Signing a Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) lease is not like renting a standard flat. It's a long-term commitment, often years, and it's your family member's home. Getting the viewing right matters.

It's easy to walk through a property and think it looks right, then realise afterwards you forgot to ask about the ceiling hoist coverage, or whether your preferred Supported Independent Living (SIL) provider is even allowed to operate there.

This SDA property viewing checklist gives you 25 questions, organised into five categories. Print it, bring it, take notes. If you're working with a support coordinator, bring them too.

How to Use This Checklist

Bring a printed copy to every viewing. Have someone take notes while you look around, because it's hard to write and inspect at the same time.

Not every property will tick every box. That's normal. But these questions will show you quickly where the gaps are, and which gaps matter most for your family member's situation.

Some questions may not have immediate answers on the day. A good provider will follow up in writing. If they can't answer most of these by the end of the viewing, that itself tells you something useful.

For more on evaluating SDA providers more broadly, see our guide on choosing an SDA provider in Victoria.

Questions About Accessibility and Design

The goal here is to confirm the property genuinely meets the participant's approved SDA design category. Not just whether it looks accessible, but whether it matches what your family member's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan actually funds.

For a deeper explanation of what each category requires, see our guide to SDA design standards. The NDIS SDA Design Standard is also worth bookmarking before you go.

1. What is the property's enrolled SDA design category? Ask to see the NDIS enrolment certificate. The property must be enrolled in the category that matches your family member's funded category: Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, Robust, or High Physical Support (HPS).

2. Are doorways wide enough for your family member's mobility equipment? For Fully Accessible and HPS properties, doorways should be at least 950mm wide. Measure if you're unsure.

3. Is there a roll-in or step-free shower? What are the dimensions? Ask for the measurements. A shower that technically qualifies under the standard may still be too small for your family member's specific needs.

4. Is there a ceiling hoist or track system, and what rooms does it cover? For HPS properties, this is essential. Coverage across the bedroom, ensuite, and living areas matters. A hoist that only covers the bedroom is a significant limitation.

5. Is there emergency backup power for medical or powered mobility equipment? HPS properties should have backup power. Ask what the system covers and how long it runs.

6. Are light switches, power points, and controls at accessible heights throughout the home? Walk through every room and check. It's easy to miss a laundry or second bathroom.

Questions About Location and Community Access

Location is one of the things we think about most at Paramount. A well-built property in the wrong suburb is harder to call home. These questions help you assess whether the location actually works for your family member and your family.

For a fuller discussion of why location matters, see our post on why proximity to family matters when choosing SDA location.

7. How far is this property from your family member's closest family? This is the question we'd always ask first. Travel time matters, not just distance. Check the actual route.

8. What accessible public transport is within walking distance? Ask specifically about trams, trains, and buses, and whether the stops are fully accessible. In Melbourne, not all stops are equal.

9. How far is the nearest hospital or medical centre, and is the route accessible? Distance alone doesn't tell you much. An inaccessible footpath or a busy road crossing can make a 600-metre walk impractical.

10. Are there accessible footpaths, kerb cuts, and crossings in the immediate neighbourhood? Walk a block from the property. It gives you a real sense of what daily life will look like.

11. What community activities, shops, or services are within easy reach? Think about what your family member values: a local park, a library, a familiar supermarket. Community access isn't a nice-to-have in SDA. It matters.

Questions About Support Arrangements

PDH provides SDA housing only. We don't offer SIL services. These questions are for you to direct at the SDA provider. Your SIL provider will also need to know the answers.

12. Does this property have On-site Overnight Assistance (OOA)? OOA means a support worker sleeps on site overnight. Ask what this looks like in practice: is there a separate staff bedroom, and where is it relative to the participant's bedroom?

13. Can your family member's preferred SIL provider operate at this property? Some properties have existing arrangements or informal preferences. Ask directly. If your family member already has a SIL provider they trust, this question is critical.

14. If it's a shared home, who else lives there and how is housemate matching done? Ask about the process. Good providers give participants real input into who they live with.

15. Is the property self-contained for the participant's SIL provider, or are there shared support worker areas? This affects how much privacy your family member and their support workers have, and how support can be practically delivered.

16. What is the relationship between the SDA provider and any SIL provider currently at this property? SDA and SIL are separate. Ask whether there is any formal arrangement or expectation. Your family member has the right to choose their own SIL provider regardless of who the SDA provider is.

Questions About the Lease and Rent

Before you sign anything, make sure you understand what you're actually agreeing to. The NDIS guide to SDA covers participant rights in detail, and it's worth reading alongside your rights as an SDA participant before the viewing.

17. What type of agreement is being offered, a Residency Agreement or a Residential Tenancy Agreement? The type of agreement affects your rights under Victorian law. Ask before you assume.

18. What is the Reasonable Rent Contribution and how is it calculated? The Reasonable Rent Contribution is set by the NDIS pricing arrangements, not by the provider. Ask for the current figure in writing. Do not rely on a verbal estimate.

19. What additional charges apply beyond rent? Utilities, shared costs, and service charges vary by property. Get a complete list in writing.

20. What is the minimum tenancy period and the notice period to exit? SDA tenancies can have longer minimum terms than standard rentals. Know what you're committing to before signing.

21. What happens if the participant's NDIS plan is reviewed or SDA funding changes? This is a question many families forget until it's too late. Ask what the provider's process is if funding changes after the tenancy starts.

Questions About Maintenance and Property Management

The maintenance questions often get forgotten at viewings. We've seen it enough times to put them at the end of the checklist as a reminder. For a full breakdown of what providers are required to do and Victorian response timeframes, see our guide on SDA maintenance responsibilities.

22. What is the process for reporting a maintenance issue? Phone, email, or app? Ask for the contact details before you leave.

23. What are the response timeframes for urgent versus non-urgent repairs? Under Victorian law, urgent repairs require a faster response than routine maintenance. Ask how the provider defines each.

24. Is there an after-hours emergency maintenance contact? Equipment failures and accessibility issues don't always happen during business hours. There should be a clear after-hours process.

25. Has the property been independently inspected for compliance with SDA design standards? This is different from the provider's own quality check. An independent compliance inspection gives you confidence the property genuinely meets the standard it's enrolled under.

Ready to View a Property?

Twenty-five questions across five areas. No property will answer every one perfectly, and that's fine. The checklist helps you understand where the gaps are so you can decide which ones matter most for your family member.

One honest note: if a provider can't answer most of these questions at the viewing, that itself is useful information.

If you'd like to view one of our properties, we're happy to walk you through it. Our homes in suburbs like Preston, Reservoir, and Fairfield are available for viewing, and we'll do our best to answer every question on this SDA property viewing checklist.

Got questions before you book a viewing? Call us on (03) 9999 7418 or email admin@paramounthomes.com.au. We're happy to talk through your situation.