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AUS Housing Sector

Website Accessibility for Housing Providers and Associations

Housing providers, local authority housing teams, and registered social landlords need to make their digital services accessible to all tenants and applicants. Accessibility legislation makes this not only best practice, but a legal requirement.

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Recite Me works with housing providers and associations to help create more accessible and inclusive online experiences.

Regulatory Framework

Accessibility Regulations for the Housing Sector in Australia

Housing providers in Australia should comply with Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), which recommends adherence to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). In practice, this means housing organisations should:

Comply with WCAG accessibility standards

Digital services and tenant-facing platforms should meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA, an internationally recognised standard for creating accessible websites and apps.

Regularly review and improve content

Carry out regular reviews to identify where tenants may be encountering barriers, prioritise fixes, and offer alternative routes for tasks that cannot yet be completed digitally.

Communicate about accessibility through a statement

You should publish a clear and current accessibility statement that outlines what has been tested, which areas meet the standard, and what is still being worked on.

Embed accessibility into everyday operations

Treat accessibility as an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time task. Track progress regularly and continue making improvements as services evolve.

Be prepared to act on formal requirements

Housing providers with digital services need to be accessible to everyone. Where concerns are formally raised, timely action to address them may be required.

Provide alternative ways to access services

Where digital accessibility is still a work in progress, offer alternative routes, such as phone or in-person options, so tenants can still complete tasks or access information.

How We Help

Accessibility Challenges for Housing Providers that Recite Me Can Resolve

Housing organisations across Australia serve some of the most diverse communities, including people with disabilities, older residents, and those with English as a second language. Here are the key areas to focus on, and how Recite Me can help:

Housing portals, repair reporting tools, and tenancy management systems are frequently used by people with diverse needs. But without appropriate support, some residents may struggle to access essential services. The Recite Me Assistive Toolbar provides text-to-speech, translation in over 100 languages, and display customisation, giving tenants greater control over how they interact with your digital services.

Pinpointing exactly where barriers exist across housing websites and portals can be complex, especially when working towards WCAG 2.2 AA. The Recite Me Website Accessibility Checker delivers automated scanning to highlight problem areas, while expert-led reviews provide deeper insight and practical guidance for sustained improvement.

Housing organisations publish a wide range of documents, including tenancy agreements, neighbourhood newsletters, policy guides, and repairs schedules, as PDFs or downloadable formats. These can present challenges for users of assistive technology. The Recite Me PDF Accessibility Checker and remediation tools help ensure published documents are usable for all residents.

Housing providers regularly receive complaints from residents who cannot access online services or self-service portals. Having a structured approach to reviewing and responding to this feedback matters. Recite Me can support your team in assessing reported issues and building a prioritised plan for remediation.

Demonstrating what has been tested, what improvements have been made, and where further work is planned helps build trust with tenants and meets regulatory expectations. Maintaining an up-to-date accessibility statement is a key part of this. Recite Me provides the tools and guidance housing providers need to document their accessibility work and keep information transparent and current.

Across Your Organisation

Key Roles Recite Me Supports Across Housing Organisations

In housing organisations, responsibility for digital accessibility is shared across teams. Recite Me supports the people driving this work at every level.

Digital Teams

Recite Me equips digital and IT staff with the tools to build and maintain accessibility across housing websites and tenant portals.

  • AI-powered autofixes and code suggestions
  • WCAG website scanning and monitoring
  • Long-term accessibility tracking
  • Shareable progress and compliance reports

Marketing Teams

Recite Me ensures that communications teams can produce, publish, and maintain accessible content for residents across all channels.

  • Accessible formats for newsletters and updates
  • Multilingual translation tools
  • Text-to-speech and reading aids
  • Simplified content and display options

Compliance Teams

Recite Me helps housing organisations align with WCAG standards and meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

  • Audit-ready reporting and documentation
  • Track progress against WCAG
  • Evidence for compliance audits
  • Support for accessibility statements

Our Solutions

Recite Me Accessibility Solutions for the Housing Sector

For housing providers and associations, Recite Me’s suite of tools helps deliver more accessible, inclusive digital services for every resident. Here are our most widely used solutions in the sector:

INCLUSION

Assistive Toolbar

  • Text-to-speech with over 65 voices
  • Translation software with over 100 languages
  • Styling changes for colours and fonts
  • Focus tools, such as rulers and screen masks
  • Reading aids, such as dictionaries, page summarisers, and magnifiers

Explore our Toolbar

COMPLIANCE

Web Accessibility Checker

  • Full site scanning for WCAG 2.2 violations
  • Prioritised list of accessibility fixes
  • AI-powered autofixes, code suggestions, and image alt text generation
  • Schedule future audits for long-term compliance
  • Integration with project management tools like Jira and Azure DevOps

Explore our Web Checker

DOCUMENTS

PDF Accessibility Checker

  • Full website scanning to identify inaccessible documents
  • Implement AI-powered autofixes to resolve accessibility issues
  • Remediate PDF files at scale
  • Track progress and schedule future scans
  • Compliance with accessibility standards like the DDA and WCAG

Explore our PDF checker

Customers

Housing Organisations We Work With

Recite Me partners with a wide range of housing providers, associations, and local authority housing teams across Australia to improve digital inclusion for residents.

Get Living Logo
  • Steven Ose
  • Head of Brand Experience, Get Living
Believe Housing Logo
  • Jill Ancrum
  • Communications Manager, Believe Housing

Download the Housing Accessibility Guide

Discover how to make your housing website and digital services accessible for every resident.

Resolving digital barriers

Website build tips

How Recite Me helps

Download Housing Accessibility Guide Now

Housing Accessibility FAQs

Housing providers and associations in Australia are not legally obliged to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. However, by adhering to WCAG standards, you can future-proof your website against changes in legislation.

An accessibility checker is an important starting point, but it does not make a site fully accessible on its own. Human review and intervention is still needed to understand and resolve the issues identified by automated scanning.

Yes. Documents such as tenancy agreements, policy guides, and repair schedules should be accessible so that all residents, including those who use assistive technology, can read and understand them.

Accessibility statements are an important way to communicate what has been tested, what works well, and what improvements are still in progress. They demonstrate a commitment to inclusion and help build trust with residents.

No, automated tools detect certain technical issues but cannot replace a comprehensive accessibility programme. Design, content clarity, and user experience all require human input and testing alongside any tooling.

Accessibility reviews should take place regularly, particularly after significant website changes or new service launches. Many organisations also carry out scheduled checks at least once per year to keep their compliance up to date.