Location Requirements for Domiciliary Care CQC: What Care Providers Need to Know

A practical guide to choosing, assessing and preparing a suitable CQC location for a domiciliary care agency across London and the UK

Setting up a domiciliary care agency involves more than finding an affordable office. If the service provides regulated personal care to people in their own homes, the premises from which that service is organised and managed can be a CQC location.

Understanding the location requirements for domiciliary care CQC registration is therefore important before signing a lease, purchasing an office or submitting a registration application. The premises need to reflect how the service will actually operate and provide a suitable base for managing care, staff and records.

What Does CQC Mean by a Location for Domiciliary Care?

For domiciliary care services, CQC generally considers the premises from which the provider organises or manages regulated care delivered in people's homes to be a location.

This is different from a care home, where the location is normally the premises where residents receive care and accommodation. A domiciliary care agency may deliver care across numerous private homes while having one registered office from which the service is managed.

The CQC location may therefore be an office where the provider routinely:

• Plans and coordinates care

• Manages care staff

• Maintains relevant service records

• Holds staff meetings and supervision

• Provides or organises staff training

• Manages the regulated activity

• Coordinates care across its geographical service area

The exact arrangement depends on how the business operates.

What Are the Main Location Requirements for Domiciliary Care CQC Registration?

There is no single standard office specification that every domiciliary care agency must follow. Instead, the premises should be appropriate for the regulated service being managed from that location.

A suitable office should normally provide enough space and facilities for the provider to operate the service effectively and securely.

Important considerations include:

A Genuine Physical Premises

The registered location should be a genuine physical place from which the domiciliary care service is routinely managed.

CQC specifically states that a virtual office is not considered a location. A PO Box or premises used solely for receiving mail or diverting telephone calls would also not meet the definition of a CQC location.

This makes the choice of physical office particularly important when preparing a new domiciliary care business.

Management and Care Coordination Space

The office should provide an appropriate environment for the management team and care coordinators.

Depending on the size of the agency, this could include desks or workstations for:

• Registered managers

• Care coordinators

• Administrators

• Scheduling staff

• Supervisors

• Other employees involved in managing the regulated service

The property should allow the provider to demonstrate that care can be planned, coordinated and monitored effectively.

Private Meeting Facilities

A domiciliary care agency may need to hold confidential meetings involving staff, service users, families, professionals or other stakeholders.

Having a private room or appropriately screened meeting area can therefore be an important part of the property search.

An office that consists entirely of an open-plan workspace may be less practical where confidential discussions and staff supervision are regularly required.

Secure Records and Information

Care agencies handle sensitive information relating to service users and employees.

The office should therefore have appropriate arrangements for keeping physical and electronic records secure. CQC's location guidance recognises premises where records relating to the management of the regulated activity are maintained as part of the functions that can take place at a domiciliary care location.

Property selection should therefore consider secure storage, controlled access and suitable IT arrangements.

Space for Staff Supervision and Training

Staff management is an important part of operating a domiciliary care service.

Where training, supervision, meetings or induction sessions are carried out at the office, the premises should provide appropriate space for these activities.

A small office may still be suitable for a relatively small agency, but the property should be assessed against the provider's actual staffing and operational plans rather than simply choosing the cheapest available unit.

Can a Home Be Used as a Domiciliary Care CQC Location?

In some circumstances, a provider may operate from a home-based office, but the specific arrangement matters.

CQC's guidance states that a private home is not a location where it is not the primary place from which the service is managed.

Therefore, simply using a residential address for correspondence does not automatically make it a suitable CQC location.

Before relying on a home office, a provider should consider:

• Whether the service is genuinely managed from the property

• Whether staff can work from the premises

• Whether confidential records can be kept securely

• Whether meetings and supervision can be conducted appropriately

• Whether the property can legally be used for the proposed business

• Whether the arrangement is consistent with the provider's actual operating model

For many growing agencies, a dedicated commercial office can provide a clearer operational base.

Are Virtual Offices Acceptable for CQC Registration?

A virtual office should not be treated as a CQC location for a domiciliary care agency.

CQC states that virtual offices are not physical offices or spaces that people can visit and therefore are not considered locations. The same applies to a PO Box used as the location address.

This is particularly important for new care providers looking to reduce startup costs. A virtual business address may be useful for ordinary business correspondence, but it should not be confused with the physical premises from which regulated care is organised and managed.

Can a Serviced Office Be Used?

The suitability of a serviced office depends on the actual arrangement.

CQC distinguishes a genuine location from temporary premises used for limited purposes. Its guidance specifically gives examples of temporary premises, including hotels or serviced offices used for short periods for recruitment, that would not constitute a location.

A provider considering a serviced office should therefore examine whether it provides a genuine, stable operational base rather than simply an address or temporary workspace.

The agreement should also clearly establish the provider's legal right to occupy and operate from the premises.

Legal Occupancy Is an Important CQC Consideration

A domiciliary care provider should be able to demonstrate that it has legal permission to operate from the proposed location.

