Cost of a Pool Safety Site Visit
Our Tip
- Instead of booking a return site visit, email photos of completed pool barrier work to pools@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz for review. There is a $65 inc GST charge for this service.
- Auckland Council can issue a ‘Notice to fix’ under the Building Act 2004 for a non-complying pool or pool barrier.
- Check who is responsible for ensuring that a pool barrier complies.
- Use Auckland Council’s pool area safety checklist to ensure your pool is safe.
- For payment information, see Pay a pool site visit invoice.
Who carries out pool barrier inspections?
Pool barrier inspections can be conducted by Auckland Council pool inspectors or independently qualified pool inspectors (IQPI). To find an IQPI, check the pool inspector public register. If you opt for an IQPI, they will issue a certificate certifying the pool barrier complies. Notify Auckland Council if you choose an IQPI so they can update their records. Contact them at 09 301 0101 or pools@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to inform them of your IQPI.
Swimming Pool Inspection Guide Safety Checklist
Why you need to restrict access to your pool
The leading causes of children, five and younger, drowning or being injured in pools are:
- unsupervised access to pools through faulty gates and barriers
- ladders left against the pool and gates propped open
- small portable pools remaining full of water without supervision or a complying barrier.
Any portable or inflatable pool that can hold 400mm depth of water or more is required to have a barrier by law. Other portable pools like paddling pools should be supervised at all times and emptied after use.
Restrict access to your pool
By law, all pools, including small heated pools (spas, hot tubs, etc), must have a barrier to prevent unsupervised access to the immediate pool area by children younger than five years old.
A pool barrier must restrict access to the pool from:
- the house
- other buildings
- vehicle or pedestrian access ways
- other areas of the property.
Non-pool related items and activities can not be located insider the pool area. These include:
- clothes lines
- play equipment
- vegetable gardens
- dog kennels
- general storage areas.
If we have your pool recorded as being empty, contact us for an inspection before you refill it.
Pool Barrier Safety Checklist
Pool Barriers
- must restrict access to the pool and the immediate pool area
- must be at least 1.2m in height above the ground and any permanent projection (for example, steps, retaining walls, raised gardens, etc) or object placed on the ground outside and within 1.2m of the barrier
- must have no climbable features on the outside of the barrier (or adjoining barrier) that could be used for climbing unless they are spaced at least 900mm apart
- must not have any gaps that exceed 100mm in or under it, including pet doors
Trellis or mesh fencing around the pool:
- higher than 1.8m must have openings 50mm or less, or be fitted with a protective cover
- with height between 1.2m – 1.8m must have openings 10mm or less, or be fitted with a protective cover.
To prevent young children from climbing the fence, ensure no trees can assist them. Disable or remove external removable ladders after use. For pools installed after 1 January 2017, do not use ladders unless surrounded by a complying barrier and gate. If your pool barrier includes a building or boundary fence, refer to Other structures used as part of the pool barrier.
Pool Gates
Gates into the pool area must:
- open away from the pool area
- self-close and self-latch unaided from any distance
- comply with the rules for fences.
The gate latch must be:
- a minimum of 1.5m above the ground and any objects within 1.2m of the barrier, if accessible from the outside of the barrier
- inaccessible from the outside except by reaching at least 1.2m if mounted on the inside of the gate
- for pools installed from 1 January 2017, if the latch is accessible only by reaching over the gate, it must be set at least 150mm from the top or be shielded.
- If the latch is accessible only by reaching over the gate, it must be set at least 150mm from the top or be shielded.
For expert advice on swimming pool safety inspections, reach out to Royal Glass. You can send an email to info@royalglass.co.nz or you can call 0800 769 254.
