Property Management for Care Operators: Managing UK Care Property Effectively

A practical guide for care providers and operators managing care homes, nursing homes and specialist care properties across London and the UK

Property management for care operators involves much more than arranging occasional repairs. For a care provider, the condition, accessibility and reliability of the property can directly affect day-to-day operations and the environment in which residents receive care.

Care operators may occupy care homes, nursing homes, specialist residential properties, rehabilitation facilities or other healthcare-related premises. Depending on the lease and operating model, the provider may be responsible for some or all of the property's maintenance, while a landlord may retain responsibility for structural repairs or major works.

CQC currently classifies care homes with and without nursing as services where accommodation and personal care are provided together, and both the care and premises are regulated.

What does property management for care operators involve?

Property management for care operators is the process of maintaining and managing the physical property used to deliver care.

It can cover:

• Care homes

• Nursing homes

• Residential care homes

• Dementia care facilities

• Specialist disability care properties

• Mental health care properties

• Learning disability services

• Physical disability care homes

• Acquired brain injury facilities

• Rehabilitation properties

• Specialist supported living arrangements

Depending on the operator's agreement with the landlord, property management can include:

• Planned maintenance

• Reactive repairs

• Building inspections

• Heating and hot water

• Plumbing

• Electrical systems

• Fire safety systems

• Accessibility

• Grounds maintenance

• Security

• Refurbishment

• Contractor management

• Building compliance documentation

• Capital works

The precise division of responsibility should be established through the lease, management agreement and applicable regulatory requirements.

Start by understanding the lease

Before arranging property works, a care operator should establish exactly what it is responsible for.

A lease may place responsibility for different parts of the building on the operator or landlord.

Important areas to review include:

• Internal repairs

• Structural repairs

• Roof maintenance

• Windows and external doors

• Heating systems

• Electrical installations

• Plumbing

• Fire safety systems

• Decoration

• Grounds

• Accessibility adaptations

• Specialist equipment

• Insurance

• Service charges

• Major works

• Dilapidations

• Alterations

A clear understanding of these obligations helps prevent delays when something goes wrong.

For example, an operator should know whether a failed boiler is its responsibility to repair, a landlord responsibility, or covered by an existing maintenance contract.

Planned maintenance for care properties

Care operators should not rely entirely on reactive maintenance.

A planned maintenance programme allows the operator to identify potential problems before they become disruptive or expensive.

A care property maintenance schedule can include:

• Boiler servicing

• Heating system inspections

• Electrical checks

• Plumbing inspections

• Drainage

• Roof inspections

• Gutter cleaning

• Windows and doors

• Flooring

• Bathrooms

• Kitchens

• Fire alarm systems

• Emergency lighting

• Lifts

• 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. It also requires suitable arrangements for maintenance, renewal and replacement.

CQC also makes clear that registered providers retain legal responsibility for their regulatory obligations even when they delegate maintenance or other work to contractors.

Respond quickly to care property repairs

A property problem can have a greater operational impact in a care setting than in a conventional commercial building.

Examples include:

• Heating failure

• Loss of hot water

• Water leaks

• Electrical faults

• Drainage problems

• Roof leaks

• Lift breakdowns

• Fire alarm faults

• Damaged flooring

• Broken doors

• Plumbing failures

A care operator should have a clear system for reporting, prioritising and resolving repairs.

Emergency issues should be escalated immediately, while routine maintenance can be incorporated into a planned schedule.

The objective is to minimise disruption to residents, staff and care operations while keeping the building functional.

Manage contractors experienced in care environments

Care properties often require specialist contractors.

Depending on the building, this may include:

• Electricians

• Plumbers

• Heating engineers

• Fire safety contractors

• Lift engineers

• Roofers

• Builders

• Accessibility specialists

• Drainage contractors

• Locksmiths

• Grounds maintenance providers

• Pest control contractors

Contractors should understand that the property is an occupied care environment.

Works may need to be scheduled around:

• Residents' routines

• Medication rounds

• Meals

• Personal care

• Staff availability

• Visiting arrangements

• Infection control requirements

• Safeguarding considerations

For larger projects, the operator may also need to coordinate access, risk assessments and temporary arrangements.

Maintain bedrooms and resident accommodation

Bedrooms are a central part of a care property and should be maintained to an appropriate standard.

Operators should monitor:

• Flooring

• Walls and decoration

• Windows

• Doors

• Lighting

• Heating

• Ventilation

• En-suite bathrooms

• Accessibility

• Furniture

• Privacy

• General condition

The requirements will vary according to the type of service.

A dementia care home, for example, may have different environmental considerations from a general residential care home or a specialist physical disability facility.

Look after communal and specialist areas

Care properties often contain spaces that do not exist in ordinary residential buildings.

These may include:

• Dining rooms

• Lounges

• Therapy rooms

• Treatment rooms

• Activity rooms

• Quiet rooms

• Consultation rooms

• Staff areas

• Commercial kitchens

• Laundry facilities

• Storage areas

• Accessible bathrooms

These areas should form part of the property inspection and maintenance programme.

Where equipment or facilities are essential to delivering care, operators should also maintain appropriate servicing and replacement arrangements.

Accessibility should be part of property management

Care operators may manage buildings containing specialist accessibility features.

These can include:

• Ramps

• Level-access entrances

• Wide doorways

• Wet rooms

• Accessible bathrooms

• Grab rails

• Stairlifts

• Passenger lifts

• Platform lifts

• Accessible kitchens

• Specialist flooring

• Accessible parking

CQC Regulation 15 guidance states that people's needs should be considered when premises are designed, maintained, renovated or adapted, including making reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities where required.

