You were searching for a perfect house for your family. Unexpectedly, you found a property in a perfect location at the perfect price but this time, with a pool.
Swimming pool is a great recreational place for your family which provides and your family with heaps of enjoyment. However, there are quite a few things that need to be looked into before purchasing a house with a pool.
If you are planning to buy a house with a pool, you should consider the following things:
Pool maintenance cost
Every pool comes with maintenance cost. The pool in good condition is not easy, which requires effort, time and money.
Cleaning – some pool cleaning services can charge you from $50 to $200 per hour depending on the type of service being provided. Alternatively, you can do the maintenance yourself which requires your time and effort and you may not do it properly
Pool repairs – you can’t predict when your pool needs repair. Pool repair services can cost up to $1000 or even more depending on the type of repair required.
You should be aware of the cost of pool chemicals, filtration systems, repairing jobs and other pool related products.
Safety pool devices are working properly
The Swimming pool you are going to purchase should be safe enough for you and your children. In other words, it should have followed all the safety pool fence rules. So, safety pool covers, pool nets and safety pool fence should be considered to prevent your children from unsupervised access to the pool.
As a house owner, after purchasing the house with a pool, you need to regularly check the pool pumps, filters and heaters to see whether they are operating properly. You should also inspect the electrical equipment and plumbing. It could be an additional cost for you if these pool devices are not in good condition.
In this case, all the devices above should be carefully checked when you are planning to buy a house with a pool. You can also ask an experienced house inspector to help you.
Pool should meet all the safety pool fence requirements
Before purchasing a property with a pool, you should check if it meets the safety pool standards enforced by the government. Following safety pool regulations can also improve the safety of you and your children in and around the pool.
Here is the legal requirement in NSW that every pool owner should meet. If the pool complies, a compliance certificate should be issued to you by a council or private certifier.
Compliance certificate should be provided by property seller
From 29 April 2016, there were some amendments made under the Swimming Pools Act 1992 to improve the protection of your children. It includes:
1. You should register your swimming pool with the NSW Swimming Pool Register.
2. Local councils and qualified certifiers can conduct inspections of the swimming pools.
3. A valid Certificate of compliance or occupation certificate should be attached to the residential tenancy agreement.
4. A valid Certificate of compliance or occupation certificate should be attached to sales documents/contract when selling a property with a swimming pool.
As mentioned above, the seller of the house with a pool should attach a valid compliance certificate to the sales documents.
- What is a certificate of compliance?
A compliance certificate is issued to the pool that meets all the safety pool standards required by the NSW government. Every pool owner should have their pools inspected to ensure their pool fence is compliant. A certificate of compliance can be granted if the pool fence can meet the local council's pool safety standard.
- What if your pool was found to be non-compliant?
Some pools can’t pass the initial pool inspection because of some issues such as pool fence height violation, pool gate breaches, and no resuscitation sign.
If the pool is found to be non-compliant, the pool inspector will issue a non-compliance certificate. You will be given 6 weeks to repair and fix all the issues of your swimming pool in order to obtain a compliance certificate.
Conclusion
A swimming pool is ideal for entertainment for your family, but it is a big decision to purchase a property with a pool. You should remember that there are crucial things you should consider before closing the deal.
If you need help, you can ask a trusted private certifier to carry out a comprehensive pool inspection for your pool. Swimming pool inspection is required especially when you are buying or selling a property with a pool.