The current crisis may present challenges for landlords and tenants alike. We have provided some information below as a starting point but please note that this space is changing rapidly and we will be updating this page regularly.
The Prime Minister announced on 29th March 2020 that the States and Territories have agreed to a 6- month moratorium on at least some evictions. More details around this are yet to be announced by the States and Territories and we are expecting an announcement in the coming days. In the meantime, the Federal Government has a number of initiatives in place to support those who have lost their jobs or had their incomes severely impacted. Please refer to our article on Government Assistance for more information.
On 2 April 2020 the Queensland Government announced its Rental Grant package. This grant is only available to Queenslanders who need it the most and have exhausted all other options.
The COVID-19 Rental Grant is a one-off payment of up to 4 weeks rent (maximum of $2000) available to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic who do not have access to other financial assistance. The grant is paid directly to your lessor.
For more information and to apply, please visit the QLD Government Rental Grant website
Understandably there is concern from landlords who rely on their rental income to pay mortgages or simply cover living expenses. Some landlord’s insurance policies include rent default as standard cover while for others it is considered an optional benefit. We encourage you to refer to your insurance PDS for the terms and conditions of any rent default protection that may apply. At this stage most insurance firms are not taking on new landlord insurance policies and if landlord policy renewals are affected we will let you know.
If you are concerned about meeting your mortgage obligations, please refer to the information in our Mortgage Options section.
If you have had your rental or other sources of income significantly reduced, please refer to the information in our Government Assistance section.
If you have any questions regarding your investment property and potential impacts on your overall financial position, please contact your financial adviser. If you have more general questions about landlord’s insurance and other property options, please contact the team at Infocus Property Advisory. They work closely with our financial advice team and will make sure your adviser is updated.
*NEXT GENERATION CLIENTS* If you’ve received information from the Next Generation liquidators, Infocus has been appointed to take over the advice relationship and look after you going forward. We will send you an email with more information shortly. Rest assured, this is simply a change of financial planner and there has been no other changes made to your superannuation or investments. Our team of financial planners is looking forward to working with you. In the interim, please email hello@infocus.com.au or call (07) 5406 5000.