SIL House Rules Template and Example

What Are SIL House Rules and Why Do They Matter?

In a Supported Independent Living (SIL) home, multiple participants often share a common space with rotating support workers. House rules formalise the expectations that govern daily life — not as a control mechanism, but as a transparent agreement that protects everyone's rights, dignity, and safety.

Under the NDIS Practice Standards, registered SIL providers must demonstrate that participants are supported to exercise choice and control in their everyday lives, including how their home is managed. A well-drafted house rules document is one of the most practical ways to show an approved quality auditor that you are meeting this obligation. Without it — or with a version that reads like institutional policy rather than a lived-in agreement — providers risk non-conformances at audit and, more importantly, poor outcomes for the people they support.

What a Compliant SIL House Rules Document Must Cover

The NDIS Commission's Practice Standards (particularly the Core Module and the SIL-specific High Intensity Support Standards) do not prescribe a single house-rules format, but the following elements are expected to be addressed:

• Participant rights statement — every resident's right to privacy, dignity, and freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, consistent with the NDIS Code of Conduct.
• Shared spaces and personal space — expectations for common areas (kitchen, lounge, laundry) and acknowledgement that a participant's bedroom is their private space.
• Visitors and overnight guests — clear, non-restrictive policy that respects the participant's right to social connection while managing safety in a shared environment.
• Noise and quiet hours — agreed times that reflect the preferences of residents, not just provider convenience.
• Household contributions — cooking, cleaning, and chores framed as skill-building opportunities, not obligations imposed by staff.
• Complaints and feedback — how residents can raise concerns informally with staff or formally through the provider's complaints process, and how to contact the NDIS Commission directly.
• Restrictive practices — a clear statement that any behaviour support strategy that limits a resident's rights or freedom must be authorised under the relevant state/territory law and registered with the NDIS Commission. House rules must never inadvertently codify an unauthorised restrictive practice.
• Safety and emergency procedures — evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and medication storage expectations.
• Review process — how and when residents (or their nominees) can request a change to the house rules.

Step-by-Step: How to Develop SIL House Rules

1. Start with a blank-slate conversation, not a pre-filled template. Invite all current residents (and their support persons or guardians where appropriate) to contribute. Document their input. This co-design evidence matters at audit.
2. Draft in plain English. Avoid legal or clinical language. Where a resident communicates using AAC, Easy Read, or another format, produce the rules in that format too.
3. Cross-check against the NDIS Practice Standards Core Module. In particular, Standard 1 (Rights and Responsibilities) and Standard 2 (Governance and Operational Management) set the baseline every SIL provider must meet.
4. Screen for inadvertent restrictive practices. If a draft rule limits when a resident can leave, access the internet, or have visitors without individual behavioural justification and proper authorisation, remove or reframe it.
5. Have your Behaviour Support Practitioner review any rule that touches on behaviour management, if applicable to your cohort.
6. Obtain written acknowledgement from each resident (or their authorised representative) that they have been involved in developing the rules and understand them. Keep these records in each participant's file.
7. Schedule a review. Best practice is at least annually, or whenever a new resident moves in or a significant incident occurs.

Realistic Example: Filled-In SIL House Rules Excerpt

The following is a realistic excerpt of what a completed SIL house rules document might look like. It is for illustration only and must be adapted to the specific home and its residents.

Common Non-Conformances Auditors Find in SIL House Rules

Approved quality auditors assessing SIL providers under the NDIS Practice Standards frequently identify the following problems with house rules documentation:

• Rules written by staff alone with no evidence of resident co-design. Auditors will ask to see meeting notes, sign-off sheets, or Easy Read versions as proof.
• Blanket visitor restrictions that apply to all residents rather than being individualised and rights-respecting.
• No mention of the complaints pathway or the NDIS Commission's contact details. This is a clear gap against Standard 6 (Feedback and Complaints).
• Inadvertent restrictive practices — for example, rules stating residents must notify staff before leaving the house, with no behaviour support authorisation in place. These can constitute an unauthorised restrictive practice under the NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018.
• No review date or process, meaning the document is static and does not reflect changes in the household.
• Inaccessible format — a lengthy legal document given to residents who use Easy Read or AAC, with no alternative version provided.

Strengthened NDIS Practice Standards: What Changes in 2026

The NDIS Commission's strengthened Practice Standards framework, being progressively introduced from 2024 onwards, places greater emphasis on outcomes rather than process compliance. For SIL providers, this means auditors will not just check whether a house rules document exists — they will want to understand whether residents can describe how the rules were made, whether they feel heard, and whether the rules genuinely reflect their preferences. Documentary evidence of co-design is more important than ever.

Providers preparing for re-registration under the strengthened framework should ensure their house rules documentation forms part of a broader evidence portfolio that includes resident satisfaction surveys, meeting minutes, and records of any rules changed in response to resident feedback.

If you are building your SIL compliance documentation from scratch or reviewing it ahead of audit, the 136-document SIL compliance kit available at ndiscompliant.com.au includes a co-design house rules template, Easy Read version, and resident sign-off form aligned to the strengthened Practice Standards.