NDIS Service Agreement Checklist: 10 Questions Before You Sign

You have spoken with a disability support provider, explained what you need and discussed a possible start date. Then the service agreement arrives. Before you sign, can you tell what a normal week will cost, what happens when a worker is unavailable, and how to change an arrangement that is not working?

Those details matter just as much as the first conversation. This NDIS service agreement checklist is for participants, families and carers arranging support in Adelaide. It focuses on the questions worth settling before services begin, so the paperwork reflects the support you actually discussed.

What is an NDIS service agreement?

A service agreement records the arrangement between you and a provider: the supports, delivery arrangements, costs and responsibilities. It is different from your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan, which sets out your funded supports. Signing an agreement does not approve a new support or increase your funding.

The NDIA recommends written service agreements. Written agreements are mandatory for Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA). Providers may also have specific documentation obligations under applicable standards or registration conditions, including certain personal-support arrangements.

For everyday use, the test is simple: could you use the agreement to check a roster, question an invoice or find the right contact when something changes?

1. What exactly am I agreeing to receive?

Look for a description of the actual work, not just a broad label such as “daily support”. Ask the provider to record the tasks you have discussed and any important limits on the service. The Commission’s service-agreement standards emphasise shared expectations and clear conditions.

For example, assistance with preparing meals and assistance with personal care are different tasks. Community access may involve another location, transport arrangements or activity costs. Ask which elements are included rather than assuming one service name covers everything.

Also check the provider’s business details. The organisation named in the agreement should be the one you expect to deliver or take responsibility for the support. Keep its contact details with your copy.

2. When, where and how often will support happen?

A useful schedule shows the proposed start date, visit length, frequency and location. Check whether the arrangement is regular, occasional or subject to separate booking confirmation.

Think about your real routine. Is the proposed morning visit early enough? Will support fit around appointments, work or family commitments? Where will a community outing start and finish?

Ask how roster changes will be communicated and whether you will have a named scheduling contact. A general promise of flexibility is less useful than knowing whom to call and how far ahead to request a change. Put any essential timing requirements in writing.

3. What is the full cost, not just the hourly rate?

Ask for a written breakdown of the agreed rate and any other proposed charges. Clarify whether different times or days change the price, and whether travel, transport, materials or other items are included or separately charged.

A provider travelling to your home is not the same arrangement as transporting you during an outing. Ask how each is recorded and charged, where applicable. Do not assume that every listed charge can be paid from your plan.

Check the current NDIS pricing guidance relevant to your support. Request an example invoice for your proposed schedule so you can see how the total is calculated. Prices and claiming rules should be explained before services begin, not after the first bill.

4. What happens if I cancel a visit?

Read the NDIS cancellation policy in the agreement and ask the provider to explain how it applies to your particular support. Clarify how much notice is required, how to give notice and when a charge may apply.

Cancelling one appointment is different from ending the whole agreement. Ask for both processes to be explained separately.

The NDIA notes that cancellation claims are subject to pricing conditions. A contract clause does not, by itself, establish that a cancellation fee can be claimed from your NDIS plan. Rather than relying on a general rule someone remembers, ask which current conditions apply to the proposed charge and how a disputed invoice will be reviewed.

5. Does the proposed schedule fit my plan and budget?

Before committing, check that the supports can be purchased in line with your plan. The NDIA’s provider guidance makes that connection clear: buying supports must match the funding in your plan.

Ask for the expected cost over the proposed agreement period, not only a weekly estimate. Include relevant variations and commitments to other providers when reviewing what remains available. Where funding periods apply, check those too.

Confirm who receives invoices and who handles payment. You may need to involve your plan manager or my NDIS contact to clarify an uncertainty. A provider’s quote should not be treated as confirmation that every cost is funded.

6. Who will provide the support, and what is the backup plan?

Ask how workers are matched to your needs, preferences and the tasks involved. For support requiring particular skills, ask how the provider checks that the allocated worker is suitably trained and competent.

