QUEENSLAND property owners have also had to deal with new `swimming pool’ laws – will it ever end? I wouldn’t be surprised if one day – with the rising cost of water and ever increasing rules surrounding the ownership of an inground pool – that they may become obsolete, a thing of the past despite the old slogan `beautiful one day, perfect the next’. It seems the very things Queensland is known for – the sunshine, beaches and water – are being costed out of our reach.
If you live interstate and haven’t yet heard, not only do your pools need to be fenced but now you need a certificate (at a cost of course) before you can rent out your investment property. This means as of July 8, 2011, it will be a requirement for the pool owner to get a certificate in place before any lease renewals can be effected.
From December 1, 2010 any property with a non shared pool that is sold must have a valid certificate in place at the worst case scenario 90 days from settlement. However there is a genuine risk as a purchaser or seller that your contract of sale may be unable to complete if you do not have a valid certificate in place in some circumstances. Contracts of sale have fallen over already due to the lack of a certificate being in place.
For rental properties the legislation has again changed recently and there is now an amnesty for properties entering into an accommodation agreement from January 8, 2011 until July 8, 2011. Now, I hope you got all that!
I suggest, although this is by no means advice – you should always do your own homework or seek advice from a solicitor or trusted professional, but if you are seriously looking for an investment property, I would probably seek one without a pool … less hassle, especially in Queensland.
