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Short answer: Yes. You absolutely can choose your own NDIS housemates. It's written into the NDIS itself under "Choice and Control," it applies whether you're in SIL, SDA, ILO, or a private rental, and from 1 July 2026 the rules around it just got a whole lot stronger. If anyone has ever told you otherwise, they were either misinformed or working off a playbook from 2014.

Now here's the bit they don't tell you in the brochure: knowing your rights and being able to actually use them are two very different things. So let's talk about both.

Let Me Paint You a Picture

You're sitting in a meeting. Someone slides a printed photo of a house across the table. "There's a room available. Move-in is in three weeks. The other residents are Mark, Janelle, and Tom."

You don't know Mark, Janelle, or Tom. You haven't met them. You haven't seen the house. You don't know if Tom plays drums at 11pm or if Janelle's parrot has opinions about Trump and the Iran War.

But the pressure is on. You've been waiting eight months. Your mum has been crying about housing every Sunday. The provider says this is what's available right now.

Is that a choice? Technically yes. You can say no. Realistically? You're being asked to choose between a stranger's house and continuing to live in your old bedroom forever. Is that really choice? Feels like a hostage negotiation with extra forms.

If anything in that scenario felt familiar, you're not crazy. You're not being fussy. You're describing the experience of most NDIS participants in shared living before housemate-matching platforms existed. And it is exactly what we built Marco Polo Portal to fix.

What "Choice and Control" Actually Means

Choice and Control is the foundation of the entire NDIS. It's written into the NDIS Act 2013. It is the reason the scheme exists.

When it comes to housing, it means three things:

1. You get to choose where you live.
2. You get to choose who you live with.
3. You get to choose who supports you.

The NDIS Practice Standards back this up with two specific obligations on providers.

Outcome 1.1 says they have to put you at the centre of every decision.

Outcome 1.4 says you must have real, informed alternatives, not just a take-it-or-leave-it offer.

In plain English: a provider can't shove you in a house, get you to nod, and call that "your choice." They are legally required to show evidence that you were consulted, that compatibility was actually assessed, and that you had options. Plural. With an "s."

If they can't show that paperwork, that's a compliance problem. Their problem, not yours.

How Much Choice You Actually Get (By Housing Type)

Here's the part that nobody explains clearly. Your level of housemate choice depends on which NDIS housing pathway you're on. Some give you maximum control. Some make you fight a bit harder for it.

Traditional SIL (Group Homes)

This is the model most people picture when they hear "NDIS shared living." A provider owns or leases a house, and they fill bedrooms as they go.

Your rights here: You have to be consulted before someone new moves in. You can say no to a placement. The provider must document the compatibility assessment.

The honest truth: Waitlists and vacancy pressure mean participants often feel like they have to take what's offered. Knowing your rights changes the power dynamic. Having an alternative pathway changes it permanently.

Participant-Led SIL (a.k.a. Your Group, Your Rules)

This is the model we obsess over at Marco Polo. Instead of waiting for a provider to assemble a household for you, you and your future housemates find each other first. You form a compatible group. Then you walk up to a provider and say "here we are, support us."

Choice level: Through the roof. The provider's job becomes supporting the group you've already built. They don't get to pick your tribe. You do.

Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)

SDA funds the building itself. The bricks, the doorways, the bathroom layouts designed for high support needs. SDA and SIL are meant to be separate streams, ideally with separate providers, which is a very good thing for you because it stops anyone from holding your housing and your supports hostage at the same time.

Choice level: High, with one practical wrinkle. The pool of SDA properties is smaller, so location and design will narrow your options. But the principle still applies. You still choose. However getting funding for SDA is... well not the easiest thing to accomplish.

Individualised Living Options (ILO)

ILO is the most flexible pathway in the entire scheme. It's literally designed around the question "how do you want to live, and with whom?" You can live with chosen housemates, live with a host family, live alone with drop-in support, or build a hybrid arrangement that mixes paid supports with help from your own community.

Choice level: Maximum. ILO Stage 1 funding exists specifically to help you explore and design your living arrangement. Including who you live with. That is the actual purpose.

Does it always work? Unfortunatly no, its great in theory however family dynamics almost always get in the way

What If You're Already in a House That Isn't Working?

You're not stuck. I'm going to say that again because it's the single biggest myth I hear: you are not stuck.

If your current arrangement is broken, here's how to transtion NDIS Providers:

1. Document everything. Conflicts, conversations, incidents. Dates and times. This protects you and gives you receipts.
2. Request a household meeting and put the issue on the record with your provider.
3. Loop in your Support Coordinator about a potential change of provider.
4. Check your service agreement for the notice period (usually 14 to 28 days).
5. Quietly start a parallel search for a better-matched household. You don't have to give notice until you have somewhere to go.
6. If your provider is being dodgy, file a complaint with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. They take this stuff seriously.

Nobody can legally force you to stay in a home you don't want to live in. The barrier is almost always logistical, not legal. And logistical problems are solvable.

The 2026 Registration Change Nobody's Talking About Enough

Right, here's the news angle. From 1 July 2026, every SIL provider in Australia must be registered with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. No registration, no SIL.

