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Do your properties comply with pool safety legislation?

By Andrew Staehr
15 November 2016 | 9 minute read
pool

The deadline has passed for property investors’ pools to be compliant with new legislation – so do the properties you’re managing meet the requirements?

In 2009, the Queensland government introduced new legislation to increase pool safety and prevent avoidable deaths. These laws specified that all pools, new and existing, must comply with the new legislation by 1 December 2015.

Almost one year on and the laws have had little impact, with the Royal Life Saving Foundation’s latest National Drowning Report revealing that 21 Australian children under the age of four drowned last year, 11 of them in pools.

With summer approaching and the swimming pool becoming more inviting, it’s crucial that pool safety and compliance remains front of mind for property owners.

As per the legislation, all swimming pools must be enclosed with an approved barrier. It is the responsibility of the property owner, bodies corporate included, to ensure that compliant pool barriers are in place at all times.

If the property is tenanted, tenants are responsible for ensuring pool gates remain shut and that branches or objects do not hang over the fence. In the case of a unit, it is the body corporate’s responsibility.

Neglecting to abide by these laws could lead to a tragedy at your property. If you have concerns regarding the fencing, locking or maintenance of your pool, contact your body corporate management company immediately.

Some top tips to ensure this summer is not only the best yet, but the safest:

 

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