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Discover the secrets of successful property management and investing on "The Property Investors Handbook" podcast. Join Colleen Sutherland as she shares expert insights and strategies for acquiring, managing, and maximising returns on real estate investments. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned investor, this podcast is your essential guide to navigating the world of property investment. Tune in and unlock the keys to financial success in real estate.
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 Welcome back to the Property Investors Handbook, where we deep dive into the essentials of property management to keep you informed and your investment secure and safe. Now, in today's episode, we're making a splash with a topic that every investment property owner with a pool needs to listen to. Pool maintenance and the crucial legislation you can't afford to ignore.
So with us again is Colleen Sutherland from Property Investors. Sutherland's property management group ready to share her expertise on pool safety and compliance. So let's dive in and discover how to keep your pool safe and your property up to code and your tenants safe as well. Colleen, welcome.
Thanks Adam.
Colleen, why is it critical that for a property owner to be fully aware of and comply with pool safety regulations, because I know there are a heap of them.
Well, quite some years ago, and now you've caught me off guard as to what year it was, pool safety legislation became a big topic because there was a couple of children who had drowned.
And so when you're, you've got a rental property or you're going to sell your property, you need to have a pool Safety Compliance Certificate.
And they have to be renewed, don't they?
They do. In a house, it's every two years. And in a unit, it's every year. So, Body Corporate does the, the annual one, they'll have a role.
And then that's the same with us. We'll have a, these pool certificates will expire on this date.
So all of this legislation came in a couple of, couple of years ago.
Because of tragedies, unfortunately.
Yep. What systems do you have in place to make sure that you, you know, do get your, your property owner's pool certificate renewed when it, when it becomes due?
Because I, I'm guessing that a lot of people property owners who do this themselves, that's something they could easily miss.
It is because you're not going to get a reminder from QBCC that your POOL certificate has expired or about to expire. So we've got a follow up system both for the POOL certificate and the insurance because there's expiry dates on both of those.
So within our system, we've got those expiry dates coming up. So pre work 60 days in advance.
Wow. Yeah. Make sure it's, it, it's done. And you, you would then organize everything. You'd call the the contractor that comes out and does that and have it all organized. Nothing that the, the, the property owner has to worry about.
No, it doesn't have to worry about, but we'll let you know that it's coming up because there is always a cost attached to it. So if it's a pool that we've, a property that we've renewing the pool safety certificate, It'll be fairly basic, unless the owner has done some renovations or landscaping. So, when that landscaping or renovations have happened, we need to ensure that it meets the Pool Safety Certificate.
And while you've got one, If you've done any renovations, you've got to go get another one.
Sure. And I guess there's probably another, everything that we talk about here, there's a minefield of things that could go wrong. Cause something that just occurred to me now, and correct me if I'm not quite up to speed with this, but I believe you've got to have a a safety certificate not a certificate Poster up around your pool.
Oh, yeah around CPR and things like that. Now, what if a tenant's knocked that off accidentally or deliberately? That's gone missing I gather you guys would check on these every we do with
during an inspection Yeah,
so what again very important that you guys have checklists. I would imagine to check all of these things when you do inspections so
When you, we go out to do the pool area for an inspection, we not only checking for that CPR certificate, we're also checking that the tenant doesn't have furniture on the outside of the fence, leaning up against the fence where a child can use it as a climbing point.
Or you've put that pretty pot there and it looks great, but you're going to have to move it. Because it's too close to the fence and a child could climb on it and get over the top. And while that's probably unlikely because the pot will fall over that will render the certificate void and you're in breach.
Well, and can you talk to me, and we don't want to scare people, but what what. When you are in breach, what could be some ramifications if, you know, horrible things did occur?
Well, if the pot doesn't fall over and the child has climbed on top of the pot and into the pool, then that's when, you know, accidents, events may take place.
So you'd have to be very careful. I know if I was renting and I had little children, I would be very conscious. of the pool fence, so that the, my kid couldn't get over the fence. And it's also with those palm trees. Now they don't have any climbing points on them, because you'd have to be a coconut farmer to climb up a palm tree.
However, Kids will climb up that tree and get over the top. So that has to come away.
Sure. Have you got any responsibilities or do you, are you proactive in anything to be communicating to the tenants about pool safety and pool compliance?
It, yes, because when they go to move in, they'll have a pool safety instructions.
