Care Property Due Diligence

Oxara Consulting provides care property due diligence for care-home buyers, investors and developers assessing premises before purchase, conversion or recommissioning. A property can be structurally sound, commercially attractive and suitable for its previous use while still presenting significant barriers to regulated care. The assessment examines whether the premises can safely and practically support the proposed service, resident group and operating model before acquisition, conversion, development or recommissioning decisions are made.

Oxara provides an independent, non-invasive assessment of premises suitability and regulatory readiness, identifying building-related issues that may affect registration, operational delivery, remediation requirements, programme or transaction assumptions.

The work is director-led and is designed to complement — not duplicate — legal, surveying, valuation, financial and other technical due diligence.

Why care-property due diligence is different

Conventional property due diligence establishes matters such as ownership, condition, value, planning position and technical risk. It does not necessarily establish whether the physical environment can support the intended regulated activity in practice.

For regulated care, the building must be considered in relation to the proposed service, resident group, staffing model and day-to-day delivery of care. Layout, accessibility, clinical and support spaces, infection-prevention arrangements, security, essential systems and external access may all have regulatory and operational consequences.

The assessment therefore considers premises-related requirements relevant to regulated care, including the matters currently addressed by Regulations 12 and 15 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and the evidence relevant to CQC registration and ongoing operation.

What the assessment considers

The scope is tailored to the proposed service and property, but may include:

• bedroom dimensions, layout and suitability for the intended resident group;
• assisted bathrooms, toilets and bathing provision;
• accessibility and safe movement through the building;
• clinical and care-delivery spaces, including medicines storage and preparation;
• infection-prevention arrangements, including clean and dirty workflows where relevant;
• staff facilities, offices, nursing bases and operational support areas;
• storage capacity and secure storage arrangements;
• nurse-call, lift, access-control and other essential systems relevant to care delivery;
• security of entrances, exits and internal areas where required by the proposed service;
• dementia-supportive environmental considerations where relevant;
• natural light, ventilation and environmental suitability;
• external access, gradients, secure gardens and outdoor areas;
• observable fire-safety and means-of-escape matters within the agreed scope, while recognising that the assessment is not a fire-risk assessment;
• evidence of maintenance, testing or specialist inspection where relevant to the premises review.

How Oxara Consulting Provides Care Property Due Diligence: Premises Suitability and Regulatory Readiness for Acquisitions, Conversions, Developments and Recommissioning

The service can be scoped for different stages of a care-property decision.

Acquisition

Assessment of an existing care property before purchase, identifying premises-related regulatory and operational issues that may affect suitability, required works, transaction assumptions or post-completion planning.

Conversion or Change of Use

Assessment of an existing building proposed for regulated care, considering whether its layout, infrastructure and environment can realistically support the intended service and where adaptation or specialist assessment may be required.

Development

Review of proposed layouts or development plans from a regulated-care perspective while design decisions can still be influenced, complementing the work of architects, planners, surveyors and other appointed technical advisers.

Recommissioning

Assessment of previously operated or decommissioned care premises before return to use, identifying changes, deterioration, missing evidence or premises-related risks that may need to be addressed before the service can safely reopen or progress toward registration.

Working with the transaction and property team

Oxara accepts direct instructions from purchasers, investors, lenders, developers and prospective providers and also works alongside appointed solicitors, surveyors, valuers, architects, property consultants and other professional advisers.

Our role is to establish the care-regulatory and operational implications of the premises. Findings can inform acquisition decisions, development planning, lender or investor review, remediation planning and the wider professional due-diligence process.

Oxara does not provide legal, valuation, structural, architectural, planning or investment advice. Where a matter requires determination by another competent professional, the report identifies that requirement rather than attempting to replace that discipline.

How the assessment is undertaken

Each instruction begins with confirmation of the proposed service, resident group, purpose of the assessment and decision the work must inform. Available plans, maintenance information and other relevant premises documentation are reviewed where provided.

The on-site assessment is non-invasive and considers the premises against the agreed service model and regulatory scope. Findings distinguish observed conditions from matters that could not be verified and identify where further specialist evidence or testing is required.

The report then sets out the material findings, regulatory implications and recommended actions in a form that can be used alongside the client's other transaction or development workstreams.

Deliverables

• a structured, non-invasive on-site premises assessment against the agreed proposed service model;
• review of relevant plans and premises documentation made available for the instruction;
• identification of material premises-related regulatory and operational risks;
• clear distinction between observed findings, documentary evidence and matters that could not be verified;
• a prioritised schedule of recommended works or actions, graded according to regulatory and practical significance;
• identification of missing evidence, testing or specialist assessments required;
• commentary on matters that may affect regulatory readiness, operational use, remediation planning, programme or transaction assumptions;
• an overall professional opinion on premises suitability within the agreed scope and stated limitations.

Scope and Professional Boundaries

Care Property Due Diligence is a non-invasive regulatory and operational premises assessment. It is not a structural survey, valuation, fire-risk assessment, asbestos survey, Legionella assessment, electrical or gas inspection, lift examination, planning opinion, building-control certification or substitute for another competent specialist inspection.

Where specialist determination, testing or certification is required, the report identifies the relevant issue and recommends that appropriate evidence or competent professional advice is obtained.

The assessment provides an independent professional opinion within the agreed scope and on the evidence available. It does not guarantee CQC registration, planning approval, transaction completion, funding approval, project cost or the feasibility or cost of remedial works.

Related Operational & Regulatory Due Diligence

Care Property Due Diligence assesses the premises. It does not assess the operator's governance, staffing, clinical systems, management arrangements or regulatory history. Where those matters also require independent assessment, Oxara's separate Operational & Regulatory Due Diligence service can be scoped alongside the property work.