Owning a pool in WA comes with responsibility for sellers

Having a pool in your backyard can be an enviable luxury during our scorching summers, but they also come with a lot of responsibility.

In recent years the state government have upgraded and tightened their rules around fencing to pools and outdoor spas. Owners now have a clear obligation to ensure their safety barriers comply with current laws.

Selling a house with a pool

If you are selling a home with a pool, you must clarify with your real estate agent whether your safety barriers comply with statutory requirements.

If you are in doubt, contact your local government authority or the Royal Life Saving Society. Both of these organisations can provide you with an inspection service to determine whether your pool or spa is compliant.

If your pool is not compliant, you have an obligation to immediately upgrade the safety barriers to the required level.

Once remedied, a certificate of compliance can be issued.

Get it right from the start

The stringency of pool fencing can sometimes be a controversial issue, but as long as the rules are in place you have a duty to observe them.

To avoid undue complications, it makes sense to get it right from the start.

Ideally, all sellers with pools and outdoor spas would be able to provide the selling agent with a current compliance certificate. This certificate could then even be used as part of a broader marketing campaign!