What Property Do I Need for a Domiciliary Care Business? A UK Property Guide

A practical guide to choosing, renting and preparing suitable office property for a domiciliary care business across London and the UK

Starting a domiciliary care business involves more than recruiting carers and finding clients. If you plan to provide regulated personal care in people's homes, you also need suitable premises from which your service can be managed.

The right property should provide a genuine operational base for your care team, allow you to manage staff and records securely, and support the requirements of your CQC registration. CQC guidance states that a domiciliary care location is generally the premises from which care delivered in people's homes is routinely planned, coordinated and managed. These premises are usually offices.

What Property Do You Need for a Domiciliary Care Business?

For most domiciliary care businesses, the appropriate property is a commercial office suitable for use as a care agency's operational base.

You do not normally need a care home or residential property because your clients receive care in their own homes. Instead, you need premises where your management and care coordination functions can be carried out effectively.

Depending on the size of your business, this could be a small office for a new agency or a larger commercial property with several rooms for established care providers.

The property should allow you to carry out activities such as:

• Managing care workers

• Planning staff rotas

• Coordinating visits

• Holding staff meetings

• Conducting supervision

• Providing staff training

• Maintaining appropriate business and care records

• Holding private meetings

• Managing the day-to-day operation of the service

CQC specifically identifies activities such as records management, staff meetings, supervision and training as examples of activities that may take place at a domiciliary care location.

What Type of Office Is Suitable?

There is no single property size or office layout that works for every domiciliary care agency.

A suitable property could be:

• A conventional commercial office

• A small business office

• An office within a managed commercial building

• A ground-floor commercial office

• A larger office suitable for an expanding care agency

• A former professional or healthcare office that can lawfully be used for your business

The important consideration is not simply how attractive the property looks. The premises need to be appropriate for the way your domiciliary care business will operate.

A small start-up agency might initially require only a few rooms, while a larger provider may need dedicated areas for management, care coordinators, meetings, training and administration.

Do You Need a Physical Office for CQC Registration?

If your domiciliary care service is being managed from a particular premises, that premises can constitute your CQC location.

CQC does not regard a virtual office as a location. It also distinguishes a genuine operational base from premises used only for receiving mail, diverting telephone calls or storing records.

This makes the distinction important when looking for property.

An address that simply gives your business a prestigious postcode may not provide the operational environment required for a regulated domiciliary care service.

Your office should be a genuine place from which your care service can be managed.

What Should the Office Contain?

The exact requirements will depend on your business model and the services you intend to provide, but a practical domiciliary care office should normally provide enough space for the core functions of the business.

Management Workspace

You need somewhere for the registered manager and other senior staff to manage the service.

This could include desks, computers, telephones, secure storage and appropriate business systems.

Care Coordination Area

Care coordinators may need to organise visits, communicate with care workers, manage changes to schedules and respond to service users.

A dedicated workspace can make these activities easier as the agency grows.

Private Meeting Space

A private room is useful for staff supervision, interviews, meetings with families and confidential discussions.

This is particularly important because care businesses regularly handle sensitive information.

Secure Records Storage

Care providers handle confidential information relating to service users and staff.

Your property should therefore support secure record management, whether records are maintained physically, electronically or through a combination of both.

Staff Training Space

Depending on the size and operating model of your business, you may want a room that can be used for staff induction, meetings and training.

A larger office can provide greater flexibility as your workforce grows.

Does the Property Need to Be in a Particular Location?

There is no universal requirement that a domiciliary care office must be located in a particular type of neighbourhood.

However, location can have a significant operational impact.

You should consider:

• The geographical area you intend to serve

• Accessibility for employees

• Public transport

• Parking

• Local road connections

• Distance between the office and service users

• Availability of suitable commercial property

• Future expansion

For example, an agency serving several London boroughs may benefit from an office with good transport connections rather than choosing premises solely because they have a prestigious address.

For a smaller provider, a practical location close to the communities being served may make recruitment, supervision and day-to-day coordination easier.

Can You Rent the Property?

Yes. Renting commercial premises is a common approach for businesses that need an operational base without purchasing property outright.

Before signing a lease, however, you should establish that the premises can lawfully be used for your intended business and that the lease gives you appropriate rights to operate from the property.

CQC requires home care applicants to provide evidence of legal occupancy. The evidence needs to show that the provider has legal permission to operate from the chosen location and include information demonstrating that the location is suitable for the proposed service.

This means the lease or other occupancy documentation should be considered as part of your CQC preparation rather than treated as a separate property issue.

What About a Serviced Office?

A serviced office can look attractive for a new care agency because it may provide flexible terms, furniture, reception facilities and meeting rooms.

However, you should not assume that every serviced office will satisfy your requirements.

CQC guidance states that temporary premises such as hotels or serviced offices used for short periods, for example for recruitment, are not locations. A provider needs a genuine premises from which the regulated activity is routinely managed.

