Sellers – How to add value to your home by getting your pool ready for Spring Selling!

Spring is here! After a long winter, the best time of the year to sell a home has finally arrived. It’s the time of year when your garden is at its best. Taking advantage of this time of the year and getting your pool area looking safe and great could add thousands to your sales price! 

How do you go about doing this?

To start, download our pool safety certificate checklist to see if your pool fence and barriers comply with the latest QLD pool fence laws.

Some major areas that our pool inspectors include in your pool inspection are:

• Fence – Heights, gaps, infill panels, and the quality of the surface holding the fence upright. We also check that your barrier is structurally sound and can withstand a pushover test.
• Pool Gates and access doors or gates – Latches and locks must be in working order and conform to the safety laws.
• Climbable zones around the pool fence and barriers are included in your inspection.
• Doors opening directly to the pool must be disabled, and windows can’t open more than 100mm.
• CPR signs must be the latest recommended signs and visible from anywhere in the pool area.

As the law stands, you can choose to sell your property with or without a valid pool safety certificate. 

Not so fast! I can hear you saying, well then I’ll choose to sell without a certificate. It’s not that easy. Here’s a thorough breakdown of the two options and why selling with valid certification ads value to your sales price:

Selling with a Form 23 (Valid Pool Safety Certificate)

To get a valid pool safety certificate, one of our pool inspectors will inspect your pool fence and give you an easy to understand report showing any repairs needed to get your pool compliant. Once you’ve done the necessary repairs, we’ll reinspect and deliver your pool safety certificate on the same day.

By getting your pool fence in order, it will not only be compliant with the latest QLD pool safety laws, but it will also look good!

Pool fences that don’t comply are visibly non-compliant and look unmaintained. Buyers that see a well-maintained pool area with manicured landscaping and a pool fence that works can see the value in the price they’re about to offer. 

Form 36 (notice of no pool safety certificate)

Even though you can sell your property without a valid pool safety certificate if you choose, you have to issue a Form 36 (notice of no pool safety certificate) to the buyer. Take note that Form 36 does not excuse a non-compliant fence.

Failure to ensure that your pool fence is safe at all times can result in a hefty fine or, even worse, a severe injury or death.

Besides the above, buyers immediately know that a Form 36 means that there’s work to be done. At this point, they could get a pool safety inspector to consult on the pool fence. Fences and barriers that are non-compliant could result in a lower sales offer, should there be a considerable amount of work to be done.

With hungry buyers in the current property market and the right season to sell, you can get the price you want by getting your pool area safe, looking great and compliant with the latest safety laws.

Our pool safety inspectors are here to help with any questions you might have. Call us on 0457 445 197.