Okay. Right. What to do and what not to do. But you know, the same applies for, you know, If you had a little kiddie pool, you have to have this fence around it.
Yeah. Let's talk about that. Cause I did hear about that for a while because they became very popular. Look, when I was a kid, I still remember those.
Do you remember those tiny, the little shell ones or the blow up ones, even before that, it was literally just a tarp that just had a little yeah, a
lip.
That's how old I am. Yeah. But these, you see them now, these blow up They even can become almost full size blow up pools now, but and everything in between.
So where does, at what stage does one of those have to be, have to be fenced?
When they're the shell pools. That, you know, the little Kmart shell pools. Yeah. Really? Because anything that's, I think it's 200 mil, because a little kid can tip forward and fall into the pool face down.
So really, anyone buying those things, really, unless they're putting it in a fenced area to blow it up and use it, even though it's a temporary thing, you're not keeping it there permanently, you've got to be expecting that most people who are using those things are in breach of the So yeah.
They are, and we are very strict on it because I would die a thousand deaths if a little child had lost their life. And yes, it is only an accident. So you've got
to keep your eye out for
it. Well when we go and do the inspection, so if you've got a blow up pool there, you know, and it's also spas, so you know how lots of people have those big spas out on the back veranda?
Yeah. Beautiful, because it's so hot this summer, let's go and get in the spa, but that has to have a fence. Yes. Beautiful. Because it's a rented property, and all of these sorts of things must be fenced. And
all these fences would have regulations on how high they have to be, how far back, and all of these sort of things.
Yes. Again, an absolute labyrinth of Information legislation that you guys are on top of that and that's what , they pay you to know
Yes And pay us to look out for yeah But if you've put blown the pool up and then taken it down knowing that you're not supposed to have it when I come into An inspection and then put it back up when I leave there's not a lot I can do about that But if we see the grass has a big brown spot there We'll say, do you have a pill?
I
go, no. I know we've done one a while back now, but I would like to do another episode with you on inspections because there's so much to go on here because you guys have to be a bit like investigators, don't you? I mean, the pets that are in there that shouldn't be that, you know, everything's just been tucked away in the garage for, for the, it's going a little off topic here, but After 30 years, you must now know what you're looking for.
That the giveaway signs where someone's trying to hide something that they shouldn't have, shouldn't be doing. And we could probably do a whole episode on that. We could,
the things I've seen.
Okay, so for a property owner new to managing a rental with a pool, what first steps would you recommend them to ensure they're compliant with, with legislation?
So if you know your property is, you're going to rent your property out and it has a pool, the pool fence needs to be treated with a matter of priority. So when you're living there, you've got this beautiful lounge and that lovely pot, like I was saying before. All that's got to go, and my number one tip for the pool fence is the height.
Now it's not just, well it's 1, 200 metres all round, I'm good. It's, needs to be 1, 200 metres from a climbing point. So if you've got some rocks there I need to make sure the pool is 1, 200 high from the highest point of the rock.
So then
I'll have to put a bit of Perspex, change the fans, and that's when it becomes costly.
But again, don't shoot the messenger. That's what I'm telling you is going to be a requirement when you go to rent the pool out with a pool safety certificate. Sure.
Once again, it just shows having you in a property owner's corner to know all of this stuff is worth its weight in gold. Look, that's, I think, pretty much a wrap for today's episode on this crucial topic of pool maintenance and legislation.
A big thank you once again to Colleen Sutherland for sharing a valuable insights and expertise. Now, give me your website again, Colleen. Where? Where can people get in touch with you?
The website is www dot sp mg, so that's sutherland's property management group.com au.
Fantastic. And you look after properties all over the Gold Coast?
Yes, up to Brisbane. Up to Brisbane. So,
anyone, anyone, northern New South Wales?
Yes, down to Casuarina.
Fantastic. So get in touch. You, you won't regret it. What Colleen doesn't know about property management is not worth knowing. Remember on today's topic, keeping your pool safe, isn't just about compliance.
It's about ensuring the safety and wellbeing of your tenants and their guests. You know, we, we talked about the ramifications of what could go wrong and that's just not, you know, horrendous for everyone involved. So look, don't miss our next episode of the property investors handbook. And where you'll get more expert advice and tips on managing your property effectively from the best person in the business, Ms.
Colleen Sutherland.
Thanks so much, Adam.