What Properties Do Care Providers Need - Understanding Property Requirements for Care Operators

Property owners who are considering leasing a house or residential building to a care provider often ask what properties care companies actually need.

There is no single property specification that works for every operator. A care home, supported living provider, domiciliary care organisation and specialist care service can all have very different requirements.

For landlords, the most useful approach is to understand the type of care service being proposed, the people who will use the property and the physical characteristics the operator requires.

Fraser Bond helps property owners assess residential and specialist properties, identify potential care operators and prepare buildings for appropriate property uses.

What Type of Properties Do Care Providers Look For?

Care providers can potentially be interested in a range of residential properties, including:

• Large family houses

• Detached and semi-detached houses

• Bungalows

• Former care homes

• Former children's homes

• Properties with multiple bedrooms

• Houses with communal living areas

• Accessible residential properties

• Purpose-built specialist accommodation

• Flats and apartment schemes

• Properties suitable for supported living

The ideal property depends heavily on the service being provided.

A provider looking for a small supported living house may prefer a conventional residential property, while a care home operator may require a larger building with sufficient bedrooms, bathrooms, communal facilities and space for staff and residents.

Large Houses

Large houses can be attractive to some care and supported living operators because they may already have several bedrooms and communal areas.

A property with four, five or six bedrooms may provide flexibility for certain specialist accommodation models.

However, the number of bedrooms alone does not determine whether a property is suitable.

Operators may also consider:

• Bedroom sizes and layouts

• Number of bathrooms

• Communal living space

• Kitchen facilities

• Garden or outdoor space

• Parking

• Accessibility

• Fire safety

• Property condition

• Location

Bungalows and Accessible Properties

Single-storey properties can be particularly useful where residents have mobility requirements.

A bungalow with level access, suitable door widths, accessible bathrooms and manageable outdoor areas may be easier to adapt than a multi-storey house.

However, accessibility requirements depend on the needs of the intended residents.

A provider should assess the property against its specific service model rather than assuming that a property is suitable simply because it is single-storey.

Properties With Multiple Bathrooms

Bathrooms can be an important consideration for care operators.

A large house with only one bathroom may require significant alterations before it can accommodate the intended residents.

Additional bathrooms or accessible facilities may therefore increase the property's potential for certain specialist uses.

CQC guidance states that premises used for regulated care should be suitable for their intended purpose, with sufficient toilets and bathrooms where relevant to the service. It also expects providers to consider people's needs when premises are designed, maintained or adapted.

Properties With Communal Areas

Some supported living and residential care arrangements require residents to have access to shared spaces.

A large living room, dining area, kitchen or communal lounge can therefore be valuable.

Communal areas can provide space for residents to socialise, eat together or participate in activities, depending on the service.

The exact requirements will depend on the provider's model and the needs of the people using the service.

Accessible Entrances and Internal Layouts

Accessibility can be an important consideration for care providers.

Depending on the residents, an operator may look for:

• Level access

• Accessible entrances

• Wider doorways

• Suitable bathroom layouts

• Space for mobility equipment

• Appropriate circulation space

• Ground-floor bedrooms

• Safe stairways

• Suitable outdoor access

CQC guidance states that premises should allow people to enter, exit and move around as easily and independently as possible, with reasonable adjustments made where necessary.

This does not mean every care property needs to meet one identical specification. The appropriate design depends on the service and residents.

Properties With Gardens and Outdoor Space

Outdoor space can also be useful.

A garden may provide residents with somewhere to relax, socialise or participate in outdoor activities.

For some services, secure outdoor space can be particularly important.

However, a garden should also be assessed for accessibility, maintenance, boundaries and safety.

Parking and Transport

Location is often just as important as the building itself.

Care providers may consider whether the property has:

• Private parking

• Space for staff vehicles

• Access to public transport

• Nearby shops

• Healthcare facilities

• Community facilities

• Employment opportunities

• Schools or colleges where relevant

CQC guidance states that providers should consider the anticipated needs of people using the service and access to relevant facilities and the local community when choosing premises.

A large property in an isolated location may therefore be less suitable than a smaller property with better access to essential services.

What Properties Do Supported Living Providers Need?

Supported living is different from a traditional care home.

CQC describes supported living services as arrangements where people live in their own homes and receive care and/or support, with the accommodation itself generally not regulated by CQC in the same way as a care home.

This means a supported living provider may be interested in ordinary residential properties rather than purpose-built care homes.

Potential properties can include:

• Houses

• Flats

• Bungalows

• Individual apartments

• HMOs where appropriate

• Small groups of residential units

• Accessible homes

The provider may then arrange support around the residents' individual needs.

