Selling a home with a pool: pre-sale checklist for the pool area

The pool area is one of the first things buyers look at. Get the paperwork and the presentation right together.

Start with the paperwork

The QBCC says that if you are selling a property with a pool and there is no current pool safety certificate, you must lodge a Form 36 (notice of no pool safety certificate) and give the buyer a copy before settlement. A buyer who buys without a certificate must get one within 90 days of settlement. Getting a certificate before you list removes that complication. See how the pool safety certificate works.

Check the fence first

1. Measure the height from finished ground level. The QBCC says the minimum is 1200mm.
2. Check the gap under the barrier is 100mm or less.
3. Look for chips, cracks or shifted panels.
4. Check the gate closes and latches by itself.

Fix anything before the inspection, because a failed inspection means a non-conformity notice (Form 26). See the glass pool fence requirements.

Clean and tidy

Clean the glass and the hardware, rinse off salt or chlorine marks, and tidy the surrounds. Do cosmetic work before the inspection if it could affect the fence, and protect the glass if you paint nearby. See painting near a glass pool fence.

Presentation work around the pool

Fresh paint on nearby walls and fences makes a pool area look cared for. Brushworks Painters, which offers pre-sale painting in Sydney, lists pre-sale painting among its services in NSW, where selling rules differ from Queensland, so check the rules where you are selling.

Common questions