The Victorian Government has extended the deadline for mandatory registration of private pools and spas to 1 November 2020.
This is an extension of five months from the original 1 June 2020 deadline and is an acknowledgement of the extra pressure on families due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
This is a state government decision.
Some residents may have received a letter, which specified a registration date of 1 June 2020. This letter was sent before the State Government extended the registration date.
The Victorian Government introduced new regulations in December last year to make swimming pools and spas safer and prevent young children from drowning.
To ensure you have a safe and compliant pool or spa barrier, there are four easy steps:
Step 1: Register your pool or spa
Step 2: Get your pool or spa barrier checked by a qualified surveyor
Step 3: Undertake required works to make the pool or spa barrier compliant
Step 4: Have your pool or spa barrier certified
The one-off registration fee as set by the Victorian Government, is as follows:
- Pools/Spas built before 1 December 2019: $79.00
- Pools/Spas built after 1 December 2019: $31.80
After you've registered your pool, you'll receive a letter from the Shire confirming the next step: getting your pool or spa barrier checked by a qualified surveyor.
The letter will also include details of when your pool or spa was constructed and the due date for lodgement of the compliance certificate.
Owners will then be required to engage a registered building surveyor or building inspector to inspect and certify the compliance of their safety barrier every four years. The fee to lodge the Certificate of Compliance has been set by the Victorian Government and is $20.40.
The Victorian Government has set the fees and dates for registration and compliance certificate. The Shire is tasked with administering the register and ensuring all affected property owners comply with the new requirements with penalties for non-compliance.
The Victorian Government has deemed that failure to register a swimming pool and/or spa with the Shire is an offence under the Building Regulations 2018 and carries a penalty (this fine amount set by the Victorian Government is currently $330.44).
HOW TO REGISTER
To register and learn more visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/poolregister