Care operators should therefore include accessibility within routine property inspections rather than treating adaptations as a one-off installation.

Keep property compliance records organised

Good property management depends on reliable documentation.

Care operators should maintain records covering relevant:

• Maintenance visits

• Repairs

• Building inspections

• Fire safety works

• Equipment servicing

• Electrical inspections

• Heating maintenance

• Lift servicing

• Contractor information

• Building surveys

• Insurance

• Warranties

• Refurbishment

• Accessibility adaptations

• Major works

CQC states that premises should be subject to regular health and safety risk assessments and that identified improvements should be acted on without delay.

Organised records can also make it easier to demonstrate that maintenance arrangements are being actively managed.

Refurbishing property for care operations

Care operators may need to refurbish an existing property when taking over a building, expanding the service or modernising an established facility.

Potential works can include:

• Bedroom refurbishment

• Bathroom upgrades

• Wet room installation

• Kitchen refurbishment

• Flooring

• Decoration

• Heating upgrades

• Electrical works

• Accessibility improvements

• Fire safety upgrades

• Window replacement

• Roof repairs

• External works

• Garden improvements

Before starting significant works, operators should establish whether landlord consent, planning permission, building control approval or other professional advice is required.

Managing a property when taking over a care service

A new care operator taking over an existing property should carry out a detailed property assessment before assuming full operational responsibility.

This can include:

• Reviewing the lease

• Inspecting the building

• Identifying outstanding repairs

• Reviewing maintenance contracts

• Checking equipment schedules

• Reviewing fire safety documentation

• Assessing accessibility

• Reviewing previous refurbishment

• Identifying immediate capital expenditure

• Establishing landlord responsibilities

A property condition survey can help distinguish urgent defects from longer-term improvement projects.

Managing care property when changing landlords or premises

Care operators may also need property management support when relocating or taking on additional premises.

Before committing to a property, the operator should consider:

• Location

• Building size

• Bedroom capacity

• Accessibility

• Communal areas

• Parking

• Outdoor space

• Planning position

• Building condition

• Fire safety

• Refurbishment requirements

• Lease terms

• Future expansion

CQC's location guidance distinguishes between different types of regulated services and locations. For care homes, a location can be the place where people live and receive care or treatment; for supported living and some other services, the registered location can instead be the premises from which care is organised or managed.

This makes it important for operators to assess the proposed property against the specific service model rather than assuming every care-related property is regulated in the same way.

Managing vacant care property

Care operators may sometimes have a property that becomes temporarily vacant during refurbishment, relocation or a change of service.

Vacant care properties still require active management.

Potential problems include:

• Damp

• Water leaks

• Heating failures

• Pest activity

• Vandalism

• Security problems

• Deterioration

• Drainage issues

• External maintenance

A vacant property should be inspected regularly and maintained in accordance with the lease, insurance requirements and planned future use.

The vacancy can also provide an opportunity to complete refurbishment before the next service begins operating.

Budget for long-term property costs

Care operators should consider property expenditure beyond immediate repairs.

A long-term maintenance budget may need to account for:

• Roof replacement

• Boiler replacement

• Heating upgrades

• Electrical upgrades

• Lift replacement

• Bathroom refurbishment

• Kitchen refurbishment

• Window replacement

• Accessibility improvements

• Fire safety upgrades

• External refurbishment

• Drainage works

CQC guidance says providers should have suitable arrangements and maintenance budgets for buildings, equipment and mechanical, engineering and electrical systems.

A planned capital expenditure programme can therefore help operators avoid being caught unprepared by major building works.

Property management for care operators in London

London care properties can present additional property management considerations because the sector operates across a wide variety of buildings.

A care facility may occupy:

• A converted Victorian or Edwardian property

• A purpose-built care home

• A large detached house

• A former healthcare facility

• A specialist residential building

• A modern apartment-based scheme

Older London buildings can require particular attention to:

• Damp

• Roof condition

• Drainage

• Heating

• Electrical systems

• Accessibility

• Fire safety

• Windows

• Structural alterations

Location can also affect contractor availability, parking, access and the cost of carrying out major works.

Working with a professional property management company

A professional property management company can help care operators coordinate the physical property while the operator concentrates on delivering its care service.

Services may include:

• Property inspections

• Planned maintenance

• Reactive repairs

• Emergency response

• Contractor coordination

• Building surveys

• Refurbishment

• Building works

• Maintenance budgeting

• Capital expenditure planning

• Property documentation

• Landlord liaison

• Vacant property management

This can be particularly useful for operators managing several care properties across different locations.

Working with Fraser Bond

Fraser Bond supports care operators, landlords and investors with specialist UK property requirements.

For care operators, services can include:

• Care property management

• Property inspections

• Maintenance coordination

• Contractor management

• Building repairs

• Refurbishment planning

• Building works

• Property sourcing

• Acquisition support

• Investment assessment

• Development consultancy

• Landlord liaison

Whether an operator manages one care home or a larger portfolio, professional property management can provide a structured approach to maintaining buildings, coordinating contractors and planning future works.

Managing care property effectively

Property management for care operators should be treated as an ongoing part of running a specialist care service rather than an occasional maintenance task.

Operators need to understand their lease obligations, maintain appropriate property records, plan maintenance, respond quickly to repairs and budget for future capital expenditure.

The physical environment also needs to reflect the needs of the people using the service. CQC's current guidance places requirements on relevant premises and equipment used by regulated providers, including suitability, maintenance, security and appropriate use.

Fraser Bond can support care operators across London and the UK with property management, maintenance