CQC's current supporting-document requirements for new home care applications include evidence of legal occupancy. CQC explains that this evidence helps confirm that the provider has legal permission to use the chosen premises and that the location is suitable for the proposed service.

Depending on the arrangement, relevant evidence could include an appropriate lease, tenancy or other document establishing the provider's right to occupy the premises.

Before signing an agreement, providers should check:

• Who is granting the right to occupy

• What activities the lease permits

• Whether business use is allowed

• Whether the landlord has restrictions on care-related businesses

• Whether the lease term is appropriate

• Whether alterations require landlord consent

• Whether the property can be used as the proposed CQC location

Planning and Permitted Use

Planning considerations should not be overlooked when choosing premises for a domiciliary care agency.

The fact that an office is available to rent does not automatically mean that every proposed use is permitted in every circumstance.

A provider should establish the lawful use of the property and whether its proposed operation requires planning consent, a change of use or other approval.

This is particularly important where the property was previously used for another purpose or where the proposed business will involve significant alterations.

Building Condition and Safety

The premises should be suitable for the activities being carried out there.

Depending on the property, this may involve reviewing:

• Fire safety arrangements

• Electrical systems

• Heating and ventilation

• Lighting

• Access and circulation

• Toilets and welfare facilities

• General maintenance

• Accessibility

• Emergency arrangements

• Building control documentation where applicable

The CQC registration process also requires providers to submit relevant supporting documentation, and building control documentation may be required where applicable to the premises.

What Documents Should a Domiciliary Care Provider Prepare?

Choosing the right premises is only part of preparing for registration.

For a new home care agency, CQC currently identifies additional documents including:

• Business plan and financial forecast

• Evidence of legal occupancy

• Service user guides

• Staff training plan

• Additional personal care provider form

These are in addition to documents required from providers generally.

The Statement of Purpose should also accurately identify each location, including the address, description of the premises, type of service, regulated activities and registered manager arrangements.

This means the property should be selected and prepared before the application is submitted rather than treating the office address as an afterthought.

How Many CQC Locations Does a Domiciliary Care Agency Need?

A small domiciliary care agency may operate its regulated service from one office.

As the business expands, however, it may establish additional branches. CQC explains that each premises from which the regulated activity is directly managed can constitute a location, particularly where separate branch offices coordinate services across different geographical areas.

For example, an agency might operate from:

• One central London office

• A North London branch

• A South London branch

• A separate regional office outside London

Whether each premises needs to be registered as a location depends on how the service is actually organised and managed.

Choosing a Domiciliary Care Office in London

Location is particularly important for agencies operating across London.

An office should ideally provide practical access to the geographical area being served. Consider:

• Public transport connections

• Road access

• Parking

• Staff commuting

• Local recruitment

• Distance to service users

• Ability to supervise staff

• Future expansion

• Availability of suitable commercial premises

An office in a prominent commercial district is not necessarily required. A well-located secondary office may provide better value if it gives the agency sufficient space and practical access to its workforce and service area.

Renting or Buying a CQC Domiciliary Care Location

Many new care providers initially consider renting rather than purchasing.

Renting can provide flexibility while the agency establishes its client base and workforce. Buying may become relevant for established operators looking for long-term control over their premises.

In either case, the property should be assessed against operational requirements before the transaction is completed.

A property professional can help assess:

• Location

• Lease terms

• Permitted use

• Property condition

• Accessibility

• Expansion potential

• Landlord restrictions

• Refurbishment requirements

• Commercial suitability

What Should You Check Before Taking an Office?

Before committing to a property for a domiciliary care agency, create a practical property checklist.

Ask:

1. Is this a genuine physical premises?

2. Will the service actually be managed from this address?

3. Can staff work effectively from the office?

4. Is there sufficient space for management and care coordination?

5. Can confidential meetings be held privately?

6. Can records and sensitive information be secured?

7. Is staff training possible at the premises?

8. Does the provider have legal permission to occupy the property?

9. Is the proposed business use permitted?

10. Is the building in suitable condition?

11. Is the location practical for the geographical area served?

12. Does the property allow the business to grow?

13. Does the proposed location accurately reflect the provider's CQC operating model?

Finding Property for a CQC-Registered Domiciliary Care Agency

Finding an office that simply looks suitable is different from finding premises that work for a regulated care business.

A property may have attractive rent and good transport links but still create problems if the lease restricts the proposed use, there is inadequate space for confidential work, or the premises cannot support the provider's operating model.

Fraser Bond can assist domiciliary care operators, landlords, investors and property professionals with identifying and assessing suitable commercial property across London and the UK.

Support can include property search, acquisition and leasing advice, property assessment, refurbishment coordination and wider property consultancy for specialist care businesses.

Speak to Fraser Bond About Your Domiciliary Care Property Requirements

If you are preparing a domiciliary care agency and need premises that can function as a practical operational base, the property should be assessed before you commit to a lease or purchase.

Fraser Bond can help you define your property requirements, identify suitable premises and assess important commercial and property considerations for a care business.

Whether you need a small office for a new home care agency, premises for an expanding domiciliary care provider or additional branch locations, the right property strategy can make the registration and operational process more straightforward.