Having a swimming pool in a rental property can be a real bonus but you need to ensure that you have yourself and your pool covered.
Be clear in the special terms of the General Tenancy Agreement what the tenant’s responsibilities are around taking care of the pool. Generally, it is recommended that the owner pay for a monthly pool service and the tenants pay for the chemicals required. This ensures that the maintenance on the pool is being carried out correctly and the correct chemicals and quantities are being put in the pool when required.
Outside of this, the tenant is generally responsible for everyday maintenance on the pool such as clearing leaves from the pool and keeping the water level correct.
If the tenant is to carry out the upkeep of the pool, it is recommended that a pool company does a one-off attendance with the tenant to show them how to correctly care for the pool and equipment.
Fast facts:
- The property owner/landlord must have a pool safety compliance certificate from a licensed pool inspector prior to renting the property and should include a copy with the tenancy agreement.
- If a tenant is not familiar with pool maintenance, they should discuss this with the property manager/owner.
- If the pool maintenance is covered by a contract between the property owner/landlord and an external company this should be listed in the tenancy agreement.
- A property manager/owner cannot require the tenant to enter into a maintenance contract or require the tenant to use a particular company to provide maintenance services.
- It is important to include the condition of any pools on the Entry condition report (Form 1a) as the tenant will need to return the property in the same condition they received it, allowing for fair wear and tear.
By Anita Genrich