What Properties Do Care Home Operators Need?

Care home operators generally have different requirements because accommodation and care are provided together.

CQC describes a care home as a place where accommodation and personal care are provided together, with both the care and premises falling within the relevant regulatory framework.

A care home operator may therefore require a property with:

• Multiple bedrooms

• Suitable bathrooms

• Communal areas

• Dining facilities

• Kitchen facilities

• Staff areas

• Storage

• Appropriate fire safety arrangements

• Suitable access and circulation

• Outdoor space

• Parking

• Space for equipment

The building may need substantial adaptation depending on its existing layout and the intended service.

Do Care Providers Need Former Care Homes?

Not necessarily.

A former care home can be attractive because it may already have features such as multiple bedrooms, communal facilities and previous specialist use.

However, a former care home should not automatically be assumed to remain suitable for a new operator.

The property's condition, planning position, layout, regulatory requirements and proposed service all need to be reviewed.

Equally, an ordinary residential house can sometimes be suitable for a specialist care or supported living use, subject to the relevant requirements and permissions.

Do Care Providers Need Properties That Are Already Refurbished?

Not always.

Some operators may prefer a property that is ready to use, while others may be willing to take a property requiring refurbishment or adaptation.

A landlord should therefore avoid carrying out expensive specialist works before understanding what the intended operator actually needs.

For example, a landlord might own a six-bedroom property in South London with only two bathrooms.

Instead of immediately converting additional rooms into bathrooms, the landlord could first speak to potential operators and establish whether their proposed service requires additional facilities and what specification they would expect.

Fraser Bond can assist with property assessment, refurbishment planning, building works and contractor coordination where improvements are required.

Do Care Providers Rent Residential Properties?

Yes, depending on the service and operating structure.

A care provider may lease a property directly, while in other arrangements a registered provider or specialist housing organisation may hold the lease and a separate care organisation delivers support.

CQC guidance specifically recognises supported living arrangements where care is managed by the care provider while people live in accommodation that is separate from the care arrangement.

Landlords should therefore establish exactly who will occupy the property, who will provide care, who will hold the lease and who will be responsible for the property's obligations.

What Should Landlords Prepare Before Approaching Care Providers?

If you own a property that you believe could suit a care operator, prepare accurate information before contacting potential tenants.

Useful information includes:

• Property address

• Number of bedrooms

• Number of bathrooms

• Floor plans

• Approximate floor area

• Parking arrangements

• Garden or outdoor space

• Accessibility features

• Current condition

• Existing planning position

• Previous use

• Asking rent or lease expectations

• Photographs

• Details of any required refurbishment

Having this information available can make it easier for an operator to decide whether the property fits its requirements.

What Do Care Providers Check Before Taking a Property?

The operator may assess much more than the number of bedrooms.

It may consider:

• Planning and permitted use

• Building condition

• Fire safety

• Electrical systems

• Heating

• Accessibility

• Bathroom facilities

• Kitchen facilities

• Location

• Transport

• Parking

• Local amenities

• Resident suitability

• Cost of adaptation

• Lease terms

CQC states that premises used for regulated care must be clean, secure, suitable for their purpose, properly maintained and appropriately located.

Where a proposed use requires planning or building work, these matters should be addressed before assuming that a property can immediately operate as a care facility. CQC's registration guidance also highlights planning consent, building regulations and landlord or mortgage lender permission as matters providers may need to evidence.

A Practical London Example

Consider a landlord with a five-bedroom detached house in North London.

The property has:

• Five bedrooms

• Three bathrooms

• A large kitchen

• Two reception rooms

• A private garden

• Off-street parking

• Good public transport connections

The landlord wants to find a care provider to lease the property.

Rather than advertising it simply as a "care property", the landlord prepares detailed property information and approaches operators whose services match the building.

One provider may consider it suitable for supported living.

Another may require additional accessibility adaptations.

A third may decide that the property does not meet its requirements.

The landlord can then compare genuine operator interest and understand what works, if any, would be required.

How Fraser Bond Can Help

If you own a residential property and want to know whether it could be suitable for a care provider, Fraser Bond can help assess the opportunity.

Depending on the project, support can include property assessment, identifying potential care and supported living operators, refurbishment planning, building works, contractor coordination, lease negotiations and property management.

The key is not simply finding a care company that wants a property. It is finding an operator whose service requirements genuinely match the building and its location.

If you own a London property with multiple bedrooms, communal areas, accessibility features or redevelopment potential, Fraser Bond can help you explore whether it could be suitable for a care or supported living operator.