James Bovey
Imagine this: you’ve been discharged from hospital after a life-changing injury. You know you can’t return to your old home. You need a safe, functional space – often very quickly – but all your experience so far tells you that accessible homes are scarce, complex and difficult to find.
You might have family members that have tried to help, but they will have quickly realised looking for a property eats time, especially if your criteria are very specific (location, size, price…). Factor in changeable market conditions that reflect the macro-economic environment and the abundance of property you might expect to be out there often isn’t.
That’s where PLG’s property finding team steps in. We don’t just ‘look at Rightmove” and point – we provide a strategic, human-centred search built around your clinical needs, lifestyle and long-term wellbeing. Here’s how we do it.
1. Getting to Know You (and Your Team)
We meet directly with you, your family, case managers, OTs and legal professionals to truly understand clinical reality, lifestyle preferences and future goals. For example, what equipment do you need, do care providers need access and where you’d like to live. Here, our focus is on the essential collaboration needed to build a bespoke property brief and it sets us apart.
2. Research, Relationships & Off-Market Reach
There are thousands of properties out there, primarily listed in obvious places such as Zoopla, Rightmove and OnTheMarket, but tapping into agent networks is vital. It enables us to identify pre-market listings, regional contacts and properties that never reach mainstream channels. With a large team that’s been working UK-wide for 13 years, the quality of our network ensures we surface hidden opportunities and avoid oversights, often before the wider market are even aware.
3. Suitability First, Not Just Location
The immediate thought of “there are just not going to be any properties that cater for my needs” can often loom large at the start of a search, however, our expertise is in identifying opportunities that may not be obvious upon first review. A big part of the value we bring is an understanding of what’s possible with property adaptations and an immediate perspective of the kind of budget that might be required.
So, we don’t send every property for review, we filter first for accessibility suitability:
- Step-free entrances or the opportunity to adapt
- Space for wheelchairs through doorways and corridors, or for stairlifts
- Wet room potential
- Room for carers and equipment
- Therapy spaces or ceiling track needs
Sometimes, in the initial review of a property, it may not seem suitable, but if it offers both external and internal space, we can usually be creative and overcome certain constraints. And it’s not hypothetical: our property finders work alongside the wider client team to evaluate these elements clinically, not just visually.
4. Visual Access When Needed
For many clients, physical viewing isn’t possible. We act as your eyes and feet, visiting multiple properties on your behalf, filming walkthroughs, sending detailed videos and annotated photos via WhatsApp or our secure client portal. This real-time insight helps you compare, contrast and make decisions from wherever you are. It’s a valuable record of how a property really views, not just how it’s presented on property portals.
At the same time, we keep clients and stakeholders updated through written or verbal reports, including location logistics, amenities and suitability commentary.
5. Market Insight as Strategy
Our team doesn’t just search, we analyse. We monitor shifts in supply and demand, landlord sentiment on adaptations and potential legislation changes. This insight helps clients understand how future expectations might shape available options.
We also keep an eye on portal innovation. For instance, OnTheMarket now includes an ‘Accessible Features’ filter. It highlights accessible features like ramps, wet rooms, wide doorways and more in search results. It makes our groundwork even more effective, although we can’t solely rely on the information provided by agents.
6. Independent Reports That Support Decisions
During the process we can support the decision-making process by producing bespoke reports for various purposes.
- A Property Market Analysis; to identify potential budgets required against the criteria that’s been identified.
- A Property Search Review; assesses available properties within the bespoke search area that may offer potential
- A Suitability Report; detailing how a proposed purchase property may be adapted to provide suitable accommodation, lead by our RIBA Chartered Architecture team.
- A Pre-purchase Report; providing an in-depth review of all aspects of the chosen property.
Each document frames the property against your clinical brief, financial position, and legal timing so everyone involved (clients, lawyers, therapists) can make properly informed decisions.
7. Collaborative Approach & Constant Feedback
Feedback loops are critical. After every viewing or evaluation, we follow up with phone or email, gathering client reactions, revising briefs and adjusting the search as market availability or priorities change.
This flexibility is vital given market volatility, tenure timelines, funding constraints or legal updates. We don’t stick to a rigid plan if reality shifts.
8. Negotiation and Admin — Removing the Friction
Our work continues beyond viewing. We negotiate with agents, landlords, and solicitors to manage clauses around access adaptations, tenancy reinstatement, legal approvals and specialised build conditions.
Whether it’s rental or purchase, we provide full support, so you don’t have to repeat yourself, get tied up in property legalese or manage communication across multiple parties.
9. Post-Selection Follow-Through
Once a property is chosen, we remain active in discussions, planning, tenancy agreements and adaptation planning. If adaptations are required, whether for accessible bathrooms, therapy rooms or future-proofing, those factors are managed from day one into the tenancy or purchase paperwork.
10. Long-Term Vision: Not Just a House, But a Home
We find more than a roof, we aim for lifetime suitability. By focusing on equipment space, anticipated clinical progression, therapy access and location situation, we help deliver homes that evolve with your needs.
Crucially, our focus is always on independence, dignity and long-term comfort. Your living environment becomes a platform for recovery, not just a stopgap.
In Summary
Finding accessible housing isn’t about scrolling property portals, it’s about combining clinical insight, market connections, strategic negotiation and ongoing client-centred support. We’re not just finding a house. We’re experts, collaborators and, above all, advocates for our clients so you have a platform to move forward.
James Bovey, PLG Consultants
