1A-01Preconditions
Before the application
- RegistrationThe NDIA’s provider guide says you must be registered through the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, with the SDA registration group approved, before you begin your enrolment. Sheet A-05 covers that registration.
- A finished homeYou can apply only once the home is built and complete, which the NDIA treats as the issue of a certificate of occupancy, a certificate of completion or an equivalent.
- Design certificate, new buildsFor newly built SDA, the NDIA also needs a Design Standard certificate of compliance, signed by an accredited SDA assessor who is not an employee or associate of the provider, or otherwise contracted by it. Sheet A-03 follows that certificate.
- Evidence, existing and legacy stockFor existing and legacy stock, the NDIA asks for evidence that, between 1 July 2013 and 1 December 2016, the home had a resident with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs who received disability-related supported accommodation payments, or equivalent payments, from a state or territory government.
- Documents readyThe NDIA suggests having your mandatory documents ready before you start.
2A-01Section 25(2) and (3)
What the application holds
Section 25(2) says the application must be in writing, include the information in subsection (3), and come with a written statement signed by the applicant that certifies the matters in subsection (4) and “is to the effect that the applicant has agreed to comply with the conditions of enrolment”.
| Para | Information |
|---|---|
| (a) | The SDA building type and the dwelling’s location |
| (b) | Its stock type: new build, existing stock or legacy stock |
| (c) | The SDA design category for the dwelling |
| (d) | The number of bedrooms |
| (e) | The maximum number of residents it is to be enrolled for |
| (f) | The maximum number of eligible participants it is to be enrolled for |
| (g) | The owner’s name, if the SDA provider does not own it |
| (h) | If the applicant is an eligible participant, whether they will live there |
| (i) | Whether a density restriction applies to the land, and whether enrolling the dwelling would exceed it |
| (j) | Whether complex home modifications for the dwelling have been funded or provided by the NDIS at any time after 1 December 2016 and “within the period of 10 years beginning on the day the application is made” |
| (k) | The same question for home modifications other than complex ones, after 1 December 2016 and within a period of 5 years beginning on the application day |
3A-01Section 25(4)
What the provider certifies
The signed statement certifies every one of these, in the Rules’ order.
- The dwelling is permanent.
- It is suitable to be used for SDA.
- It is to provide long-term accommodation for at least one eligible participant.
- It meets all relevant building codes, standards and laws that apply to it.
- The NDIS has not funded or provided complex home modifications for it during the period in paragraph (3)(j).
- The NDIS has not funded or provided other home modifications for it during the period in paragraph (3)(k).
- No Commonwealth, state or territory scheme unrelated to disability accommodation provides funding for it.
- It is suitable to house the maximum numbers of residents and of eligible participants in the application.
- The applicant has suitable capacity and experience to provide SDA there.
- If someone else owns it, the owner has agreed in writing that the applicant can enrol it and that the owner will not enrol it separately.
- Enrolling it would not exceed a density restriction that applies to its land.
Under subsection (5), the CEO may also require, by written notice, further information or documents the CEO reasonably requires.
4A-01Section 26
What the CEO must be satisfied of
Section 26 requires the CEO to decide whether to enrol the dwelling, and not to enrol it unless satisfied of each of the following.
- The applicant has certified the matters in subsection 25(4).
- The applicant has given any further information or documents the CEO required.
- The applicant is registered to provide SDA.
- The dwelling is suitable to house the maximum numbers of residents and of eligible participants in the application.
- For legacy stock whose construction was completed between 1 December 2016 and 31 December 2018, both: not enrolling it would mean considerable financial cost to the provider, and alternative SDA in the same area is of limited availability.
A decision not to enrol is a reviewable decision. A design certificate does not settle it either way: the NDIA says it will not enrol a home that fails the enrolment requirements, whatever certification, assessment or feedback came before.
5A-01NDIA process
After you apply
- ReviewThe NDIA checks there is enough information to decide, and asks for more if there is not.
- About 28 daysIt aims to tell you within 28 days whether the application is approved, and says it usually processes applications within 28 days of receiving a complete and correct one.
- If refusedIt sends a letter giving the reasons.
- Once enrolledKeep the home well maintained and tell the NDIA of any changes. To change the home’s characteristics, you can ask to modify the enrolment through the my NDIS provider portal.
- Handing overIf you stop managing the home, you cancel its enrolment, and a new provider applies afresh: the NDIA treats that as a new application even if the home was enrolled before.
The building type and design category the application names are on sheet A-02. The cover sheet, with the full drawing register, is sheet A-00.