PLUTA attorney Dr Ria Brüninghoff secures future of Ev. Altenzentrum Neuenkirchen gGmbH

Dr Ria Brüninghoff from PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH has achieved a long-term solution for retirement home Ev. Altenzentrum Neuenkirchen gGmbH in her capacity as provisional insolvency administrator. The purchase agreement was notarially certified last Monday. Lebenswelten Holding, owned by prop Projekte Partner GmbH (prop) and Zentrum für Sozialimmobilien (ZSI), will take over the facility and property. The business operations will be acquired effective 1 October 2026. All 73 staff members will be retained, giving them the prospect of continued employment with the new operator. The ongoing support and care of the approximately 70 senior citizens in their familiar surroundings is also assured.

On 14 July 2026, the Local Court of Osnabrück, as the competent court, ordered provisional insolvency administration for the assets of Ev. Altenzentrum Neuenkirchen gGmbH and appointed attorney Dr Ria Brüninghoff from PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH as provisional administrator. She and those in charge on the ground have, with great effort, kept the business operating since the application was filed, despite the challenging circumstances. In parallel to this, the PLUTA restructuring team (which also comprises attorney Mr Frank Schorisch and tax consultant Mr Martin Klee) has worked on a long-term solution for the facility. This has now been achieved with the conclusion of the process of securing an investor, which has been supported by management consultancy Borchers & Kollegen Managementberatung GmbH, with Ms Karolin Kwickert and Ms Julia Botschmanowski bearing primary responsibility. One element of the solution is the acquisition of the property, which is not part of the insolvency estate. The purchase of the property under a heritable building right was an important prerequisite for reaching an agreement with the investor. A large number of stakeholders collaborated with great urgency to ensure a binding solution could be implemented within the narrow window of time. Attorney Dr Lars Haverkamp from Osnabrück has been responsible for implementing the purchase agreement for the property on the foundation’s behalf.

Acquisition ensures continuity for residents

The acquisition marks the beginning of a new chapter for the retirement home. For residents, continuity is the key priority: operations will be maintained without interruption in the same facility with the same support and care structures.

“The investor solution secures the retirement home’s future and, most importantly, gives the residents, their family members and staff a sense of security. For the residents, the acquisition means that they will continue to live in their familiar surroundings and be cared for by the staff members they already know. All current employees will also be retained,” said Dr Ria Brüninghoff. At this time, 83 people are employed at the facility. A number of employees left the retirement home of their own accord during the provisional insolvency proceedings. All 73 people currently employed will be kept on by the investor. Whether additional staff will work for the new operator will depend on their personal decision.

Mr Michael Kaefer, managing director of ZSI, said, “We would especially like to thank Dr Brüninghoff, the church bodies and their representatives, the entire PLUTA team and the M&A advisors. In these challenging circumstances, all of the parties involved have worked with great dedication and commitment to secure the retirement home’s future. This constructive cooperation has allowed for the development and implementation of the continuation solution within a short space of time.”

Mr Patrick Holze, managing director of prop Projekte Partner GmbH, said, “The Melle retirement home is firmly rooted in the region and provides an important and diverse range of services for local people. We want to preserve these established structures, enable the necessary investments and, together with stakeholders, create a sustainable basis for the facilities’ future.”

Operations maintained under challenging circumstances

One important prerequisite for the successful solution was the uninterrupted operation of the retirement home since the insolvency application was filed. Nursing services and support and care offerings for residents were maintained throughout the entirety of the provisional proceedings. The provisional insolvency administrator worked closely with management and staff at the home and the relevant residential care supervision authority for this.

“Specific requirements apply to the continued operation of care facilities during insolvency proceedings. We were able to keep the facility operating reliably even under these challenging circumstances thanks to the tremendous efforts of everyone involved. I would particularly like to mention the staff members who fought to the point of exhaustion for a continuation solution, which could not have been achieved without their commitment. I would also like to thank the residential care supervision authority for its constructive collaboration in recent weeks and its focus on finding a solution. It has played an important role in helping us to stabilise the business and now achieve this long-term solution,” said Dr Ria Brüninghoff.

Lebenswelten Holding brings together business and property investments in the social infrastructure sector. The company’s shareholders are prop Projekte Partner GmbH and Zentrum für Sozialimmobilien (ZSI). prop Projekte Partner GmbH based in Hanover specialises in transactions, investments and development projects in the social infrastructure sector. The owner-managed company has extensive experience from several hundred transactions in the areas of nursing care and assisted living as well as other segments of the social real estate market. ZSI is a broker and advisor specialising in property and business transactions in the social care sector.