Home modification request

Helping people to live safely and independently in their home, with or without support, improves quality of life. DCJ assists eligible tenants and approved applicants with home modifications to support their independent living.

Who can request home modifications?

Tenants or approved housing applicants with an identified need for a disability modification can request a modified/adaptable home or to have a property modified.

What kinds of modifications are available?

Modifications can be minor or major changes.

Examples of minor modifications include:

• installing a hand held shower set
• changing to lever style taps
• strobe light smoke alarms (for tenants with hearing impairment)

Examples of major modifications include:

• widening doorways
• providing access ramps
• modifying a kitchen, bathroom or laundry

Once we receive a request for home modification/s, we will work with you and your health care professional to find the best way to meet your needs at home.

What information is needed to support my modification request?

In most cases, modifications require an occupational therapist to visit your home to professionally assess your specific needs. The occupational therapist (OT) will then prepare a written report and summary for DCJ that reflects your specific requirements.

If you require a minor modification such as lever style taps or, a handheld shower, a letter of recommendation from a relevant health professional can be forwarded to DCJ instead of an OT report.

How do I arrange an occupational therapist assessment?

Your doctor or other medical professional can refer you to an OT who will send the report and summary directly to us. In some cases, they may give the report and summary to you to send on to us.

How do we assess a request for home modifications?

DCJ’ Disability Modification Policy guides our assessment of modification requests. It considers the following factors:

• whether you will be able to sustain a successful tenancy with the requested modification
• whether your home can be physically modified to match your needs

If we decline a modification request, we will advise you why in writing.

How long do property modifications take to complete?

The time it takes to modify a property depends on the work required.

As a guide:

• minor modifications may take up to 10 working days
• major modifications may take up to 90 working days

Your local DCJ Housing office will keep you and your occupational therapist updated during this process.

What happens when the work is completed?

Once the modification is complete we will inspect the finished work.

If an occupational therapist report was used, we will confirm with the occupational therapist that it meets your needs.

What do I do if I want to request a modification?

Speak to your local DCJ Housing client service team who will advise you on the next steps.

What happens if I don’t agree with a decision?

If you are unhappy with our decision, please discuss your concerns with your local Client Service Officer. If you still disagree with the decision you may request that DCJ review its decision.

For further information, please refer to appeals and reviewing decisions.