Here's something many ACT sellers — and some agents — don't realise: while the general compliance deadline for older pools is 1 May 2028, selling or leasing a property with a pool triggers compliance obligations immediately. If you're listing a Canberra property with a pool or spa in 2026, this applies to you now.
What sellers need
When selling an ACT property with a swimming pool or spa, the buyer must receive the required pool safety documentation. In practice this means a disclosure statement covering the pool barrier's compliance status, prepared by a licensed inspector and formatted for the conveyancing process.
We prepare disclosure statements for $350, with priority turnaround available when settlement dates are tight — real estate agents across Canberra use us for exactly this.
The smart sequence for sellers
- Before listing: get inspected early. Book your inspection well before the property goes to market, so you find out about any barrier problems while there's still time to fix them quietly — not during a buyer's due diligence.
- Fix anything that needs fixing. Most issues are minor — gate latches, climbable objects, small gaps. Better to spend a few hundred dollars now than have a buyer's inspector find it during due diligence.
- Get the formal documentation. Disclosure statement ($350) for the contract, or a full compliance status certificate ($395) if you want the strongest position — a certified-compliant pool is a selling point, not a liability. If rectification work was needed, a reinspection is just $149.
What trips sellers up
- Leaving it until exchange. If rectification work is needed, you're suddenly coordinating fencing contractors against a settlement clock.
- Assuming an old certificate still holds. Renovations, landscaping, new decking, even grown vegetation can invalidate previous compliance.
- Forgetting spas. Anything holding more than 300mm of water carries the same requirements — including swim spas and some portable spas.
For agents and property managers: we work with Canberra agencies on pre-listing inspections and leasing compliance, with documentation formatted for conveyancers. Call 02 6294 0824 to set up a referral arrangement.
Listing soon?
Book your inspection this week and know exactly where you stand — see all inspection services or get in touch.