Management Company for Care Property: Finding the Right UK Property Management Support

A practical guide for care home owners, landlords, investors and care operators looking for a management company for care property across London and the UK

Finding the right management company for care property is important when a building is being used as a care home, nursing home, supported living property, rehabilitation facility or another specialist care setting.

Care properties have requirements that can differ significantly from ordinary residential or commercial buildings. Bedrooms, bathrooms, communal areas, accessibility, heating, fire safety, specialist equipment, maintenance and building condition all need to be considered alongside the needs of the people using the service.

A suitable care property management company can help owners and operators coordinate maintenance, repairs, inspections, refurbishment and contractors while keeping responsibilities between the landlord and care provider clear.

What does a care property management company do?

A care property management company manages the physical property and coordinates property-related services on behalf of an owner, landlord or operator.

Depending on the agreement, services can include:

• Property inspections

• Planned maintenance

• Reactive repairs

• Emergency repair coordination

• Contractor management

• Building works

• Refurbishment

• Accessibility improvements

• Heating and plumbing

• Electrical maintenance

• Grounds maintenance

• Pest control

• Property condition reporting

• Landlord support

• Tenant or operator liaison

The precise scope depends on the property, lease and responsibilities of the parties involved.

Why care property management is different

A care property is not simply a building containing bedrooms.

It may be the permanent home of residents or the setting in which people receive specialist care and support. CQC regulates different types of care services, including care homes with and without nursing, supported living, domiciliary care, rehabilitation and specialist services. (cqc.org.uk)

For example, a nursing home may require different property management arrangements from a supported living house.

A management company therefore needs to understand the intended use of the building before developing a maintenance and property management programme.

Managing care homes and nursing homes

Care homes and nursing homes combine accommodation with care, making the condition of the premises particularly important.

CQC describes care homes as places where accommodation and personal care are provided together, with both the care and premises regulated. Nursing homes additionally provide qualified nursing care. (cqc.org.uk)

A care property management company may coordinate maintenance for:

• Resident bedrooms

• En-suite bathrooms

• Shared bathrooms

• Dining rooms

• Lounges

• Kitchens

• Treatment rooms

• Corridors

• Lifts

• Gardens

• Staff areas

• Storage areas

• External access routes

The aim is to keep the building functional while reducing avoidable disruption to residents and staff.

Planned maintenance for care property

A professional management company can create a planned maintenance schedule rather than relying entirely on reactive repairs.

This may include regular checks of:

• Roofs

• Gutters

• Drainage

• Windows

• Doors

• Heating systems

• Boilers

• Hot water

• Plumbing

• Electrical systems

• Fire alarms

• Emergency lighting

• Lifts

• Ventilation

• Security systems

• Accessibility equipment

• External areas

CQC Regulation 15 requires premises and equipment used by regulated providers to be clean, secure, suitable for their purpose, properly used and properly maintained. The guidance also calls for suitable arrangements for maintenance, renewal and replacement of premises and equipment. (cqc.org.uk)

A planned maintenance programme can help property owners anticipate expenditure and identify deterioration before it becomes a major repair.

Reactive repairs and emergency maintenance

Care properties need an effective process for dealing with urgent problems.

A management company may coordinate:

• Heating breakdowns

• Water leaks

• Electrical faults

• Drainage problems

• Roof leaks

• Broken doors

• Lock failures

• Lift breakdowns

• Bathroom problems

• Fire alarm faults

• Accessibility equipment failures

For example, if a care home loses heating during winter, the management company may need to identify a suitable contractor, arrange access, monitor the work and communicate progress to the landlord and operator.

Clear emergency procedures can help prevent confusion over who is responsible for authorising and paying for urgent works.

Property inspections

Regular inspections allow a management company to monitor the condition of the building.

A care property inspection may cover:

• External walls

• Roofs and gutters

• Windows

• Doors

• Resident bedrooms

• Bathrooms

• Communal spaces

• Kitchens

• Plant rooms

• Heating systems

• Plumbing

• Fire safety installations

• Accessibility

• Security

• Gardens and grounds

CQC guidance states that there should be regular health and safety risk assessments of premises and equipment, with appropriate action taken where improvements are required. (cqc.org.uk)

Property inspections can also provide landlords with a clearer record of the condition of their asset.

Accessibility and care property adaptations

Many care properties require accessibility features suited to the people living in or using them.

Depending on the service, these may include:

• Step-free entrances

• Ramps

• Lifts

• Handrails

• Accessible bathrooms

• Level-access showers

• Wider doorways

• Adapted bedrooms

• Accessible parking

• Suitable circulation space

• Specialist bathing facilities

CQC guidance states that people's needs should be considered when premises are designed, maintained, renovated or adapted, including making reasonable adjustments where required. (cqc.org.uk)

A care property management company should therefore understand the service and resident requirements before recommending alterations.

Fire safety and building maintenance

Fire safety is an important property management responsibility in care environments.

Depending on the property, management may involve coordinating:

• Fire alarm servicing

• Emergency lighting

• Fire doors

• Fire extinguishers

• Escape routes

• Compartmentation works

• Fire safety remedial works

• Emergency access

• Relevant maintenance records

The precise legal responsibilities depend on the building, its use and the arrangements between the landlord and care operator.

Where defects are identified, the management company can coordinate appropriate contractors and monitor the completion of remedial work.

Managing specialist care equipment

Some care properties contain specialist equipment that requires ongoing maintenance.

