Australia Weather News
People displaced by north Queensland's flood emergency could be left with nowhere to live in regions already experiencing extreme housing shortages.
Data from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) shows the state's rental market was already tightly held in the December 2024 quarter, with the vacancy rate at 1 per cent.
The Queensland government said on Wednesday 97 people from 50 households were in temporary emergency accommodation, with capacity for those numbers to increase.
More than 2,500 claims for damage in flood zones have been made, according to the Insurance Council of Australia.
REIQ chief executive Antonia Mercorella said low rental vacancy rates in north Queensland would now be exacerbated and people would become displaced.
"We are sitting at very tight vacancy rates of well below what we would classify as a healthy rental market," she said.
"When you've already got very narrow vacancy rates, an event like this is obviously devastating because it will then displace many renters and render some of those properties uninhabitable.
"Many people will have to find alternative accommodation with friends or family or having to potentially move into hotels temporarily."
REIQ classifies vacancy rates 2.5 per cent and below as "tight" and between 2.6 and 3.5 per cent as "healthy".
Ms Mercorella said amid the tight rental market, tenants may want to keep living in properties after some flood damage.
"That process needs to be very carefully managed, because obviously the property owner has to make sure they are not allowing a tenant to live in premises that do not meet the minimum conditions that are set at law," she said.
Tenants Queensland chief executive Penny Carr said the advocacy body expected the number of requests for advice to begin increasing in the coming days.
"What we find is that probably two to four days [after the emergency], that's the time people are looking for advice about their rental," she said.
Ms Carr said common issues were raised following a natural disaster, such as determining if a property was liveable.
"If a property has been inundated and it's clear that the tenant can't return, then obviously someone needs to give notice that the place is unliveable and the tenancy ends," she said.
"If it was only partly unliveable but the tenant was moving out, they'd only be responsible to clean up the areas that weren't damaged by the flood."
Ms Carr said disputes sometimes arose around whether a home was fit to live in and evidence should be gathered if properties were damaged.
"I think there are things tenants can do for themselves to protect themselves now," she said.
"Some of those things are taking evidence. If they want a rent reduction because they can't use the backyard … or they want to leave because the place is unliveable, take good evidence."
Locals still reeling
Ray White Ingham principal Marie Hubert said the region's vacancy rate had been tightly held before the floods.
"Our office vacancy rate was sitting at zero basically," she said.
"As soon as something came up it had 20 applications and was gone within the day … that was what we were faced with before.
"Now we're going to have to find places for people … it's going to be quite challenging."
Ms Hubert said the Ingham office was not yet able to operate but the team would be assessing damage as soon as possible.
"As soon as we have the means to get around without going through floodwaters, we will be assessing every property on our rent roll," she said.
"Giving feedback to those owners if there's damage or inundation, assisting with insurance claims.
"At the moment, staff can't even get to work."
Disaster relief
In the short-term, the Queensland Fire Department is planning to erect temporary accommodation in Ingham for emergency workers.
Assistant commissioner Michael O'Neil said "flexible habitats" would be taken into Ingham, where they could accommodate up to 90 people and included toilet and shower facilities.
"[The flexible habitats] are ready to be mobilised once the road is open to get in there to also help alleviate a bit of the pressure on the accommodation in the town for the emergency workers that will be going in," he said.
"They're basically self sustainable so they're not drawing on the resources of the town."
Housing Minister Sam O'Connor said help was available to renters and homeowners.
"We've got housing service centre and Qbuild staff responding on-the-ground and dozens on standby across the region ready to provide more housing help if or when it's needed," he said.
Housing assistance is available if your home has been damaged or destroyed from the floods via 13 QGOV (13 74 68) or online at www.qld.gov.au/housinghelp
Public housing tenants can call 1800 808 107 for emergency maintenance issues.
Impacted private renters can contact the Residential Tenancies Authority on 1300 366 311.
The homelessness hotline is available 24/7 on 1800 474 753.
ABC