At this stage it seems that local councils will take charge of this mandatory registration scheme, with all pool owners required to contact their council by April 14th, 2020 and pay a proposed $37 registration fee.

Inspection certificates for all pools built before 1994 must be lodged by October 30th, 2020. For pools built between 1994 and 2010, it is proposed that owners will have until April 30th, 2021, whilst all pools built after 2010 will need to be certified by October 29th, 2021. It is also proposed that councils will charge pool and spa owners a $20 fee to lodge their inspection compliance certificates, a process they will be required to undertake every three years.

From our perspective here at Barry Plant Brimbank Rentals, we will be ensuring that we have complied a full list of pools and spas in the rental properties that we manage, and ensuring that the appropriate compliance certificates have been issued in the last 3 years. Where a compliance certificate cannot be located by the owner, they will need to obtain one for lodging with the council.

Following the death of a toddler in a pool a few years back, the collective Barry Plant offices around Victoria had considered refusing to manage properties with pools/spas that did not have a valid compliance certificate. Whilst this would previously have been difficult under the previous legislation, these new regulations will allow us to take this stand in the future where owners refuse to meet their legal requirements.

If you do have a pool or spa in your rental property, we are hoping that you will receive more information from your applicable council in the coming weeks. However, if you have any questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to give the Barry Plant Brimbank Rentals team a call on 9390 8333.

Best wishes,

Sam La Spina

Rental Director