Current Care Property Requirements - What UK Landlords Need to Know About Specialist Care Accommodation

Current care property requirements are shaped by the type of care being provided, the people who will use the accommodation and the operational model of the care provider.

For landlords and property investors, this means that simply having a large house with several bedrooms does not automatically make a property suitable for a care provider. Operators will consider the property's layout, bathrooms, accessibility, condition, location, planning position, fire safety and potential for adaptation.

Fraser Bond works with property owners across London and the wider UK who are considering specialist property uses, helping assess suitability, identify potential operators and coordinate refurbishment and building works where appropriate.

What Are the Current Care Property Requirements?

There is no single specification that applies to every care property.

A residential care home, nursing home, supported living property and specialist healthcare facility can all have different requirements.

Depending on the intended use, care providers may look for:

• Detached or semi-detached houses

• Large family homes

• Bungalows

• Former care homes

• Former nursing homes

• Supported living properties

• Flats and apartment schemes

• Accessible properties

• Properties with communal areas

• Buildings with staff accommodation

• Properties requiring refurbishment

• Purpose-built care accommodation

The first step is therefore to identify the type of care service the property is intended to accommodate.

Bedrooms and Private Spaces

Individual bedrooms are an important consideration for many residential care services.

Providers may assess:

• Bedroom size

• Natural light

• Privacy

• Storage

• Accessibility

• Distance from bathrooms

• Potential for en-suite facilities

• Ease of evacuation

• Ability to adapt the room for individual needs

The appropriate number of bedrooms depends on the proposed service and the number of people the operator intends to support.

A property should not be marketed simply as a care home because it contains a particular number of bedrooms.

Bathrooms and Toilets

Adequate bathroom facilities are another important consideration.

Current CQC guidance states that premises should be suitable for their intended purpose and have appropriate support facilities and amenities, including sufficient toilets and bathrooms for the number of people using the service.

Potentially useful features include:

• Multiple bathrooms

• En-suite bedrooms

• Accessible toilets

• Level-access showers

• Wet rooms

• Space for mobility equipment

• Grab rails and other adaptations

A property with several bathrooms can offer greater flexibility when being assessed for specialist care use.

However, accessibility requirements will depend on the people who will occupy the property.

Accessibility Requirements

Accessibility can be particularly important for care providers supporting older people or individuals with physical disabilities.

Depending on the service, properties may require:

• Step-free access

• Ramps

• Wider doorways

• Accessible bathrooms

• Level-access showers

• Handrails

• Suitable circulation space

• Adapted kitchens

• Space for mobility equipment

• Appropriate entrances and exits

CQC guidance states that premises should allow people to enter, leave and move around as easily and independently as possible, with reasonable adjustments made where required.

Landlords should therefore avoid assuming that a standard residential property is ready for specialist occupation simply because it is structurally sound.

Communal Areas

Communal facilities can be important in residential care and supported accommodation.

Depending on the service, providers may look for:

• Living rooms

• Dining areas

• Shared kitchens

• Activity rooms

• Quiet rooms

• Garden areas

• Social spaces

The layout should allow residents to use shared areas while still maintaining privacy and dignity.

A property with multiple reception rooms can sometimes provide useful flexibility, allowing different spaces to be used for dining, activities, relaxation or staff purposes.

Staff Facilities

Care providers may also need space for their staff.

Depending on the service, this could include:

• Staff office

• Staff room

• Staff bathroom

• Secure storage

• Medication storage

• Records storage

• Sleep-in accommodation

Not every property requires these facilities.

The requirements depend on the care model, staffing arrangements and needs of the people using the service.

Property Condition

Current care property requirements also extend to the general condition of the building.

CQC Regulation 15 requires premises used by registered providers to be clean, secure, suitable for their intended purpose, properly maintained and appropriately located.

A care provider assessing a property may therefore examine:

• Roof

• Windows

• Doors

• Electrical installation

• Heating

• Plumbing

• Bathrooms

• Kitchen

• Fire safety

• Emergency systems

• External areas

• Accessibility

• General structural condition

The provider must also have suitable arrangements for maintaining the premises and equipment used to deliver care.

For landlords, this means that significant defects should be identified before agreeing a specialist lease.

Fire Safety and Evacuation

Fire safety is particularly important when a property will accommodate people who may require assistance to evacuate.

The appropriate arrangements depend on the building and proposed use, but operators may assess:

• Escape routes

• Fire doors

• Detection systems

• Emergency lighting

• Alarm systems

• Compartmentation

• Evacuation arrangements

• Accessibility of escape routes

If significant alterations are required, building regulations and other relevant requirements should be considered as part of the project.

A property owner should not assume that the fire arrangements suitable for an ordinary family home will automatically be adequate for a care setting.

Location Requirements

The location of a care property can be just as important as the building.

Care providers may look for convenient access to:

• GP surgeries

• Hospitals

• Pharmacies

• Public transport

• Shops

• Parks

• Community facilities

• Employment

• Education

• Specialist healthcare services

CQC guidance says providers should consider the anticipated needs of people using their services and access to relevant facilities, the local community and public transport.

For example, a large house in North London with several bedrooms, parking and good transport links could be more attractive to a specialist operator than a larger property in an isolated location.

Planning and Use Class Requirements

Planning is another major consideration when assessing current care property requirements.

