Domiciliary Care Premises: Finding Suitable UK Property for Home Care Agencies

A practical guide to finding, leasing and preparing premises for a domiciliary care agency across London and the UK

Domiciliary care premises provide the operational base from which a home care agency manages and coordinates its services. Although care workers normally deliver personal care in clients' own homes, the agency still needs suitable premises for managing staff, coordinating visits, maintaining records and overseeing the regulated service.

For many domiciliary care agencies, these premises form the CQC location from which regulated care is organised and managed. CQC's current guidance recognises the premises from which domiciliary care is routinely planned, coordinated and managed as a location.

Choosing suitable premises is therefore about more than finding an affordable office. The property should work for the agency's operational needs, lease arrangements, planning position, security, accessibility and CQC registration requirements.

What are domiciliary care premises?

Domiciliary care premises are the physical premises from which a home care provider operates and manages its regulated services.

The premises may be used for:

• Care planning and coordination

• Staff scheduling

• Registered manager activities

• Staff supervision

• Recruitment

• Training

• Record management

• Quality monitoring

• Management meetings

• Administration

• Communication with clients and professionals

The office does not normally need to be where clients receive care. Instead, it acts as the management and coordination base for care delivered in people's homes.

CQC guidance describes a domiciliary care location as the place where care is routinely planned and coordinated and where the regulated activity is managed.

Does a domiciliary care agency need physical premises?

A provider should distinguish between an ordinary business address and premises that genuinely function as its operational location.

For a domiciliary care agency, the relevant premises are generally where the regulated service is organised and managed. A simple postal address or virtual office should not automatically be treated as an appropriate CQC location.

The practical test is how the premises are actually used. The office should provide a genuine base for managing the service rather than simply providing a correspondence address.

CQC's guidance on locations distinguishes operational premises from virtual offices, PO boxes and other arrangements that do not function as a location from which regulated activity is managed.

What should domiciliary care premises provide?

There is no single office layout or floor area that applies to every home care provider. The property should be appropriate for the size and nature of the service.

Suitable workspace

The office should provide enough space for the people responsible for operating the agency.

Depending on the size of the provider, this could include:

• Registered manager

• Care coordinator

• Care supervisors

• Administrators

• Recruitment staff

• Senior management

• Scheduling staff

A small start-up may only need a compact professional office, while an established agency could require several rooms and additional administrative space.

Private meeting space

Private space is useful for confidential discussions and management activities.

Potential uses include:

• Staff supervision

• Recruitment interviews

• Performance discussions

• Client meetings

• Management meetings

• Confidential telephone calls

A separate meeting room can also provide flexibility for training and internal meetings.

Secure records

Domiciliary care providers manage confidential information about service users and staff.

Premises should therefore provide appropriate arrangements for protecting physical and electronic records.

CQC specifically requires applicants to demonstrate that their chosen premises are suitable and states that applications may be unsuccessful where records cannot be kept safe and secure.

When assessing property, providers should consider controlled access, secure storage and the overall security of the building.

Training facilities

Home care agencies may use their premises for staff induction, supervision and training.

The amount of space required depends on the agency's training arrangements. A smaller provider might use a meeting room for training sessions, whereas a larger organisation could benefit from a dedicated training area.

Legal occupancy of domiciliary care premises

Legal occupancy is one of the most important property considerations for a new domiciliary care agency.

CQC currently requires home care agencies applying for registration to provide evidence of legal occupancy. The evidence must be valid when the application is submitted and demonstrate that the provider has legal permission to operate its service from the chosen premises.

For a leased office, providers should therefore review the lease carefully before committing to the property.

Important considerations include:

• Permitted use

• Lease term

• Rent

• Service charges

• Repair obligations

• Insurance

• Access arrangements

• Alteration rights

• Signage

• Break clauses

• Assignment and subletting restrictions

A property can look suitable during a viewing but become problematic if the lease does not permit the intended care-related business use.

Planning considerations for domiciliary care premises

Planning should be investigated before taking occupation.

An existing office may be suitable for a home care agency, but additional checks may be necessary where the premises:

• Were previously residential

• Have unusual planning restrictions

• Require a change of use

• Will undergo substantial alterations

• Will accommodate regular training

• Require accessibility modifications

Planning permission and CQC registration are separate considerations. A property should be assessed against both its planning position and the provider's regulatory requirements.

Building condition and safety

The condition of the premises should be assessed before the agency commits to a lease or purchase.

Depending on the building, checks may include:

• Fire alarms

• Fire doors

• Emergency exits

• Emergency lighting

• Electrical installations

• Heating

• Ventilation

• Lighting

• Toilet facilities

• General maintenance

• Security

• Accessibility

Where significant alterations have been carried out, the provider should establish whether the relevant building regulations approvals and certificates are available.

CQC's supporting documentation guidance includes building control final certification where building regulations approval applies.

How large should domiciliary care premises be?

There is no universal minimum office size for every domiciliary care agency.

The appropriate space depends on:

• Number of employees

• Number of care workers

• Number of service users

• Management structure

• Training requirements

• Record storage

• Meeting requirements

• Expected growth

A new agency may operate from a relatively small office with a manager's workstation, administrative area and private meeting space.

A larger provider could require multiple offices, meeting rooms, training facilities and additional storage.

It is sensible to consider future growth when choosing premises rather than selecting a property that is already close to capacity.

Can a virtual office be used?

A virtual office should not be confused with genuine domiciliary care premises.

A virtual address may provide mail handling or a business address, but that does not make it the physical location from which regulated care is managed.