If you are considering a serviced office, examine exactly what you are renting, how the premises will be used and whether the arrangement provides a genuine operational base for your care service.

Do You Need Planning Permission?

This depends on the property and how it is currently authorised for use.

Before committing to a property, investigate its existing planning use and whether your proposed use requires planning permission or a change of use.

You should also consider building regulations where relevant. CQC states that building control approval and planning permission are separate matters, and properties requiring building regulations approval may need the appropriate completion documentation.

This is one reason why obtaining professional property advice before signing a lease can prevent expensive problems later.

What Documents Should You Have for the Property?

Your property file should be organised before you submit your CQC application.

For a domiciliary care agency, CQC currently requires evidence of legal occupancy as part of the additional supporting documentation. Other supporting documents include a business plan and financial forecast, service user guides and a staff training plan.

Depending on the property and circumstances, you may also need relevant planning, building control, insurance and other property documentation.

The CQC application process expects providers to have their premises set up before applying.

What Property Should a New Domiciliary Care Agency Look For?

A new agency does not necessarily need a large or expensive office.

A practical starting property could include:

• Several usable workstations

• A private meeting room

• Secure storage

• Reliable internet and telephone facilities

• Staff and management workspace

• Suitable toilet facilities

• Appropriate fire safety arrangements

• Good access for staff and visitors

• A lease or occupancy arrangement that clearly permits the business use

The objective should be to find premises that are proportionate to your current operation but capable of supporting growth.

Renting an unnecessarily large office can increase overheads, while choosing premises that are too small may create problems when your staff numbers and client base increase.

Buying Property for a Domiciliary Care Business

Some established care providers may consider purchasing their operational premises rather than renting.

Buying can provide greater control over the property and potentially create a long-term business asset. However, it also involves substantially greater capital requirements and responsibility for repairs, maintenance, insurance and other property costs.

An investor or care provider considering this route should assess the property independently from the care business itself.

Questions to consider include:

• Is the location suitable for the service area?

• Is the property legally suitable for the intended use?

• Are there restrictions on the title or lease?

• Will the office accommodate future growth?

• What are the ongoing maintenance costs?

• Are alterations likely to be required?

• Does the property provide appropriate meeting and management space?

Finding Property for a Domiciliary Care Business

The most useful property search starts with a clear brief.

Before approaching landlords or property consultants, establish:

Business type: Domiciliary care or home care agency

Service area: The London boroughs, towns or wider region you intend to cover

Property type: Commercial office or other suitable operational premises

Occupancy: Rental or purchase

Space requirement: Based on your current staff and anticipated growth

Facilities: Management space, care coordination, private meetings, secure records and training

Compliance: Planning, building regulations, fire safety and legal occupancy

Budget: Rent or purchase price plus business rates, service charges, utilities and fit-out costs

This gives a property consultant a much clearer brief than simply asking for an "office for a care agency".

How Fraser Bond Can Help

Finding property for a domiciliary care business requires more than finding an available office.

Fraser Bond can assist care businesses, landlords and property investors with identifying suitable UK property, assessing premises, negotiating property arrangements and coordinating relevant property services.

For a new domiciliary care agency, the objective is to find premises that work operationally while also considering legal occupancy, planning, building condition, location and future expansion.

Whether you are looking for a domiciliary care office to rent, a care agency premises, an office suitable for CQC registration or a longer-term property investment, a clearly defined property brief can make the search considerably more efficient.

Questions to Ask Before Taking a Property

Before committing to a property, ask:

• Can the premises legally be used for my intended business?

• Does the proposed lease permit the intended use?

• Can I provide evidence of legal occupancy?

• Is the property suitable for managing domiciliary care?

• Is there sufficient space for management and care coordination?

• Can confidential records be stored securely?

• Is there suitable space for private meetings?

• Can staff training be accommodated?

• Are there any planning restrictions?

• Does the property require building work?

• Are fire safety arrangements appropriate?

• Is the location practical for my service area?

• Can the property accommodate future growth?

• What additional costs will apply beyond the rent?

Taking the time to answer these questions before signing a lease can help avoid choosing a property that looks suitable on the surface but creates operational or registration difficulties later.

Finding the Right Domiciliary Care Property

The ideal property for a domiciliary care business is not necessarily the biggest office or the cheapest commercial unit.

It should provide a genuine operational base from which your care service can be organised and managed, while offering sufficient space for staff, meetings, records, training and administration.

For providers preparing for CQC registration, the property should be secured and properly prepared before the application is submitted. CQC expects home care applicants to demonstrate that they have appropriate premises and legal permission to operate from their chosen location.

A carefully prepared property brief can help you identify suitable premises faster, compare rental or purchase opportunities more effectively and build a stronger foundation for your domiciliary care business.