Then ask what happens during sickness, leave or an unexpected absence. Who will contact you? How will an appropriate replacement learn the information needed for your support? What arrangements apply when a replacement is not immediately available?

The NDIS Commission’s continuity-of-supports standards address planning for interruptions. Discuss arrangements that reflect how much you rely on the service, rather than accepting a general assurance that someone will always be available.

7. Can I understand the agreement and have my preferences recorded?

You should not have to sign a document you cannot comfortably understand. Ask for plain-language explanations, an accessible format, an interpreter or another communication approach that works for you.

The NDIA’s guidance on making an agreement explains that you can seek help from someone you trust. You can also ask an independent advocate to support you.

Record practical preferences, such as how you like to be contacted, who may join discussions and what matters during personal support. Helping someone read an agreement is different from being authorised to sign it for them. Clarify that role rather than assuming it.

8. What information will be collected and shared?

Ask what information the provider needs, why it is needed and how it will be protected. Relevant support information may need to reach the workers involved, but that is different from giving unrestricted access to everything in your plan.

The NDIA explains that you control the plan information and permissions you share. Ask how to change those permissions when circumstances change.

Read consent forms alongside the service agreement. Clarify any request involving photographs, recordings or marketing. Before sending sensitive documents, agree on a suitable transfer method and check who will receive them. An initial enquiry should not become an unnecessary distribution of your personal information.

9. How do I raise a concern or question an invoice?

Find the complaints contact before you need it. Ask how to report a missed visit, unsuitable support, unexpected charge or concern about a worker. Check how you will receive a response and what happens if the issue remains unresolved.

You may speak with the provider first when you feel comfortable, but concerns about the quality or safety of NDIS services can also be reported to the NDIS Commission. Its contact number is 1800 035 544. In an emergency, call 000.

Keep relevant dates, messages and invoices. Clear records make it easier to explain the problem without having to reconstruct everything later.

10. How can either of us change or end the agreement?

Check the agreement’s duration, review arrangements and process for proposing changes. Ask how changes to prices, support hours or service scope will be discussed, agreed and recorded.

Read the exit terms before the start date. Understand the notice arrangements for you and the provider, what happens to outstanding invoices and how relevant information will be handed over with appropriate consent.

When changing providers, plan the transition so essential support is not left to chance. Confirm the new arrangement before the old one finishes wherever possible. Ask how the provider will help address risks if services have to stop unexpectedly.

Try the agreement against an ordinary week

Use this hypothetical example as a final check: you have a regular home visit, an outing later in the week and an appointment that may require a roster change.

Can the agreement tell you how those visits are booked, which charges may apply and whom to contact? Could you explain the arrangement to a trusted person without guessing?

Mark unclear sections and ask for written answers. Where the discussion changes the arrangement, request an updated agreement rather than relying on a separate verbal promise. Keep the final version and any agreed schedule together, with the date, so you know which document to refer to.

Discussing support with Sari Healthcare in Adelaide

Sari Healthcare lists in-home support and complex health support among its services. The NDIS Commission register lists Sari Health Care Pty Ltd as an approved registered provider, including for personal activities and community nursing care.

To discuss your needs, contact Sari Healthcare on 0458 339 628. Explain the type of assistance you are exploring, your location and preferred timing. Ask the team to confirm service suitability, current availability and proposed costs before making arrangements.

Bring this checklist to the conversation. The aim is an agreement that both sides can understand and use, not simply a completed signature page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask for changes before signing?

Yes. Discuss unclear or unsuitable terms with the provider and request a revised version where changes are agreed. Take time to understand the final arrangement and seek independent advice about terms that concern you.

Does a service agreement mean my funding is approved?

No. It records your arrangement with a provider. Supports and payments still need to be consistent with your NDIS plan and applicable rules.

Should I keep a copy?

Yes. Keep the final agreement, schedule and any later agreed changes somewhere accessible. Refer to them when checking bookings, invoices or review dates.

This article is general information, not individual legal, financial or medical advice. It does not guarantee funding or service availability. Check current NDIS guidance and seek advice relevant to your circumstances before committing to an arrangement.