Your NDIS service agreement is the most important document you have. It represents the agreement you have with a provider. 

It contains what they promise to deliver to you and anything you need to do in return. 

It includes important information about the cancellation terms and things like travel charges.

Before you sign a service agreement, here are 5 things you need to check you understand before signing it:

1. A ‘schedule of supports’.

The schedule of supports should detail what services and supports your ndis provider will provide, and their fees for the services they will provide.

It is important to know how many hours your provider thinks they will use and how much it will cost from your NDIS plan.

2. The amount of money a provider will expect to charge you

Information about how they will let you know what work they have done for you. How often will they send you an invoice or ‘statement of service’.

3. What they will charge you for phone calls, email, research

These are non 'face-to-face' items that are still billed at the same rate of service.

4. What the travel costs will be if they visit you at home or in the community

Any other costs or fees you need to know about.

5. How your provider will be paid

This will depend on whether your support coordination budget is self-managed, plan managed or agency managed.

6. Your responsibilities and your provider’s responsibilities

Information about what happens if you or your support coordinator don’t meet the agreed responsibilities.

7. Cancellation policy and cancellation fees 

Make sure you know how long you have to cancel in advance so that you are not charged. Also, make sure you know how much you will be charged if you don't cancel within the required period.

8. Information about how long the agreement goes for and how it can be changed or ended

This is very important to make sure you have the flexibility to change providers with an acceptable or no notice period.

9. Feedback and complaints process 

How can yu make a complaint if you are not happy? Be sure to praise where praise is due.

10. Whether you will need to pay Goods and Services Tax (GST) or if the service is GST-free

In almost all cases, GST is NOT payable on disability services. Providers may not be sure about this so be sure to check!