The important distinction is whether the provider has genuine premises that function as its operational base.

This is particularly important for care businesses considering low-cost virtual office packages when searching for premises for CQC registration.

Can a serviced office be used?

Serviced offices require careful assessment.

A serviced office may provide useful facilities such as reception services, meeting rooms and flexible terms. However, a temporary workspace or occasional meeting room is different from premises that genuinely function as the provider's operational location.

Before choosing a serviced office, a domiciliary care provider should establish whether it can:

• Work from the premises routinely

• Manage its regulated activity there

• Keep records securely

• Hold confidential meetings

• Supervise staff

• Conduct relevant training

• Demonstrate legal occupancy

• Maintain appropriate access

The suitability of a particular arrangement will depend on how the premises are structured and used.

Location of domiciliary care premises

The location of the office can affect staff recruitment, travel and day-to-day management.

Useful factors include:

• Public transport

• Bus routes

• Rail connections

• Road access

• Parking

• Local workforce availability

• Proximity to service users

• Accessibility for staff and visitors

For London providers, good transport connections can be particularly useful because care workers may need to attend the office for training, supervision and meetings.

A prestigious central location is not necessarily required. An accessible commercial property in a practical area may provide a more effective operational base.

Accessibility of domiciliary care premises

Accessibility should be considered when assessing potential premises.

Depending on the building, useful features may include:

• Step-free entrance

• Accessible doors

• Suitable corridors

• Accessible toilet facilities

• Lift access where relevant

• Convenient parking

• Clear access to meeting rooms

Accessibility can make the office more practical for staff, applicants, clients, professionals and visitors.

Domiciliary care premises and the CQC application

The premises are only one part of a CQC registration application, but they are an important component.

For home care agencies applying to provide personal care, CQC currently requires additional documentation including a business plan and financial forecast and evidence of legal occupancy.

CQC's evidence-of-legal-occupancy guidance states that the evidence should clearly show the provider has permission to operate from the chosen location and should include details demonstrating why the location is suitable for the proposed service.

This means the property search should take place alongside the wider registration preparation process.

Preparing domiciliary care premises before registration

A provider should ideally have its premises ready before submitting its application.

Property preparation can include:

1. Confirming legal occupancy.

2. Reviewing the commercial lease.

3. Checking planning requirements.

4. Assessing fire and building safety.

5. Establishing secure record storage.

6. Setting up management workstations.

7. Providing private meeting space.

8. Preparing training facilities where required.

9. Reviewing accessibility.

10. Confirming that the property can support the proposed service.

Taking these steps before submitting an application can help identify property problems early.

Buying domiciliary care premises

Some established care providers may consider purchasing premises rather than renting.

Ownership can provide greater control over the building and allow the provider to make longer-term decisions about refurbishment and expansion.

However, the financial assessment should consider:

• Purchase price

• Stamp Duty Land Tax where applicable

• Professional fees

• Business rates

• Insurance

• Maintenance

• Refurbishment

• Financing

• Future expansion

Property due diligence should also confirm that the intended use is permitted.

Renting domiciliary care premises

Leasing can provide flexibility for new and growing care agencies.

Before signing a lease, operators should consider:

• Rent

• Deposit

• Lease length

• Break clause

• Service charges

• Business rates

• Repairs

• Insurance

• Permitted use

• Alteration rights

A flexible lease may be useful for a new provider expecting to grow, while a longer-term arrangement may suit an established agency seeking operational stability.

The right structure depends on the provider's business plan and property requirements.

Questions to ask before choosing domiciliary care premises

Before committing to a property, a provider should ask:

1. Can the premises be used for the proposed home care business?

2. Does the lease permit the intended use?

3. Can the property function as a genuine CQC location?

4. Can confidential records be stored securely?

5. Is there sufficient workspace?

6. Is private meeting space available?

7. Can staff training be accommodated?

8. Is the property accessible?

9. Are fire and building safety arrangements satisfactory?

10. Are there outstanding planning or building regulations issues?

11. Can legal occupancy be demonstrated?

12. Is the location practical for staff?

13. Can the premises accommodate future growth?

14. What refurbishment will be required?

These checks can help a provider avoid taking premises that later prove unsuitable or require unexpected expenditure.

Finding domiciliary care premises in London

London offers a wide range of commercial property suitable for consideration by home care operators, from small offices for new agencies to larger premises for established providers.

The search should look beyond headline rent and consider the total cost and practical suitability of the property.

Important factors include:

• Rent

• Business rates

• Service charges

• Office size

• Lease terms

• Location

• Transport

• Accessibility

• Security

• Refurbishment

• Future expansion

A cheaper office may not necessarily provide better value if it requires extensive work or cannot accommodate the agency's operational needs.

Finding suitable domiciliary care premises

The right domiciliary care premises should provide a genuine operational base from which a provider can manage its regulated services.

For a new or expanding agency, the property search should bring together CQC considerations with legal occupancy, planning, lease terms, security, accessibility, building condition and long-term business requirements.

Fraser Bond can assist domiciliary care operators looking for suitable commercial premises across London and the UK. Its property services can support property searches alongside leasing, refurbishment, maintenance and wider property requirements.

Speak to Fraser Bond about domiciliary care premises

If you are establishing or expanding a domiciliary care agency and need suitable premises, Fraser Bond can help identify and assess commercial property according to your operational requirements.

From finding appropriate office space to supporting lease and property-related requirements, a structured property search can help create a practical base for managing and growing a home care business.