Tenancy skills and sustainment
NDIS Capacity Building support
Building the skills to keep a tenancy going, such as paying rent on time, looking after the home and communicating with a landlord or agent.
The short answer
This support builds the skills to keep a tenancy going, such as paying rent on time, looking after a home and communicating with a landlord or agent.
About Tenancy skills and sustainment
Keeping a home takes many small skills. You need to budget for rent and bills, keep the place clean and safe, report repairs, understand a lease and get on with neighbours. If any of these are difficult, a support worker or coach can help you learn and practise.
Support is practical and tailored. A worker might help you set up a rent payment plan, learn a cleaning routine, practise talking to an agent or understand what to do if something breaks. Over time the aim is to do more yourself and to feel confident in your home.
Sustaining a tenancy is also about relationships and wellbeing. Feeling connected to your neighbourhood and having people to turn to reduce the risk of problems. Ask providers about how they support the whole picture, and how they help you get through hard times without losing your home.
Who is this service for?
People who want to build the skills to keep a tenancy going, such as paying rent on time and looking after a home.
What a typical session looks like
Tenancy skills support helps you understand and manage the everyday responsibilities of renting. A worker or trainer teaches things like paying rent on time, reading a lease, communicating with a landlord, caring for the property, understanding notices and being a good neighbour.
Sessions usually use real examples, such as your own lease or a repair request, and build practical routines. When a problem arises, such as arrears or a complaint from a neighbour, the worker helps you respond early, before it becomes a threat to the tenancy. Over time you gain confidence in managing your home.
Who delivers this support
This support is provided by housing support workers, tenancy coaches and support coordinators. Look for someone who knows local tenancy rules and treats you with respect. It helps if the worker can link you to tenants' advice services and financial counselling when needed.
How to choose a provider
- Ask how they build your skills rather than doing things for you.
- Find out how they help with budgeting and paying rent.
- Check how they help you communicate with landlords and agents.
- Ask how they respond when a problem arises.
- Ask how they help you connect with your neighbourhood.
Questions to ask a provider
- How will you teach me the skills I need as a tenant?
- Will you use my own lease and situation as examples?
- How will you help if I fall behind on rent or have a dispute?
- How do you help me communicate with my landlord or agent?
- How do you link me to advice and financial counselling?
- How will we know when I need less support?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Ignoring letters and notices from the landlord or agent.
- Falling behind on rent without speaking to anyone.
- Not reporting repairs in writing.
- Not knowing your rights when a landlord wants to enter or end the lease.
- Not asking for help until a problem becomes serious.
Getting started
- List the parts of keeping a home that are hardest.
- Talk to providers about how they can help.
- Set up simple routines for rent, cleaning and repairs.
- Review after a few months.
How it fits with the rest of your plan
Tenancy skills sit alongside housing search, daily living and financial skills. Staying in a stable home helps with every other part of life, so it is worth investing in these skills. Reviewing the support regularly shows whether you are ready for less help or need something different.
Eligibility
You can use NDIS funding for Tenancy skills and sustainment if it is included in your NDIS plan. The NDIS funds supports that are reasonable and necessary: they relate to your disability, help you pursue your goals and represent value for money. Not sure whether it is in your plan? Check your plan, or ask your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
Funding
Capacity Building supports help you build skills and independence. If Tenancy skills and sustainment is in your plan, it is normally paid from a Capacity Building budget. These budgets are usually set for particular types of support, so check which one your plan uses. Many NDIS supports have price limits, so ask providers for a quote and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. Whether your plan is managed by the NDIA, by a plan manager or by you, ask for a written quote and a service agreement before you start. If your plan is plan-managed or self-managed you can use providers who are not registered with the NDIS. If it is NDIA-managed you generally need a registered provider.
What it costs
Supports such as Tenancy skills and sustainment that are funded by the NDIS are paid at rates that follow the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits, which the NDIA reviews regularly. Many items have a maximum price, and some prices are higher in remote areas. Before you start, ask for a written quote that lists each support, the hours and the price, and check it against the current NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits on the NDIS website. A provider may charge less than a limit. If you pay privately, the provider sets its own fees. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use providers who are not registered, and those providers set their own prices.
Life skills providers on the NDIS register
13,003 NDIS providers list life skills supports on the NDIS Commission register of registered providers. A register listing shows what the register says, not who has capacity.