In England, residential care homes and nursing homes generally fall within Use Class C2, while C3(b) covers up to six people living together as a single household and receiving care, including certain supported housing schemes.

This distinction is important because a supported living arrangement is not necessarily the same planning use as a traditional residential care home.

A landlord should establish:

• Existing planning use

• Proposed use

• Number of residents

• Type of care

• Whether accommodation and care are provided together

• Whether a change of use is required

• Whether planning permission or prior approval is needed

• Whether building regulations approval is required

Planning Portal guidance confirms that certain changes of use may require planning permission or prior approval, depending on the circumstances, and building regulations also need to be considered.

CQC Requirements

Where a care provider carries out a regulated activity in England, CQC registration may be required.

The property itself does not become a CQC-registered care provider simply because it is used for care. Registration relates to the provider and the regulated activity being carried out.

CQC Regulation 15 also means that premises used by the provider must meet requirements relating to cleanliness, security, suitability, maintenance and location.

For property owners, the important question is therefore not simply whether a building is "CQC compliant", but what service the proposed operator intends to deliver and what premises requirements apply to that service.

Supported Living Requirements

Not every care provider is looking for a traditional care home.

Supported living operators may instead seek:

• Family houses

• Flats

• Bungalows

• Shared houses

• Small apartment schemes

• Individual self-contained units

In supported living, accommodation and care arrangements can be structured separately.

This can create opportunities for ordinary residential properties that would not necessarily be appropriate for a traditional care home.

However, the intended use must still be assessed carefully from planning, regulatory, operational and building perspectives.

Former Care Homes

Former care homes can be attractive to specialist operators because they may already contain useful infrastructure.

Potential features include:

• Multiple bedrooms

• En-suite facilities

• Communal rooms

• Staff areas

• Accessible bathrooms

• Fire safety systems

• Parking

• Specialist equipment

• Lifts

• Existing adaptations

However, a former care home is not automatically suitable for every new care operator.

The new provider may have a different resident profile or service model, meaning additional refurbishment or alterations could be required.

Should Landlords Refurbish Before Finding an Operator?

Not necessarily.

One of the biggest mistakes a property owner can make is carrying out extensive refurbishment before understanding what the eventual operator requires.

For example, a landlord may spend heavily creating additional bathrooms when an operator is more concerned about accessibility, staff facilities or communal areas.

A better approach can be to identify the type of care provider first and then establish the works required.

Fraser Bond can assist with property assessments, refurbishment planning, renovations, construction, maintenance and contractor coordination where specialist works are required.

Current Requirements for Care Property Leasing

A landlord considering leasing a property to a care provider should look beyond the headline rent.

The lease should clearly establish:

• Lease length

• Rent

• Rent review provisions

• Repairs

• Maintenance

• Buildings insurance

• Adaptations

• Alterations

• Assignment

• Subletting or occupancy arrangements

• Break clauses

• Reinstatement

• Compliance responsibilities

The landlord should also establish who will pay for any adaptations required by the operator.

A property may be suitable for specialist use but still require substantial investment before occupation.

Due Diligence on the Care Provider

The property owner should also assess the organisation that wants to occupy the building.

Useful checks can include:

• Company history

• Financial position

• Existing care services

• CQC registration where applicable

• Regulatory history

• Management experience

• Landlord references

• Insurance

• Business plan

• Staffing model

• Proposed resident profile

• Funding arrangements

• Maintenance plans

A strong property proposal does not necessarily mean that the operator is financially or operationally suitable for a long-term lease.

A Practical London Example

Consider a landlord with a six-bedroom property in West London.

The house has:

• Six bedrooms

• Three bathrooms

• Two reception rooms

• Large kitchen

• Private garden

• Off-street parking

• Good public transport connections

The owner believes the property could be suitable for specialist care.

Rather than immediately converting the house, the landlord could first establish what type of operator would be appropriate.

The assessment might consider:

• Intended resident profile

• Existing planning use

• Accessibility

• Fire safety

• Bathroom provision

• Communal areas

• Staff requirements

• Refurbishment needs

• Lease structure

• Operator financial strength

This gives the landlord a clearer picture of the property's specialist potential before committing to significant expenditure.

Current Care Property Requirements for Different Services

Requirements can vary considerably between services.

A residential care provider may prioritise bedrooms, bathrooms, communal areas, accessibility and staff facilities.

A nursing operator may have additional requirements relating to clinical facilities, equipment and staffing.

A supported living provider may prefer ordinary residential properties that allow people to maintain greater independence.

A specialist operator supporting people with complex needs may require additional accessibility, security or staff facilities.

This is why property owners should identify the intended care model before assuming that a building meets current requirements.

How Fraser Bond Can Help

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

If you own a property that may meet current care property requirements, Fraser Bond can help assess the building, identify potential specialist operators, advise on the appropriate commercial route and coordinate refurbishment or construction works where required.

Whether you own a large family house, former care home, supported living property, nursing property or another building with specialist potential, the property's suitability should be assessed against the actual service being proposed.

Current care property requirements involve more than bedrooms and bathrooms. Planning, accessibility, safety, location, building condition, regulatory requirements and the operator's business model all need to be considered.

If you have a property that could be suitable for a care provider, Fraser Bond can help assess its potential and explore appropriate leasing or sales opportunities.