Handling complaints well: a guide for NDIS providers

What is expected

The Commission says all NDIS providers are expected to have effective complaints management and resolution practices, and registered providers must have a documented complaints management and resolution system as a condition of registration. The Code of Conduct requires every provider to act promptly when someone raises a concern about the quality and safety of supports.

Your approach should be proportionate: suitable for the size of your organisation and the complexity of the supports you provide, and designed so people with disability can complain and feel safe doing so.

Prepare before a complaint arrives

Make it easy to complain. The Commission describes documented, transparent processes for submitting complaints, including the ability to complain anonymously and through platforms and languages that are accessible to participants and staff. Tell participants how to make a complaint to you and to the Commission, and train staff in what to do when one is made.

Making threats, or trying to stop someone complaining, directly or indirectly, is against the law and can result in penalties. A safe, welcoming space where people can share worries freely is the aim, not a formality.

When one arrives: the four As

The Commission points to an approach it calls the four As, because most people who complain hope for one or more of these outcomes: acknowledgment, answers, action and an apology. Acknowledge quickly that you have heard it, give a straight answer about what happened and what you will do, act on it, and apologise where an apology is due.

Two things matter most: how you respond, so that the participant feels informed, safe and involved, and how it is resolved, quickly and fairly. Keep the person who complained, and the person affected if that is someone else, involved and updated on decisions and actions.

Fairness for everyone involved

Procedural fairness means the person complaining has a reasonable opportunity to present their complaint, has it understood, and does not have it dismissed because of details that were not raised or known to you. It also applies to workers who are the subject of a complaint, who should be treated fairly as well.

Respect the person’s right to make decisions about their own life while you resolve things, and refer a complaint on when you should, for example to law enforcement where it is possible that a criminal offence has been committed.

Record it and learn from it

Record complaints and what was done, store the records privately, and review them regularly to see patterns. Feedback and complaints are among the most useful information you will get about how your service is experienced. If someone is not satisfied with how you handled it, they can take it to the NDIS Commission, so a clear record of what you did will matter. General information only; the Commission’s guidelines on effective complaint handling go further.

Frequently asked questions

What complaints process must an NDIS provider have?

All NDIS providers are expected to have effective complaints management and resolution practices, and registered providers must have a documented complaints management and resolution system as a condition of registration. The approach should be proportionate to the size of your organisation and the complexity of the supports you provide.

What are the “four As” of handling a complaint?

The Commission points to acknowledgment, answers, action and an apology, because most people who complain hope for one or more of these outcomes. Acknowledge quickly that you have heard it, give a straight answer about what happened and what you will do, act on it, and apologise where an apology is due.

Is it allowed to discourage a complaint?

No. Making threats, or trying to stop someone complaining, directly or indirectly, is against the law and can result in penalties.

What should I record about a complaint?

Record complaints and what was done, store the records privately, and review them regularly to see patterns. If someone is not satisfied with how you handled it, they can take it to the NDIS Commission, so a clear record of what you did will matter.

Keep learning

• How to become a registered NDIS provider: the steps and what to prepare: Registration is an application, an independent quality audit and a suitability assessment. Here is the sequence, what to have ready, and where the costs and delays usually sit.
• Responding to enquiries: a practical checklist for NDIS and aged care providers: An enquiry is a person asking for information, not a booking. How to reply quickly and respectfully, what to put in a first message, and how to decline well when you cannot help.
• Writing a provider profile that helps people choose you: People comparing providers want specific, checkable answers. What to put in a profile, what to keep current, and what to leave out so that your listing is honest and useful.
• Reportable incidents and incident management: what NDIS providers need to know: Incidents happen, and how you respond is what is judged. The difference between an incident and a reportable incident, the timeframes, and a simple process to build around them.

More in our NDIS updates and insights, our step-by-step guides, or the NDIS and aged care provider directory.

Official sources

• NDIS Commission: Complaints about supports and services you provide
• NDIS Commission: NDIS Code of Conduct
• NDIS Commission: Report an issue or make a complaint

Source checked 13 October 2026. Rules and guidance can change; verify current details with the responsible agency. How we write and check our guides.