All pool owners have 5 years to comply (30 November 2015) with the new pool safety standards unless the property is being:
- Sold
Leased
- or has a Shared Pool
For Short Term Accommodation Providers including hotels, motels, resorts and caravan parks, you will not be able to book in an overnight guest after May 2011 without a Pool Safety Certificate. Short Term Accommodation Providers are entitled to an extended two year Pool Safety Certificate if they have the pool(s) inspected within the first three months of the legislation taking effect on 1st December 2010 .
If you are selling a property with a non -shared pool before the 5 year phase-in, such as pools for houses or townhouses or units with their own pool or spa, a pool safety certificate must be obtained before settlement of a contract or a notice issued before contract and before settlement advising the buyer that a certificate must be obtained within 90 days of settlement.
If you are leasing your property a pool safety certificate must be obtained before entering into the lease.
A home owner with a pool has until 30 November 2015 to be compliant with current legislation.
If you are selling or leasing a property with a shared pool associated with short-term accommodation, such as hotels, motels, backpackers or hostels, you have a six month phase-in period to obtain a pool safety certificate. A two year phase-in period to obtain a pool safety certificate applies to other shared pools, such as common pools in a block of units.
New Swimming Pools
All new swimming pools require a building development approval. For new swimming pools:
- Mandatory follow-up inspections are required to be undertaken if the final inspection has not been done. Building certifiers are required to undertake a mandatory follow-up inspection within a set time frame after giving a building approval for a swimming pool. The time frames are six months for new pools or two years in cases where building approval is granted for a swimming pool and a new building. If the building approval is due to lapse earlier than six months or two years, the final inspection must be done before it lapses.
- Compliant temporary fences are permitted for a maximum period of three months during the construction of a pool. After this time, compliant permanent fencing is required. Both the temporary and permanent fences will need to be inspected and certified by the building certifier who approved the application.
The building certifier, either a private building certifier or a Local Government building certifier, who approved the building approval must inspect and certify the swimming pool safety barrier before the pool is filled to a depth of 300 millimetres or more.
Please refer to the QBCC for further info https://www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/pool-safety/pool-safety-register