Frequently Asked Questions

With so much interest in the sector, there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to answer all the enquiries Lifefix receives. Supported living and children’s homes are much too complex for detailed questions to be answered properly in a quick call or email. Simple questions are answered here and in the free guide. For a proper answer to everything else, Lifefix offers paid consultations, where we take the time to properly understand your situation and give you the specific guidance you actually need. You can book one directly through the website.

It’s impossible to say. Suitability is determined by the provider and the specific group of people they support. Generally, the most wanted properties are bungalows, small blocks of flats (4–15 units, with 6–10 flats being the sweet spot), and large detached houses with 4–6 bedrooms. Least wanted are flats above commercial properties, mid-terraced houses, or properties on busy or noisy streets.

Yes. The property’s use class affects what it can legally be used for.

It depends. Most supported living homes will fall under the C3b use class. A certificate of lawfulness is required to change from C3 residential dwelling to C3b. Children’s homes must be C2.

No. Registration sits with the provider, not the landlord.

The provider is responsible for the regulated care or support delivered inside the property. The landlord has no involvement in the tenants or the support they require.

It depends. If you buy the property with the lease in place and the same provider continues running it, the registration stays the same, as the same provider is still operating in the same property. If you buy a home that was previously operated as a supported living or children’s home, or if you intend to lease it to a different provider, a new registration will be required.

Usually the local authority housing benefit team pays the provider, not the resident. The provider then pays the landlord.

You need to be comfortable leaving more capital in for the longer term. This isn’t a quick “get all your money back out,” low-deposit strategy. Be prepared to have a minimum of 30–35% deposit.

You will normally need a specialist mortgage. Some lenders may accept small supported living homes under a standard buy-to-let mortgage, but many won’t. The key is to always inform the broker or lender that the property will be used for supported living or children’s homes — if you don’t declare it, you can be guilty of mortgage fraud.

Yes. Standard landlord insurance doesn’t automatically cover a property let to a care provider or used for supported living, so always disclose the real use to your insurer. If you don’t and something goes wrong, they can refuse to pay out, and it gets logged on the industry claims database insurers check for years to come. If you have a mortgage, your lender’s interest is usually noted on the policy, so your insurer must tell them if it lapses, which can put your mortgage at risk too. Don’t try to work around this — disclose properly from the start.

Impossible to say, as with any property investment it depends on property type and location. In the north of England you might expect yields of anything from 7–15% or more, slightly less in the south.

Long-term. Stability for residents and providers is the whole point. If you need to sell before the end of your lease term, you can only sell the property with the lease in place, to another investor.

That’s what Lifefix is for. We match the property to a provider’s needs before you buy, not after.

£5,000 to source a provider for a property you already own. £8,000 to source both the provider and the property.

Yes, either sourcing a provider for a property you already hold, or sourcing both together.

Yes, that’s the £5,000 service.

Lifefix carries out an initial due diligence process, looking not only at the financial stability of the provider but their covenant, including their history of referrals and relationship with the local authority and other referral partners.