Repairs to Assistive Technology under the NDIS

Can I get my wheelchair repaired without needing a new plan?

Who pays for Repairs and Maintenance to Assistive Technology (AT) in the NDIS? 

Check who has responsibility for the maintenance and repair of their assistive technology. Consider these scenarios:

1. Are you leasing or hiring a piece of AT equipment?
   Generally, the equipment supplier would be responsible for fixing or replacing if necessary. The cost of this service should be included in your lease agreement. Make sure you check this when signing it.
    
2. Have you bought an item outright and now it needs repair/replacement of parts due to a manufacture malfunction?
   You have Consumer Rights that give you a warranty that puts the responsibility to repair or replace on the supplier of the goods should there be something wrong with the item you purchased. 
    
3. Have you bought an item outright and now it needs repair/replacement of parts due to wear and tear?
   You can use your Low Cost AT (previously Daily Adaptive Equipment) budget for most repairs on Low Cost, Basic Assitive Technology (Level 1) and Standard (Level 2) Assitive Technology or minor repairs for Specialised (Level 3) and Complex (Level 4) Assistive Technology. 

   The NDIA now also allocates funds for repairs and maintenance in Capital > Assistive Technology. These funds will be based on equipment type, maintenance required and potential repairs over a plan’s duration, for Specialised (Level 3) and Complex (Level 4) Assistive Technology.

   Repairs greater than $1500 will require a quote for NDIA acceptance prior to a payment request being made. 

Your Plan

Maintenance and repairs due to wear and tear are usually the purchaser's responsibility, so the participant should plan for those costs and make sure that appropriate funding is included in your plan to cover these costs. 

When factoring the cost of repairs into your plan, be sure to take into consideration the age of the AT, with more money allocated for repair of older AT.  A buffer should be added in case the AT needs more repair than expected.

Also account for the additional costs of repair of core (critical) AT. E.g. where a participant is wheelchair bound and their wheelchair breaks on a weekend, an emergency repair would be needed (at extra cost).

[Side note: The NDIS does not own a participant's equipment/AT and it does not have an equipment repair service like some state and territory equipment/AT schemes.]

MyCareSpace Resources on Assistive Technology

• Everything you need to know about Assistive Technology
• What Assistive Technology is funded by the NDIS?
• What are the different Levels of Assistive Technology?
• How do I buy Assistive Technology?
• When do I need an NDIS Assistive Technology Assessment and Quote?
• Who pays for repairs to Assistance Technology
• Replacing NDIS Assistive Technology

​Sources:

• AT Complexity Level Classification document
• NDIS Assistive Technology and Consumables Price Guide
• Providing Assistive Technology
• Choosing Assistive Technology
• Replacing Assistive Technology
• NCOSS: factors to consider when assisting participants to develop their NDIS plans
• ACC - your rights as a consumer with a disability