Practical Pool Barrier Guides for Victorian Owners

A little preparation goes a long way and can be the difference between a pass and a re-inspection.

• Find your council registration letter and keep it handy for the inspector
• Download the BPC checklist for your pool’s age
• Walk the full length of the barrier with a tape measure in hand, checking height and gaps
• Move furniture, pot plants, barbecues and toys well away from the fence
• Test every gate from fully open, half open and nearly closed
• Make sure we can reach every part of the barrier

If the property is rented, let your tenants know when we are coming. Cameron calls before the inspection, so it is a good time to mention anything you are unsure about.

Most failures come down to a handful of issues, and most of them are cheap and quick to fix. Garden beds and new paving that reduce the barrier height are also common, as are doors and windows without the right controls.

• Gates that don’t self-close or latch every time
• Latches set too low or left unshielded
• Gaps under the fence that have slowly grown
• Climbable objects sitting close to the barrier fence
• Damaged or loose fence panels, posts and fixings
• Doors or windows that open straight into the pool area

If your barrier does fail, you may get up to 60 days to fix it before a re-inspection, so act early.

After you register your pool or spa, council sends you a letter confirming the key details of your registration. It is worth reading closely.

It confirms the pool is registered, its date of construction, the applicable barrier standard, your right to appeal the date of construction to the Building Appeals Board and when your first or next certificate is due. The applicable standard is the one in force when your pool was built, and it is the standard we inspect against.

If you disagree with the date of construction, you can appeal within 30 days of receiving council’s decision. Keep the letter safe and diarise your due date.

If you have just bought a property, council can confirm whether the pool is registered. Pools registered under the old voluntary scheme must be registered under the current scheme.

Gates are the part of a barrier most likely to fail, because they get used every day by everyone in the household, as well as by visitors, friends and tradespeople. Small faults add up quickly.

A compliant pool gate swings away from the pool, closes itself from any open position and latches automatically without anyone pushing it shut. The latch release must be out of a child’s reach, generally at least 1500mm above ground, or shielded so it can’t be opened from outside.

Closers lose tension and hinges sag over time, so test your gate regularly. Open it fully and let go, then repeat from half open and just ajar. It should close and latch every time without help. Replace worn hardware early, and never prop a pool gate open, even for a moment.

Barrier obligations sit with the owner of the land and pass to the buyer after settlement, along with any problems.

If you are buying, check with council whether the pool or spa is registered and when the next certificate is due, and consider a pre-purchase inspection. Ask whether any work has been done on the barrier or yard since the last certificate was lodged.

If you are selling, an inspection before listing lets you find and fix issues on your own terms rather than under pressure. Your conveyancer can advise on contract requirements and what the sale means for you.

Check any spa or relocatable pool too.

Landscaping is one of the quietest causes of a fail. Plants grow over fences, trees offer branches to climb, and new garden beds, edging or mulch raise the ground level and reduce the barrier height.

Keep plants trimmed back from the barrier and keep climbable features out of the clear zone. Check the fence height whenever you change the garden, and talk to us before starting a big landscaping project near the pool.

• Trim shrubs and climbing plants away from the fence
• Watch for overhanging tree branches
• Keep planters and rocks out of the clear zone
• Rake back mulch along the base

Owners and occupants are both responsible for keeping barriers maintained, so share these checks with everyone at the property.