A pool is an attractive amenity for prospects, and one that can keep resident retention high. There are a number of pros and cons that come along with building a pool within your community, but several of the "cons" can be eliminated with a comprehensive and thoughtful pool policy. A pool policy is a list of agreed upon rules residents will follow in order to use the pool, and your policy should be displayed readily and easily all throughout the pool grounds.

What should go into your pool policy? A few rules we suggest at OccupancySolutions.com to avoid liability while still getting the benefits of a community pool are:

  • Behavior focused rules -- No running, no diving, and no horseplay are just a few common behavioral rules you're likely to see in pool areas. These lay out the behavioral expectations of the pool area, and should a resident or guest engage in these behaviors and face injury, you're not to be held liable as long as these rules are clearly displayed around the pool area.
  • Swim at your own risk policy -- If you allow your pool to be open without a lifeguard on duty, having a "swim at your own risk" policy clearly displayed is necessary. This lets residents know that there is no lifeguard observing swimmers should an incident occur, and by choosing to swim the resident is doing so at their own risk.
  • Let residents know about rule enforcement -- Residents should be made aware that the pool policy rules are important, and they're to be enforced for the safety of the community. This may mean issuing out consequences for rule infractions that may result ultimately in loss of pool access after a certain number of infractions are reached.
  • Make your guest policy specific -- Residents are going to want to have friends and family over in the summer, and this may mean bringing the family out together to the pool. If guests are to be allowed to use the pool, having a guest policy laid out for residents is important to ensuring safety.
  • Have a check-in policy -- Having residents check-in and using pool passes ensures your pool area remains safe and covered. Residents will agree to following pool safety rules, but outsiders do not, so ensure each guest at the pool checks in and confirms they are a resident or guest of a resident.

At OccupancySolutions.com, we want to help community management teams to be able to offer their residents these fun and exciting amenities in a safe manner. To learn more about crafting your own pool policy, contact us today.