Tropical cyclone season in Australia officially runs from 1 November to 30 April. In Townsville, that’s also the wet season, when monsoon rain can bring flooding even without a cyclone, as the city saw in February 2019. For landlords, the months before November are the time to get a rental property ready. Repairs are easier to book, insurance can be reviewed calmly, and tenants have time to prepare too.

This checklist covers what to do before, during and after a severe weather event. It’s general information. For official warnings, always follow the Bureau of Meteorology and Townsville’s local disaster dashboard.

Before the season (September and October)

The building

  • Roof and fixings. Have a qualified tradesperson check roof sheeting, screws, flashings and tie-downs, particularly on older homes built before current cyclone standards.
  • Gutters and downpipes. Clear leaves and debris so heavy rain drains away from the house instead of backing up under the roof.
  • Trees and branches. Trim branches overhanging the roof, the power line or neighbours’ property. Remove dead or damaged trees. A professional arborist is the safest option for anything large.
  • Doors, windows and screens. Check that windows latch and seal properly, roller and garage doors are secure, and any cyclone screens or shutters are in working order. Queensland’s minimum housing standards require a rental to be weatherproof, so leaks found now should be fixed now.
  • Drainage around the house. Make sure yard drains and stormwater pits aren’t blocked, and that soil or garden beds don’t direct water towards the house.
  • Sheds, carports and outdoor structures. Check their fixings. A shed or carport that comes loose in a cyclone becomes a hazard to the house and to neighbours.

Paperwork and insurance

  • Review your landlord insurance. Confirm the policy covers cyclone, storm, storm surge and flood, check the excess, and make sure the sum insured still reflects the cost of rebuilding. Insurers commonly stop issuing new cover or increasing cover once a cyclone threatens, so don’t leave this until a storm is forming.
  • Strata properties. If the home is in a body corporate, find out what the building policy covers and what falls to you as the owner.
  • Know your zone. Check whether the property is in a storm tide evacuation zone and what the flood mapping shows for the address. Townsville’s disaster dashboard and the council’s flood maps are the places to look.
  • Update contacts. Make sure your property manager has your current phone number and email, and that the tenancy agreement lists nominated repairers for emergencies.

Tenants

  • Share the basics. Tenants should know the property’s storm tide zone, where the water, gas and electricity shut-offs are, and who to call for emergency repairs.
  • Outdoor items. Most tenancy agreements expect tenants to keep the grounds tidy. Before a cyclone, outdoor furniture, pot plants, bins, toys and trampolines need to be secured or brought inside. A reminder from the property manager before the season helps.
  • Encourage contents insurance. Your landlord policy doesn’t cover the tenant’s belongings. Many tenants don’t realise that.

The Queensland Government’s Get Ready Queensland site has household emergency plans and kit lists that are worth passing on to tenants.

When a cyclone is forecast

  • Follow official warnings and evacuation advice. People’s safety comes first, and no property check is worth the risk.
  • Tenants should secure outdoor items, close cyclone screens if fitted, and follow advice about shutting off utilities.
  • Your property manager may contact tenants with reminders. Entry for non-urgent inspections should wait. Notice periods still apply to routine entry.

After the storm

Emergency repairs

Storm damage, flooding, a serious roof leak, a dangerous electrical fault or a gas leak are all emergency repairs under Queensland law. Tenants should report them straight away to the property manager or the nominated repairer in the tenancy agreement. If the tenant can’t reach either within a reasonable time, the tenant can arrange emergency repairs up to a value of four weeks’ rent, and must then be reimbursed within the timeframe the law sets. See the RTA’s guide to emergency repairs.

After a major event, trades are in heavy demand. Having your property manager already set up with reliable local trades makes a real difference to how quickly repairs happen.

If the home is unliveable

A cyclone or flood can leave a rental fully or partly unliveable. The tenancy doesn’t end automatically. Under Queensland law:

  • either the owner or the tenant can give notice ending the tenancy because the property is unliveable, within one month of the event
  • until that notice is given, the tenant remains responsible for rent, even if they’ve evacuated
  • if the property is damaged or some facilities can’t be used, the rent can be reduced by agreement, and that agreement should be put in writing.

The RTA’s guidance on unliveable properties explains the options, and its free dispute resolution service can help if the owner and tenant disagree.

Insurance claims

  • Photograph all damage before any clean-up, and keep damaged items if it’s safe to do so.
  • Contact your insurer early. After a large event, claim queues grow quickly.
  • Your entry condition report and recent routine inspection photos are valuable evidence of the property’s condition before the storm.
  • Keep receipts for emergency repairs and temporary fixes such as tarps.

Why this matters in Townsville

Every Townsville rental is in a cyclone region, but the risk isn’t the same everywhere. Beachside and low-lying suburbs such as North Ward, Bushland Beach and South Townsville include storm tide zones. Riverside suburbs such as Idalia, Rosslea and Railway Estate were heavily affected by the 2019 floods. Older timber homes in the inner suburbs need more attention to roofs and fixings than newer homes built to current standards.

Each of our suburb guides includes a note on local flood and cyclone considerations. If you’d like help preparing your rental before the season, get in touch. Pre-season checks and storm follow-up are part of how we manage properties.