searches for specialist care providers

Specialist operators may have more demanding requirements.

A provider supporting people with:

• Dementia

• Physical disabilities

• Learning disabilities

• Autism

• Acquired brain injuries

• Neurological conditions

• Mental health needs

• Complex care requirements

may need a property with specific accessibility, room configuration, equipment storage, communal space or outdoor facilities.

The property search should begin with the needs of the people who will use the service rather than simply the available building stock.

Domiciliary care providers need different premises

A domiciliary care provider may not need residential accommodation for service users.

Instead, it may need an operational office from which staff and regulated activities are managed.

CQC identifies premises from which providers organise or manage regulated activities delivered in people's homes as locations for registration. This includes domiciliary care and other services.

For homecare providers, a property search may therefore focus on:

• Office space

• Staff meeting areas

• Training facilities

• Secure records storage

• Private management space

• Accessible premises

• Staff parking

• Public transport

• Appropriate business use

CQC's current guidance for homecare applications also requires evidence of legal occupancy and other supporting documentation.

Assess the investment opportunity

For investors and landlords, a care provider property search can identify opportunities to acquire and lease buildings to established operators.

Potential strategies include:

• Buying a former care home

• Refurbishing a vacant nursing home

• Acquiring a large residential property

• Leasing premises to an established care operator

• Developing a new specialist care facility

• Repositioning an underused healthcare property

The financial assessment should consider purchase price, rent, refurbishment, financing, planning, professional fees, insurance, maintenance and potential void periods.

Operator demand should also be assessed before assuming that a property will attract a suitable tenant.

Due diligence before committing to a property

Before exchanging contracts, care providers and investors should consider obtaining:

• Title information

• Planning history

• Building survey

• Fire safety information

• Asbestos information where applicable

• EPC

• Building control documentation

• Utilities information

• Existing warranties

• Previous care use information

• CQC information where relevant

• Lease documentation

• Refurbishment estimates

• Contractor quotations

• Specialist equipment information

For properties requiring building regulations approval, CQC currently requires a building control final certificate as part of provider applications where applicable.

This makes it important to keep proper records of refurbishment and building works.

Care provider property searches in London

London presents a broad property market but can also create additional challenges for