Providers listing life skills
- 1 Abbira Care Services - VIC; includes Fraser Rise, VIC
- 1 Care Connect - NSW; includes Manly, NSW; Rooty Hill, NSW; Rosehill, NSW
- 1 Circle Of Care - VIC; includes Pakenham, VIC
- 1 Heart Care Services - NSW; includes Orange, NSW
- 1 In Town Services - SA; includes Mansfield Park, SA
- 1 The Helpers - NSW; includes Parramatta, NSW
- 1-Care - NSW; includes Lalor Park, NSW
- 10 Plus Care - VIC; includes Camberwell, VIC
- 121 Best Care - QLD; includes Calamvale, QLD
- 121 Supports Hunter - NSW; includes Hamilton, NSW; Newcastle, NSW; Newcastle West, NSW
- 123 Community Support - NSW; includes Ermington, NSW
- 13 Care Solutions - VIC; includes Cobblebank, VIC
See all 13,003 life skills providers
Listings by state and territory
- New South Wales (4,401)
- Victoria (3,825)
- Queensland (2,354)
- South Australia (1,257)
- Western Australia (1,066)
- Northern Territory (297)
- Australian Capital Territory (283)
- Tasmania (212)
Suburbs with the most listings
- Brisbane, QLD (608)
- Melbourne, VIC (477)
- Sydney, NSW (348)
- Central Coast, NSW (282)
- Perth, WA (264)
- Blacktown, NSW (241)
- Adelaide, SA (237)
- Parramatta, NSW (234)
- Liverpool, NSW (213)
- Tarneit, VIC (198)
- Geelong, VIC (185)
- Ipswich, QLD (185)
Listings covering the most areas
- Permalink Support Services - 503 areas
- Hunter Valley Care & Assistance - 249 areas
- Nurse Next Door Canberra - 189 areas
- Huge Care - 188 areas
- Aligned Assist - 184 areas
- Amazing Procare Toowoomba - 171 areas
- Allabilities Cares - 170 areas
- Allied Horizon Disability Services - 154 areas
Checking credentials
- Check registration Search the NDIS Commission's register of registered providers to see whether a provider is registered and for which types of support. Plan-managed and self-managed participants can also use unregistered providers.
- Ask about worker screening Ask whether workers hold a current NDIS Worker Screening Check where their role requires one, and how the provider checks its workers' identity and qualifications.
- Get it in writing Ask for a written quote and a service agreement that describes the support, the prices, how to change or end it and how to make a complaint.
Regulation and safeguards
NDIS providers and their workers must follow the NDIS Code of Conduct, and registered providers are regulated by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission Regulates NDIS providers and handles complaints about the quality and safety of NDIS supports. Phone: 1800 035 544.
- National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Runs the NDIS. Contact them about your plan, your funding and eligibility. Phone: 1800 800 110.
Related services
- Therapy assistants
- Transition to further education
- Vision and orientation & mobility
- Behaviour support implementation
Frequently asked questions
What tenancy skills can I learn?
Skills such as budgeting for rent, understanding a lease, keeping a home clean and safe, and communicating with a landlord or agent.
Is this for people who already have a home?
Yes. It helps people keep their tenancy successfully, as well as those preparing to move into a new home.
Who provides tenancy skills support?
Support workers, skills coaches and some housing services. Ask about their experience.
Is this only for people at risk of losing their home?
No. It also helps people who are starting a tenancy and want to feel confident.
Can it help with neighbours?
Yes. Support can include ways to communicate and resolve issues.
What if I fall behind with rent?
Speak to your landlord or agent early and seek advice. A support worker can help.
What should I do if I cannot pay my rent on time?
Contact your landlord or agent early and seek advice from a financial counsellor or tenants' service. Acting early gives you more options.
Can a support worker talk to my landlord for me?
They can support you and help you communicate, but it is usually best that you remain in charge of decisions.
How can I learn about my tenancy rights?
Tenants' advice services publish information and can answer questions. A worker can help you find them.
Can I use my NDIS plan to pay for Tenancy skills and sustainment?
If Tenancy skills and sustainment is in your NDIS plan and is reasonable and necessary for you, then yes. Check with your planner, Local Area Coordinator or support coordinator. You can also arrange it privately.
How do I find a Tenancy skills and sustainment provider near me?
Browse providers on SolDirectory, or send a free enquiry with your location and what you need and suitable providers will review it. Then ask each one about availability, a quote and a service agreement before you decide. Details come from providers and registers, so confirm them directly.
Sources and further reading
- NDIS: how the NDIS works, plans and price limits
- NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission: find a registered provider, make a complaint
Browse the NDIS and aged care provider directory
Helpful reading
- How to choose an NDIS provider: 12 questions to ask before you commit: A practical checklist for comparing providers, from how a service fits your plan to what happens when something goes wrong.
- Registered or unregistered? What it means when you choose an NDIS provider: Registered and unregistered providers can both be legitimate, but the rules, checks and options for your plan are not the same. Here is how to think about the difference.
- How to change NDIS provider without losing support: You are allowed to change providers. A little planning means the new service is ready before the old one ends, and nothing falls through the gap.