This can include:

• Hoists

• Specialist beds

• Patient handling equipment

• Mobility equipment

• Accessible baths

• Stairlifts

• Emergency equipment

• Specialist kitchen equipment

• Laundry equipment

The landlord and operator should establish which equipment belongs to each party and who is responsible for its maintenance and replacement.

CQC Regulation 15 also covers equipment used by regulated providers and requires it to be suitable, properly maintained, securely stored and properly used. (cqc.org.uk)

A clear responsibility schedule can prevent important maintenance tasks from being overlooked.

Supported living property management

Supported living needs to be treated differently from a traditional care home.

CQC states that supported living involves people living in their own homes while receiving care or support, with the care regulated by CQC but the accommodation generally not regulated in the same way as a care home. (cqc.org.uk)

CQC's location guidance also explains that the relevant CQC location for supported living is generally the premises from which the provider coordinates care, rather than each individual home. (cqc.org.uk)

A care property management company may therefore manage the accommodation and building while the supported living provider separately manages its regulated care service.

Refurbishment and building works

Care properties eventually require refurbishment, whether because of normal wear and tear, changing service requirements or the need to modernise the building.

A management company may coordinate:

• Bedroom refurbishment

• Bathroom upgrades

• Kitchen improvements

• Flooring

• Decoration

• Lighting

• Heating upgrades

• Accessibility works

• Communal area improvements

• Roof repairs

• External works

• Garden improvements

• Security upgrades

Where residents remain in occupation, refurbishment should be planned carefully.

Works may need to be phased to maintain safe access and minimise disruption to residents and staff.

Fraser Bond can coordinate refurbishment projects, building works and contractors as part of a wider care property management strategy.

Lease responsibilities and care property

A management company should establish who is responsible for different aspects of the building before maintenance work begins.

Depending on the lease, responsibilities may include:

• Internal repairs

• External repairs

• Structural maintenance

• Mechanical systems

• Electrical systems

• Common areas

• Grounds

• Insurance

• Compliance-related works

• Service charges

• Capital expenditure

A landlord may retain responsibility for structural repairs while the care operator deals with certain internal maintenance.

The lease should be reviewed carefully rather than relying on assumptions about who should pay for a particular repair.

Care property management for landlords

Landlords who own care homes, nursing homes or specialist care buildings may use a management company to handle day-to-day property requirements.

This can include:

• Tenant repair requests

• Planned maintenance

• Property inspections

• Contractor appointments

• Emergency repairs

• Refurbishment

• Condition reporting

• Capital expenditure planning

• Lease-related property support

For landlords with several care properties, having a consistent management process can make it easier to track maintenance requirements across the portfolio.

Care property management for investors

Investors may own care property as part of a wider commercial property portfolio.

Management considerations can include:

• Building condition

• Lease terms

• Tenant requirements

• Maintenance liabilities

• Planned capital expenditure

• Refurbishment

• Accessibility

• Property location

• Long-term maintenance

• Reletting requirements

The property should be assessed according to its specific use and lease rather than assuming that every care asset has identical management requirements.

Managing vacant care property

A vacant care home or former care property still requires active management.

Without regular inspections, vacant premises can develop problems involving:

• Damp

• Water leaks

• Pest infestations

• Security

• Vandalism

• Heating

• Drainage

• Grounds

• Building deterioration

A management company can coordinate inspections, security, utility management, maintenance and contractors while the owner decides whether to sell, refurbish, lease or redevelop the property.

Care property compliance and documentation

A professional care property management company should help maintain organised property records.

Depending on the building, these may include:

• Maintenance schedules

• Inspection reports

• Contractor records

• Fire safety documentation

• Equipment maintenance records

• Repair invoices

• Building surveys

• Warranties

• Refurbishment records

• Planning documents

• Lease information

• Compliance certificates

CQC Regulation 15 places responsibility on registered providers for premises and equipment used in regulated care, even where responsibilities are delegated to contractors or other third parties. (cqc.org.uk)

This makes clear communication between the care provider and property management company particularly important.

Care property management in London

London has a diverse care property market, ranging from small supported living houses to larger nursing homes and specialist care facilities.

A management company working across London may need to coordinate properties in areas such as:

• Kensington and Chelsea

• Westminster

• Camden

• Islington

• Hammersmith and Fulham

• Barnet

• Croydon

• Bromley

• Enfield

• Other parts of Greater London

Older London properties can present additional challenges involving restricted contractor access, ageing heating systems, outdated plumbing, electrical installations, planning restrictions and refurbishment costs.

Local knowledge and reliable contractor coordination can therefore be valuable when managing care property in London.

How to choose a management company for care property

Before appointing a care property management company, owners and operators should establish:

• What types of care property the company manages

• Whether planned maintenance is included

• How emergency repairs are handled

• How contractors are selected

• Whether refurbishment can be coordinated

• How property inspections are carried out

• How maintenance records are maintained

• How landlord and operator responsibilities are separated

• Whether vacant properties can be managed

• Whether additional property services are available

It is also useful to provide the company with the property's lease, existing maintenance records, current defects and details of the care service operating from the building.

Working with Fraser Bond

Fraser Bond supports care providers, landlords, investors and property owners with specialist property requirements across London and the UK.

Services can include:

• Care property management

• Property inspections

• Planned maintenance

• Reactive repairs

• Emergency repair coordination

• Refurbishment

• Building works

• Contractor management

• Property sourcing