Homecare Agency Premises: Finding Suitable UK Property for CQC Registration

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

Homecare agency premises are an important part of establishing a successful domiciliary care business. Although care workers may deliver services in clients' homes, the agency still needs an appropriate base from which care can be planned, coordinated and managed.

For many homecare providers, these premises become the CQC location for the regulated activity. The office may be used for staff management, supervision, training, care coordination, record keeping and other operational functions.

CQC's current location guidance specifically includes premises from which a provider organises or manages regulated care delivered to people in their homes, including domiciliary care agencies. These locations will usually be offices.

For operators looking for homecare agency premises in London or elsewhere in the UK, the property needs to work both as a commercial office and as a practical base for a regulated care service.

What are homecare agency premises?

Homecare agency premises are the office or other suitable physical premises from which a domiciliary care provider manages its services.

The agency may have care workers travelling throughout a particular town, city or wider geographical area while its management team operates from one central location.

Activities carried out from the premises may include:

• Care scheduling

• Staff supervision

• Recruitment

• Staff training

• Record management

• Care planning

• Quality monitoring

• Management meetings

• Payroll and administration

• Communication with clients and professionals

• Management of the regulated activity

CQC describes a domiciliary care location as premises where care is routinely planned and coordinated and where the regulated activity is managed. This can include locations where records are maintained and staff meetings, supervision and training take place.

Does a homecare agency need physical premises?

For a homecare agency providing regulated personal care, the premises from which the service is managed can constitute a CQC location.

This is different from simply having a registered business address.

CQC states that a virtual office is not considered a location. It also does not treat a PO box, premises used only for storing records or an address used solely to receive mail or divert telephone calls as a location under its domiciliary care location rules.

A homecare provider should therefore look for premises that can function as a genuine operational base.

What should homecare agency premises include?

There is no single office layout or size that applies to every homecare agency. Requirements will depend on the provider's size, service model and regulated activities.

However, several practical features should be considered.

Dedicated staff workspace

The premises should provide sufficient working space for the people managing the service.

Depending on the agency's size, this could include:

• Registered manager

• Care coordinator

• Care supervisors

• Administrators

• Recruitment staff

• Senior management

• Scheduling personnel

A small agency may operate from a compact office, while a larger provider with a substantial workforce may need several rooms or a larger commercial unit.

Private meeting space

Confidential conversations are an important part of managing a care service.

Suitable premises may therefore need a private room for:

• Staff supervision

• Recruitment interviews

• Performance discussions

• Management meetings

• Client meetings

• Confidential telephone calls

A flexible meeting room can also be used for training and internal meetings.

Secure records storage

Homecare agencies handle confidential information relating to clients, staff and the operation of the service.

The office should therefore have appropriate arrangements for keeping records secure.

CQC's registration guidance states that premises can be unsuitable where people's records cannot be kept safe and secure.

A property search should consequently consider controlled access, secure storage and appropriate arrangements for electronic information.

Training space

Homecare agencies may use their office for staff induction, supervision and training.

The amount of space required will depend on how training is delivered.

A smaller provider might use a meeting room for small training sessions, while a larger agency may require a dedicated training area.

CQC's location guidance specifically recognises staff meetings, supervision and training as activities that may take place at a domiciliary care location.

Legal occupancy of homecare agency premises

Legal occupancy is an important part of the property and registration process.

CQC currently requires homecare agencies applying for personal care registration to provide evidence of legal occupancy. Its additional documentation requirements also include a business plan and financial forecast, service user guides and a staff training plan.

For a rented office, this makes the lease particularly important.

Before committing to premises, a provider should check:

• Whether the lease permits the intended use

• The length of the lease

• Repair responsibilities

• Service charges

• Insurance obligations

• Alteration rights

• Signage provisions

• Access arrangements

• Break clauses

• Restrictions on assigning or subletting

A property can look suitable during a viewing but still create problems if its lease does not permit the intended use.

Planning considerations for a homecare agency office

Planning should be considered before taking occupation.

A conventional office may be suitable for a homecare agency, but the provider should still establish whether its intended use is consistent with the property's planning position and lease.

Additional investigation may be necessary where the property:

• Was previously residential

• Has unusual planning restrictions

• Requires a change of use

• Will undergo substantial alterations

• Will be used for regular training sessions

• Requires accessibility modifications

Planning permission and CQC registration are separate matters. Obtaining one does not automatically satisfy the other.

Building condition and safety

The physical condition of the property should also be assessed before signing a lease.

Depending on the premises, this may include checking:

• Fire safety arrangements

• Emergency exits

• Fire doors

• Emergency lighting

• Electrical systems

• Heating

• Ventilation

• Lighting

• Toilets

• General maintenance

• Accessibility

• Security

Where building work requires building regulations approval, the relevant documentation should be obtained.

CQC currently requires a building control final certificate where an application includes locations that require building regulations approval. CQC also makes clear that building regulations approval is separate from planning permission.

This is particularly relevant when a provider is taking refurbished or converted commercial premises.

Can a serviced office be used by a homecare agency?

A serviced office should not automatically be assumed to be suitable or unsuitable.

