What were you most excited about when you moved into your first home? Was it having the space to decorate the way you liked? Or maybe you’ve got a great garden to grow your favourite fruit. Whatever it was, it’s important to make your house feel like a home – through creature comforts, testing out your green thumb or hanging up your favourite photos.
But if you have a disability, sometimes, for a house to become a home, it isn’t as much about the decorations but more about the accessibility of the four walls you live in.
And if you’re one of the 30 per cent of Aussies who call a rental property home, it can be daunting to understand your rights when modifying your home to make it more accessible.
We’re exploring what minor home modifications you could undertake in your rental property and how to work with your landlord to make the process simple and stress-free.
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ToggleWhat are minor home modifications?
Minor home modifications for people with disability are classified by the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) as:
- Straightforward, non-structural changes.
- Have a relatively low risk of major problems during or after the work is complete.
- Only affect one or two areas of your home.
- Cost less than $20,000 total.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) can fund home modifications if they help improve the accessibility and use of your home and align with the goals in your Plan. Call us today to see if we can help with minor home modifications.
You can read the NDIS home modification guidelines here.
What minor home modifications can I make?
You can make several minor modifications to your rental property to improve its accessibility. And you’ll be pleased to know many of them can be purchased from your local hardware store and installed by local tradespeople.
Some minor home modifications you could consider are:
- Grab rails
- Accessible tapware or handheld shower heads
- Weighted shower curtains
- Lever door handles
- Portable ramps
- Rails and step modifications.
The Enabled Designs team is here to help you with the planning and execution of any NDIS home modifications. Contact our team of friendly Occupational Therapists to assess your home and receive recommendations on minor home modifications.
Assistive technology and minor home modifications
We use technology to keep in touch with loved ones or watch our favourite shows, so why not use it to make our homes more accessible?
The assistive technology market is growing daily, and there are so many things you can easily use in a rental property to make it more accessible.
Some things include:
- Bathroom and shower aides
- Portable ramps
- Scooters
- Height-adjustable beds
- Specialised seating
- Technological communications devices
- Transfer and manual handling aids.
The NDIS Assistive Technology guidelines include information about how to claim assistive technology upgrades in your home as part of your NDIS package. Our team can help you with detailed reports for NDIS assistive technology claims and assessments to understand what is best for you.
What are my rights as a renter with a disability?
Each state and territory has different guidelines for renters and landlords, but renters generally have the right to make their homes accessible through minor modifications. You should always speak to your landlord before making any changes, and you can learn about your rights as a renter from your state or territory rental association.
Depending on where you call home, you might need to provide evidence to your landlord about what you are requesting to install and why it is essential to meet your accessibility requirements. Our knowledgeable team of Occupational Therapists can work with you to plan out what minor home modifications and assistive technology you need and provide the supporting documentation for landlords and the NDIS.
Contact us today to find out how we can help make your rental property feel like the accessible home you deserve.
Disclaimers
All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. Enabled Designs can consult with you regarding your individual health needs.
References:
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, New insights into the rental market, https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/detailed-methodology-information/information-papers/new-insights-rental-market#introduction, [Accessed 10 February 2024]
- NDIS, Assistive technology (equipment, technology and devices), https://fightingchance.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/10/OG-Assistive-technology-20230216-PDF-298KB.pdf, [Accessed 10 February 2024]