Hurricane season checklist for property owners in the Dominican Republic

The Atlantic hurricane season in the Dominican Republic runs from 1 June to 30 November, and the busiest weeks are usually between August and October. Most seasons bring nothing worse than heavy rain and a few long power cuts, but both the north coast around Sosúa and Puerto Plata and the east around Punta Cana and Bávaro can be hit, as can the Samaná peninsula. Good preparation is mostly ordinary maintenance done on time, plus a clear plan with whoever looks after your home when you are not there.

This checklist is written for owners of villas and condos, especially part-time owners who rely on a property manager or caretaker.

Before the season starts

Use May and early June for the jobs that are hard to arrange once a storm is on the map: contractors get busy and hardware stores run out of the basics.

Roof, gutters and drainage

• Have the roof inspected. Many homes in the DR have flat concrete roofs: look for cracks, standing water and worn waterproofing (impermeabilización), and redo it if it is near the end of its life.
• Clear gutters, roof drains and downpipes of leaves and sand.
• Check that patio drains, driveway channels and the street drain in front of the house are clear, so heavy rain runs away from the building.
• Look at what sits on the roof: solar water heaters, satellite dishes, antennas and water tanks should be firmly anchored.

Trees and garden

• Trim palms: remove coconuts and dead fronds, which become projectiles in strong wind.
• Cut back branches that overhang the roof, the pool or power lines.
• Plan where garden furniture, planters and umbrellas will go when they have to come inside.

Shutters, doors and windows

• Test every hurricane shutter or panel. Make sure tracks slide, no bolts are missing and each panel is labelled with its window.
• Check the seals on sliding doors and windows and replace dried-out rubber.
• Confirm who holds the keys to shutter locks and storage rooms.

Power and water

• Service the generator: oil, filters, battery and a test run under load. Agree how much fuel is kept on site.
• Check the inverter batteries; old batteries tend to fail exactly when the grid goes down.
• Clean the cistern (cisterna) and the tinaco, check the pump and float valves, and keep them full during the season.
• Keep drinking water, torches and spare batteries in the house.

Insurance, photos and documents

• Read your policy before you need it. Does it cover windstorm and flood? What is the deductible for a named storm, and is it a fixed amount or a percentage of the insured value?
• Walk through the property and take dated photos and video of every room, the roof, the garden and the main appliances. Keep a simple inventory with approximate values.
• Scan the title, the policy, your ID and the contact details of your insurer and broker, and store them online. Keep the originals in a waterproof folder or off site.

When a storm is forecast

Follow official alerts from ONAMET, the national weather office, and the COE (Centro de Operaciones de Emergencias), not rumours on social media. A good manager starts acting when a storm is two or three days out, not the night before. Typical tasks:

• Bring in all outdoor furniture, cushions, umbrellas, planters, barbecues, kayaks and boards.
• Close and lock shutters or fit the panels; protect any glass that has no shutter.
• Leave the pool full (do not drain it), switch off the pump and remove anything floating.
• Fill the generator tank and spare containers safely, charge the inverter batteries and top up the cistern and tinaco.
• Unplug electronics, lift rugs and valuables off the floor, and place sandbags at doors in low-lying spots.
• Empty the fridge of anything that would spoil in a long outage.
• For guests: share the forecast calmly, explain the house plan, give them emergency numbers (911 works in the DR) and agree in advance how date changes and cancellations are handled under the booking terms.
• Send the owner a short message with photos confirming the house is secured.

After the storm

Wait for the official all-clear before going out. Then work through the following.

Safety first

Watch for fallen power lines and damaged trees. If water got inside, do not switch the power back on until an electrician has checked the panel and outlets.

The inspection report

Ask your manager for a written report within a day or two, with dated photos and video: roof, ceilings, windows, doors, water inside, garden, pool, generator, cistern and any damage on neighbouring properties that affects yours. Compare it with your pre-season photos.

Mould and moisture

In many homes humidity does more damage than wind. Open up and ventilate as soon as it is safe, run fans or dehumidifiers, and remove wet mattresses, rugs and cardboard quickly. If floodwater reached the cistern, have it emptied, cleaned and disinfected before using the water again.

Insurance claims

Notify your insurer or broker as soon as possible: policies set deadlines for reporting a loss, so check yours. Photograph the damage before cleaning up, keep damaged items until the adjuster has seen them or approved their disposal, and keep receipts for emergency work such as tarps or boarding up.

Empty homes and part-time owners

An empty house cannot report a leak. If you are away during the season:

• Increase home-watch visits from August to October and ask for a visit after every heavy rain, not only after named storms. Home watch is usually charged as a flat monthly fee.
• Agree in writing how much the manager may spend on emergency repairs without waiting for your approval.
• Leave a full set of keys, alarm codes and a contact list: insurer, electrician, plumber, roofer and neighbours.
• Consider closing the shutters on unused rooms, shutting off the main water valve between visits and leaving the fridge almost empty.

Our guide to managing your property from abroad covers reporting and payment routines in more detail.

Condos: who handles what

In a condominium, the administration (often a management company hired by the owners) is responsible for the common areas: roof, facade, shared generator, pool, gardens, lobby and common cistern. You or your own property manager handle everything inside your unit, including balcony furniture, any shutters fitted to your unit and your appliances. Before the season, ask the administration for its hurricane plan, how it will communicate with owners and how storm damage to common areas is paid for. Read more in our guide to condo administration in the DR.

Printable checklist

Before the season (May to June)

• Roof inspected and waterproofing checked
• Gutters, drains and street drain cleared
• Palms and trees trimmed
• Shutters tested and labelled
• Generator and inverter serviced, fuel plan agreed
• Cistern and tinaco cleaned and full
• Insurance policy reviewed, photos and inventory done
• Documents scanned, originals in a waterproof folder
• Emergency spending limit agreed with your manager

When a storm is forecast

• Outdoor items inside, shutters closed
• Pool full, pump off
• Fuel, water and batteries topped up
• Electronics unplugged, valuables off the floor
• Guests informed
• Photos sent to the owner

After the storm

• Electrics checked before switching on
• Inspection report with photos received
• Property dried out, mould prevented
• Cistern checked
• Insurer notified, receipts kept