The key consideration is how the premises will actually be used.

CQC excludes temporary premises such as hotels or serviced offices used for short periods as convenient recruitment locations from its definition of a location. A provider should therefore distinguish a genuine operational office from a temporary workspace arrangement.

Before taking a serviced office, the provider should establish whether it can:

• Work from the premises routinely

• Manage the regulated activity there

• Hold confidential meetings

• Keep records securely

• Supervise staff

• Conduct relevant training

• Demonstrate legal occupancy

• Maintain a sufficiently permanent operational base

A basic virtual office or mail-handling package is not equivalent to an operational homecare agency premises.

How much space does a homecare agency need?

There is no universal square-footage requirement for every homecare agency.

The appropriate size depends on the scale of the operation.

A start-up agency may need only enough space for a manager, administrator and private meeting area. A larger provider may need multiple offices, workstations, meeting rooms, training facilities and additional storage.

When comparing properties, operators should consider expected growth rather than only current staffing numbers.

An office that is suitable for five employees may become impractical if the agency expects to employ several dozen care workers and expand its management team.

Location considerations for homecare agency premises

Location can affect both staff recruitment and day-to-day operations.

Useful factors to assess include:

• Public transport

• Bus routes

• Rail connections

• Road access

• Parking

• Local workforce availability

• Proximity to the service area

• Accessibility for staff and visitors

For London homecare agencies, transport connections can be particularly important because care workers may travel between numerous client addresses.

A centrally positioned office is not necessarily required. A practical location with good transport connections and suitable commercial property can sometimes provide a more workable operational base.

Accessibility of homecare agency premises

Accessibility should be considered when assessing potential premises.

Relevant features may include:

• Step-free entrance

• Accessible doors

• Suitable corridors

• Accessible toilet facilities

• Lift access where required

• Convenient parking

• Clear access to reception and meeting rooms

The appropriate arrangements will depend on the building and how the premises are intended to be used.

Accessibility can also make the office more practical for recruitment interviews, staff meetings and visitors.

Homecare agency premises and the Statement of Purpose

The CQC location should be accurately reflected in the provider's Statement of Purpose.

CQC requires the Statement of Purpose to include information for each location, including its address and contact details, description, type of service, the needs of people using the service, regulated activities and the registered manager responsible for those activities.

This makes the choice of premises an important part of the wider registration process.

The provider should ensure that the office address and description accurately represent how the service will operate.

What documents does a homecare agency need?

The property is only one part of the registration application.

CQC requires homecare agencies applying for personal care registration to submit specific additional documents, including:

• Business plan and financial forecast

• Evidence of legal occupancy

• Service user guides

• Staff training plan

• Additional personal care provider information

Homecare agencies must also provide the documents required from new provider applicants generally, including a Statement of Purpose and relevant policies and procedures.

CQC advises homecare applicants to have their premises set up before applying and to have recruited their staff and completed the relevant Enhanced DBS checks.

Questions to ask before taking homecare agency premises

Before signing a lease, a care provider should ask:

1. Can the property be used for the proposed homecare business?

2. Does the lease permit the intended use?

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

4. Can confidential records be stored securely?

5. Is there enough workspace for the management team?

6. Is private meeting space available?

7. Can staff training be accommodated?

8. Is the property accessible?

9. Are fire and general building safety arrangements appropriate?

10. Are planning or building regulations issues outstanding?

11. Can legal occupancy be demonstrated?

12. Is the location practical for staff?

13. Can the premises accommodate future growth?

Answering these questions before committing to a property can reduce the risk of taking premises that later require expensive changes.

Buying or renting homecare agency premises

Homecare operators can consider both leased and purchased commercial property depending on their business plans.

Renting premises

Leasing can allow a new agency to establish an operational base without purchasing a commercial property outright.

Important considerations include:

• Rent

• Deposit

• Lease term

• Service charge

• Repairs

• Business rates

• Insurance

• Break clauses

• Permitted alterations

Buying premises

Purchasing an office can provide greater control over the property and potentially support longer-term expansion.

However, the provider should consider acquisition costs, financing, maintenance, business rates, refurbishment and the suitability of the property for its operational model.

For either approach, property due diligence should be completed before committing to the transaction.

Finding homecare agency premises in London

London offers a wide range of office properties that could potentially suit domiciliary care operators, from small offices for new agencies to larger premises for established providers.

The search should consider more than advertised rent.

A useful property assessment can include:

• Location

• Office size

• Lease terms

• Planning position

• Building condition

• Accessibility

• Security

• Transport

• Refurbishment requirements

• Future expansion

• Total occupancy cost

For operators preparing for CQC registration, it is particularly useful to assess the premises before submitting an application rather than discovering property problems later.

Finding suitable homecare agency premises

The right homecare agency premises should provide a practical base from which the provider can manage its regulated services.

For a new domiciliary care agency, the property search should bring together CQC considerations with planning, legal occupancy, lease terms, security, accessibility and day-to-day operational requirements.

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

Speak to Fraser Bond about homecare agency premises

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

From finding an appropriate office to supporting lease and property-related requirements, a structured property search can help create a practical base for the growth of your care business.