Every storm season, South East Queensland cops gusts that flatten fences. If yours has just come down, you have three questions: who pays, will insurance help, and how fast can it be fixed? Short version: costs are still split half-half, insurance depends on your policy, and the quickest rebuild is often bolt-together panels you fit yourself.
The quick answer
Storm damage is nobody’s fault, so Queensland’s normal 50/50 dividing fence rule still applies.
If urgent work is needed and it is impracticable to give notice first, you can act and recover half afterwards.
Home policies often cover fences with limits and wear exclusions: check your PDS and weigh excess against half-share.
After a big storm installers book out: supply-only panels from Slacks Creek let you rebuild sooner.
The first 48 hours after the storm
Before anyone talks money, get the first two days right:
Safety first. If the fence is tangled with powerlines, stay clear and call your electricity distributor. Panels under a fallen tree can be under tension: take care.
Photograph everything before you move anything. Wide shots, close-ups of snapped posts, and whatever brought the fence down: for your insurer and your neighbour.
Make it safe, not perfect. Star pickets and barrier mesh keep pets in. Keep receipts: make-safe costs can form part of a claim or contribution discussion.
Talk to your neighbour early. Most storm-damaged fences are sorted with a friendly chat; the process below is for when it stalls.
Who pays? The 50/50 rule still applies after a storm
The starting point in Queensland: adjoining owners each contribute equally to a “sufficient dividing fence” under the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011. A storm does not change that: the cost only shifts wholly to an owner who damaged the fence deliberately or negligently. Wind and hail are nobody’s fault, so half-each holds.
One catch: your neighbour’s half is assessed against a like-for-like replacement. Basic timber paling blew over but you want 1.8 m aluminium slat? They generally only owe half of a sufficient equivalent: the upgrade gap is yours.
Unless it is genuinely urgent (next section), the formal route is a Notice to Contribute with quotes attached: our step-by-step Notice to Contribute guide covers the process. No agreement within one month? Either owner can apply to QCAT within two months of the notice.
Urgent fencing work: when you can act first and recover half later
The Act anticipates storms: you can repair first and sort the money out second: but only when all three conditions are met:
All or part of the dividing fence has been damaged or destroyed;
In the circumstances, urgent fencing work is required: a dog that can reach the street, a yard suddenly open to the world; and
It is impracticable to give your neighbour a notice first: they are away, uncontactable, or dealing with the same storm.
If that is you, do the urgent work, then give a notice to contribute for urgent fencing work as soon as possible, setting out why it was urgent, what was done and the cost. No agreement within a month? Either owner may apply to QCAT within two months. Two tips: claim half of a like-for-like standard only, and keep every photo, quote and receipt.
The insurance angle: check the PDS, then do the maths
Most home building policies include some fence cover, but the detail lives in your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). Common wrinkles: caps on fencing amounts, exclusions for pre-existing wear such as rotten posts, shared-fence clauses that pay only your half, and gates treated differently from panels.
Before you lodge, do the excess-versus-half-share maths. Say a shared 15-metre run costs $2,800 to replace: your half is $1,400. If your excess is $1,000, a claim might only recover a few hundred dollars: before any policy limits. Sometimes claiming is worthwhile; sometimes paying your half is simpler. Only your PDS and insurer can tell you which, so notify them early.
The SEQ reality: after a big storm, installers book out
After a major storm cell, contractors from Brisbane to the Gold Coast book out for weeks. Meanwhile the dog is on a lead in its own backyard.
A supply-only rebuild flips that timeline. Our aluminium fence panels bolt together with basic tools (no welding) and are made to order at our Slacks Creek yard in Logan, standard sizes the quickest. Two people can replace a straight run over a weekend with our panel installation guide, and you pocket the labour: see the installation labour cost guide for the saving. Prefer not to DIY? We can arrange professional installation too.
We deliver across South East Queensland (Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and surrounds) or collect from the yard or send your own freight. Returning customers earn loyalty discounts. Browse the online shop for current stock.
Storm took out a timber fence? Do not rebuild the same weakness
Most “storm” failures are really rot failures: wind just finishes off posts already soft at ground level. Rebuild in timber and you reset the clock. Aluminium changes the physics: slat gaps let gusts bleed through instead of loading the panel like a sail, and powder-coated aluminium cannot rot, rust or feed termites.
An insurance payout plus your neighbour’s contribution can go a long way towards the upgrade. See why aluminium is our pick as the best fence for the Queensland climate, and compare lifetime numbers in our aluminium vs timber cost guide.
Storm season runs November to February: get ahead of it
SEQ’s storm season peaks November through February. A spring walk along the fence line is cheap insurance: wobble-test posts, probe timber at ground level for softness, note leaning sections: our pre-season fence inspection checklist sets out each check in order. If a run is on borrowed time, order panels before the season and replace on your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for a storm damaged fence between neighbours in Queensland?
Normally half each. Under the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act 2011, adjoining owners contribute equally to a sufficient dividing fence, and storm damage does not change that. The full cost only shifts where an owner damaged the fence deliberately or negligently.
Can I repair the fence straight away without giving my neighbour notice?
Only under the urgent fencing work provisions: the fence is damaged or destroyed, urgent work is genuinely required, and it is impracticable to give notice first. Do the work, then give a notice to contribute for urgent fencing work as soon as possible to recover half.
Does home insurance cover a fence blown down in a storm?
Often, but not always: policies commonly include fences with limits, and pre-existing wear exclusions such as rot are widespread. Check your PDS or ask your insurer, then weigh the excess against your half-share before claiming.
What if my neighbour refuses to pay their half?
Serve a formal Notice to Contribute with quotes attached. No agreement within one month? Either owner can apply to QCAT within two months to have contributions decided. Our guide covers the paperwork step by step.
What if my neighbour’s tree knocked the fence down?
It depends. A healthy tree felled by an extreme storm is generally treated like other storm damage; a tree-keeper who ignored a known hazard may bear more responsibility. Document everything and get advice for your case.
How quickly can I get replacement fence panels in Brisbane?
Panels are made to order at our Slacks Creek yard in Logan, standard sizes the quickest: picked up or delivered across SEQ. Custom sizes take longer, so call (07) 3803 1098 for current lead times.
This article is general information only, not legal or financial advice. Laws and policies change: check the current guidance on qld.gov.au and QCAT, read your PDS, and get advice for your own situation.
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