Why should you care? Because registered providers are bound by the full Practice Standards, which include real, enforceable obligations around participant choice. Auditors now look at documentation showing that you were consulted about housemates. They scrutinise "closed systems" where one organisation provides your housing and your daily supports, because that setup makes it really hard for you to switch supports without losing your home.

The regulatory environment just shifted dramatically in your favour. The question is whether you'll use it. (You should use it. Use it.)

How to Actually Find Housemates You'll Like

Knowing you have the right, is one thing. Doing it is the work. Here's the pathway that actually leads to participants being happy in their homes.

Step one: Get clear on your deal-breakers.

Pets, smoking, noise, sleep schedule, early bird vs night owl, gender preferences, cultural or religious considerations, mobility access, food rules, whether you want a quiet house or a social one. Write it down. The more specific you are, the easier matching becomes. "I'm easy" is not a personality. Everyone says that. Nobody means it.

Step two: Use a platform built for this.

I know, I know, I'm biased. But here's the genuine logic: general flatmate sites are not designed for NDIS-funded shared living. They don't filter for funding compatibility, support alignment, or provider readiness. A platform like Marco Polo Portal was built specifically for this messy three-way puzzle of participants, coordinators, and providers all needing to line up.

Step three: Actually meet people before you commit.

A profile shows you maybe 20% of who someone is. Have at least two conversations. One introductory chat about life. One practical chat about how you'd actually share a kitchen. If they ghost you for two weeks during dating, they will absolutely ghost you about the recycling bin.

Step four: Form your group first, then find the house.

Don't wait for a vacancy. Build your tribe first. Walk into the provider conversation as a pre-formed group. Providers love this because it slashes their vacancy costs. You love it because you keep all the leverage. Win-win, and rare in this sector.

Step five: Lean on your Support Coordinator (and switch if they're not pulling their weight).

A good coordinator will document your housing goals, advocate for you in planning meetings, and help you navigate funding. If yours isn't actively helping you find housemates, ask them why. If the answer is unsatisfying, you are allowed to find a new one. (Yes, really.)

What Providers Are Legally Required to Document

This is the bit that gives you serious leverage if you ever need it. By law, providers must keep records of:

• Your stated housemate preferences (lifestyle, interests, support needs, deal-breakers)
• The compatibility assessment they ran before any placement
• Evidence you were given real alternatives
• Your written, informed consent
• Any concerns you raised and what was done about them

You're entitled to ask for copies. If they can't produce them, that's a compliance issue. Politely mention the words "NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission" and watch the energy in the room change.

Three Myths I Want to Bury Today

"There's a waitlist so I have to take what's offered."

‍The waitlist is for vacancies, not for your choice. The whole point of platforms like Marco Polo is that you're not stuck waiting for one specific provider's portfolio. You can be looking at hundreds of potential housemates at once.

"My support coordinator picks for me."

‍No they don't. Coordinators advocate and assist. The choice is always yours (or your nominee's, if you have one in place). If your coordinator is acting like the decision-maker, that's worth a chat.

"If I'm too fussy nobody will want me."

‍Couldn't be more wrong. Quality providers want stable, long-term tenancies. Compatible housemates equal fewer breakdowns, fewer empty rooms, and fewer 2am crisis calls. Knowing exactly what you want makes you a better prospect, not worse. Specificity is a gift to everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my parents or guardian choose my housemates for me?

‍Only if you have a formal nominee arrangement in place. And even then, the NDIS expects them to act on your preferences, not theirs. You have the right to be involved in every housing decision that affects your life.

What if I don't get along with a new housemate who moves in?

‍Raise it formally with your provider and ask for the compatibility assessment to be revisited. Persistent incompatibility is grounds to request a transition. You can also start exploring alternatives on Marco Polo without giving up your current arrangement first.

Can I live with a friend who isn't an NDIS participant?

‍Yes, especially under ILO arrangements, which are built for mixed households (participants, friends, family, host arrangements). SIL is a bit more restricted because funding is structured around shared participant supports, but it's not impossible.

Does choosing my own housemates cost more?

‍Usually the same or less. Participant-led groups have lower turnover, fewer tenancy breakdowns, and less wasted funding on transitions. Funding sits with you, not the house, so you're not paying a premium for choice.

How long does it take to find compatible housemates?

‍Coordinators using housemate-matching platforms typically see match times drop from 4 to 6 months down to 4 to 8 weeks. Filtering for compatibility from day one beats waiting for word-of-mouth and chance vacancies every time.

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Your Home, Your Call

Choosing who you live with isn't a perk. It isn't a bonus the NDIS throws in if you're lucky. It is a foundational right, backed by law, and now backed by the new 2026 registration rules.

The challenge has never been your rights. The challenge has been having the tools to actually use them. That gap is what Marco Polo Portal exists to close.

Ready to find housemates you actually like? Get started. No catch. No corporate runaround.

If you're a Support Coordinator wanting to help your participants find compatible homes faster, here's how Marco Polo works for you. If you're a SIL or ILO provider getting ready for the 2026 registration deadline, here's how we help you fill vacancies with pre-matched groups.

Your home. Your housemates. Your call. Always.

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