You're preparing for a meeting to decide where your family member will live. That's significant. And it's easy to walk out of a provider meeting thinking "I should have asked about that."

This checklist gives you the specific questions to raise before you sign an SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) residency agreement. It's designed as a companion tool to our guide to choosing an SDA provider in Victoria, which covers the broader evaluation framework. The questions here go deeper, covering SDA-specific concerns that aren't part of a general SIL (Supported Independent Living) provider review. For the official overview of SDA from the NDIS, see the NDIS's guide to Specialist Disability Accommodation.

[IMAGE SUGGESTION: Family members sitting with a notepad at a provider meeting. Alt text: "Family reviewing SDA provider checklist questions before signing a residency agreement"]

1. Credentials and Registration

Asking about registration isn't awkward. It's the first thing any legitimate SDA provider expects. A provider who can't quickly confirm their registration status is a red flag.

1. What is your NDIS registration number, and which registration groups does it cover?
2. Can I verify your registration on the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission provider register?
3. Is this specific dwelling enrolled with the NDIA (National Disability Insurance Agency)? Can you confirm the enrolment reference?
4. How long has your organisation been operating as an SDA provider?
5. Are you an SDA-only provider, or do you also deliver SIL services? (If integrated: can my family member choose a different SIL provider?)
6. Does your organisation hold professional indemnity and public liability insurance?

What you're looking for: Prompt, confident answers. An SDA provider registration number should be readily available. The dwelling enrolment question is important because SDA funding can only be claimed for NDIA-enrolled properties.

2. What to Ask Your SDA Provider About the Property

Your family member's NDIS plan will specify an approved SDA design category: Improved Liveability, Fully Accessible, Robust, or High Physical Support. The property must match. Read more about the four SDA design categories if you need a quick refresher before the meeting.

1. Which SDA design category is this property certified to?
2. When was the design category certification issued, and has it been independently verified?
3. What specific accessibility features are included: roll-in shower, ceiling hoist, hoist tracking, emergency backup power?
4. Is assistive technology (ceiling hoist, emergency call system) included in the tenancy, or does my family member need to arrange and fund it separately?
5. What is the age and current condition of the property?
6. Are any modifications or customisations available before move-in?
7. Can we inspect the property before signing?

What you're looking for: Certification documentation you can see, not just verbal assurances. For High Physical Support homes, confirm emergency backup power is included. Assistive technology arrangements affect both cost and NDIS plan management.

3. Maintenance and Property Management

This section is worth taking seriously. For your family member, a broken ceiling hoist isn't an inconvenience: it can mean they can't get out of bed. Ask about response times in writing, not just in the meeting.

For a full picture of what SDA providers are responsible for maintaining, see our post on what SDA providers are responsible for maintaining.

1. What is your guaranteed response time for urgent repairs (hoist malfunction, lift breakdown, emergency call system failure)?
2. What is your response time for non-urgent maintenance requests?
3. Is there a 24/7 emergency contact for urgent property issues?
4. What is the process for lodging a maintenance request?
5. Who is responsible for what: where does the provider's obligation end and the resident's responsibility begin?
6. If a critical piece of accessibility equipment is out of service, what arrangements are made in the interim?

What you're looking for: A written maintenance policy and specific timeframes. Reasonable benchmarks: urgent repairs within 24 hours, non-urgent within 5-7 business days. "We'll get to it" is not an SLA.

4. Tenancy Terms and Costs

The financial and legal layer of an SDA agreement has more moving parts than a standard rental. Read through this section carefully, then read our SDA tenancy checklist covering your rights in detail before you sign anything.

1. What is the exact RRC (Reasonable Rent Contribution) amount, and does it match the figure in my family member's NDIS plan?
2. What is the bond amount (note: bond is typically 4 weeks' rent and is not covered by SDA funding; it is the participant's responsibility)?
3. What is and is not included in the rent? Are utilities (electricity, gas, water, internet) separate?
4. What notice period must the provider give to end the agreement, and what notice must my family member give?
5. Under what circumstances can the provider terminate the agreement?
6. What happens to the tenancy if my family member's SDA funding is reduced or reviewed by the NDIA?
7. Is this a Part 12A residency agreement (the SDA-specific agreement type in Victoria that carries stronger protections)?

What you're looking for: The RRC should be transparent and match NDIS plan figures. Part 12A is the agreement type to ask for in Victoria. If a provider offers only a standard residential tenancy agreement, ask why.

5. Location and Housemate Matching

Location is not a secondary concern. How far your family member lives from you affects how often you see each other. That matters.

1. How does your organisation approach location: do you prioritise a participant's preferred area, or is placement based on availability?
2. Do you have properties in [suburb/region] where our family is based?
3. If this is shared accommodation, how do you assess housemate compatibility?
4. What happens if housemate compatibility breaks down after move-in?
5. How long is a typical wait for a property in our preferred location?

What you're looking for: A provider with a genuine process for location matching, not just "we'll do our best." At Paramount Disability Homes, we focus on placing participants near their existing family networks. If location matters to your family (and it usually does), ask the hard question directly: will you work to find us something close to home, or will we be placed where there's a vacancy?

[IMAGE SUGGESTION: Map of Melbourne suburbs showing proximity between an SDA home and family home location. Alt text: "Melbourne suburb map illustrating SDA housing placement near family home locations"]

Conclusion

A good SDA provider won't hesitate when you ask these questions. They'll have answers ready, documentation available, and no discomfort with scrutiny. That's what you're looking for.

Take this list into every provider meeting. Tick off the questions as you go. If a provider sidesteps a question or can't produce documentation for their SDA provider registration, design category certification, or maintenance commitments, that's useful information.

For the broader provider comparison framework, see our guide to choosing an SDA provider in Victoria. For your legal rights once you're at the agreement stage, our SDA tenancy checklist covers your rights in detail.

Want to ask us every question on this list? We expect them. We have SDA homes available across Melbourne, including in suburbs like Preston where families are close by. Call us on (03) 9999 7418 or email admin@paramounthomes.com.au.

Eligibility and funding decisions are made by the NDIA. Speak with your support coordinator or planner for advice specific to your situation.