If you live in Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) or receive supported independent living (SIL) supports at home, a separate cleaning request needs a clear task list. The participant or authorised decision-maker should be able to choose the work. Before a new quote is accepted, check whether the same task is already included in another service, who is responsible for the property and who may approve access, changes and payment. Living in an SDA or SIL setting does not by itself approve a separate cleaning charge.
Start with the exact cleaning task
For each requested area, name the address, room, surface, cleaning action, proposed frequency or date and the participant’s priority. A participant bedroom surface, shared kitchen bench and bathroom floor may have different access and responsibility arrangements. Keep tasks separate so one uncertain item does not hold up unrelated safe work.
Answer five questions before accepting a quote
- Participant choice: has the participant or authorised decision-maker chosen this task and its priority?
- Existing support: is the same cleaning already included in a SIL roster, service agreement or another support?
- Property responsibility: is this ordinary household cleaning, or a repair, maintenance or other housing responsibility?
- Permission and access: who may allow entry to this room and share only the instructions needed for the visit?
- Funding and payment: is the task an NDIS support for this participant and in line with the plan and current rules, or does it need another payment arrangement?
If an answer is unknown, pause that task and ask the right person. Do not assume that a cleaning provider, SIL provider or housing provider has accepted responsibility just because they work at the same address.
Keep SDA, SIL and cleaning roles distinct
SDA concerns the dwelling. SIL is assistance or supervision with daily tasks to help a participant live independently. A housing provider, SIL provider and separate cleaner can therefore have different roles. Check the participant’s SIL agreement, roster and other documented supports where relevant, and ask whether the exact task or staff time is already supplied. A separate invoice should not duplicate cleaning another provider is already responsible for. Record who confirmed the answer.
Repairs, building maintenance, pest treatment, structural mould remediation, fixture replacement and damage decisions belong with the responsible housing, property or specialist party. Report a fault, leave the affected task alone and continue only with other safe, authorised cleaning. Exit cleaning that is a direct cost of meeting a tenancy agreement is generally excluded from NDIS supports. Limited transitional exceptions may apply to certain existing plans; ask your NDIS contact to check whether an exception applies before booking. Routine disability-related household cleaning around a move should be described separately and checked against the participant’s plan before booking.
Protect rooms, belongings and decisions
Identify the participant’s private room, agreed shared areas and excluded rooms. Say whose belongings may be moved and where they should be returned. Another resident’s private room or possessions are not included merely because they are nearby. For a shared surface, keep the participant’s chosen task distinct from work assigned to another person or provider.
Agree who makes cleaning decisions and who simply helps with entry. The participant or nominee, key holder, on-site contact, arrival contact, change approver and invoice contact may be different people. SIL or housing staff may let a cleaner in without authority to expand the participant’s task list or price. If a room is unavailable or the decision-maker cannot be reached, follow the last accepted scope and pause work needing fresh approval.
Support communication and privacy
Use the participant’s preferred communication method, give them time and appropriate support to make their own choices, and provide a task list in an accessible format where helpful. Share only the details needed to arrange and perform cleaning. A cleaner does not need a full NDIS plan, diagnosis history, incident file or another resident’s support information for an initial quote. Keep keys, codes, service records and invoices with authorised people.
Check NDIS funding and provider details
A proposed household task must be an NDIS support for this participant, relate to their disability support needs and fit their plan and current rules. SDA or SIL funding does not automatically pay for a separately arranged cleaner. Ask the participant’s NDIS contact, plan manager or support coordinator to confirm the task, any existing support and the correct payment route before accepting a funded quote.
NDIA-managed funding requires a registered provider for the relevant support. Plan-managed and self-managed arrangements have different provider and invoice steps. Smurfettes Service Pty Ltd is registered for Household Tasks. This confirms only that registration group. It does not approve an individual task, establish SIL or SDA service eligibility, or verify another organisation’s registration or an individual worker’s screening or qualifications. Confirm any provider-record and payment steps that apply to this participant’s plan.
Agree the quote and check delivered work
Ask for the exact tasks, exclusions, date or frequency, time or price basis, access arrangement, legal provider name, person who can approve a change and invoice contact in writing. Avoid a single vague charge for “SIL house cleaning”. A new task should go through the five questions and an updated quote before it is added. The participant or authorised decision-maker should approve the change before the affected work proceeds.
After a visit, record which agreed tasks were completed, deferred, declined or unable to proceed. Compare work actually delivered, agreed charges and authorised changes with the invoice. Ask about a duplicate, missing or unapproved item before payment. Keep only the records needed for the service and funding decision, and do not rewrite completed records when roles or agreements later change.
Review when the arrangement changes
Check responsibility and funding again if the participant moves, the SIL or housing provider changes, plan management changes or another service begins covering a task. A past decision about one task does not automatically apply to a new agreement or home.
Ask for a written cleaning proposal
Prepare the address, chosen tasks, answers to the five questions, private and shared-room permissions, access contact, preferred timing and funding contact. Call 1300 525 336 or email info@smurfettescleaningservice.net. Compare the written proposal with the participant’s existing services before accepting it. Scope, price, timing and access must be agreed before a booking is confirmed.