Pool Service for a Rental Property
Rental properties can be an exciting investment that can provide short and long term returns. They can be anything from an apartment complex to yearlong leases to vacation rentals. When the rental has a pool, the cost of the pool maintenance often becomes a factor in how the rental is handled. Impact on the home owner and the renter also comes into play when considering how to handle pool service for a rental.
Some home owners that rent out their house with a pool include the pool maintenance for their renters. If the service is handled in this manner the home owner enters an agreement with a pool service professional for a certain amount of money every month for continued service. The home owner pays the pool service professional directly and the renters do not need to worry about pool maintenance at all.
The above is the preferred method of handling pool service for a rental. When someone owns or invests in a house with a pool, it is a big investment. With all large investments, it is wise to protect it as much as possible. This includes taking care of the pool in a consistent manner with a professional that understands water chemistry and how to properly service a pool. This will protect your investment for years to come with a very small impact on the home owner and its renters.
The second option for home owners that rent out their house with a pool is to perform the maintenance themselves. This can be a good option to save a bit of money every month. The home owner will service the pool every week on the day that he or she chooses including all the beautification tasks as well as the chemistry and maintenance. The impact on this option is high on the home owners but low on the renters.
The second option can be a good one for a home owner that is able to keep up with all the work. Consistent service on a pool is one of the hardest things for Do-It-Yourselfers to keep up on. Home owners that are retired or have a lot of free time may consider this option. There are, however, some things to keep in mind when servicing your own pool. The first is that the home owner needs to have a good grasp on water chemistry. Knowing what to add, how much to add, and when to add it is something that an experienced professional can bring to the table. This can take time to learn and can be very costly when done wrong. The second is the time that will be needed to maintain the pool. People often underestimate the consistency needed when working with water chemistry and pool service. Finally, but not limited to, is the cost of the chemicals. Most Do-It-Yourselfers purchase chemicals from Walmart, Target, or Costco. While they can be a cheaper option from getting the chemicals from your local Pool Supply Retailer the chemicals often lack in quality. Some chlorine tabs may contains extra chemicals like copper or algaecide that when used incorrectly can cause instability and damage to your pool or pool equipment. Usually the chemicals from your local Pool Supply Retailer may be a bit more expensive but they are better quality. These chemicals like chlorine tabs, shock, acid, soda ash, algaecide, conditioner, salt, ect. are often included in the monthly price of pool service from a Pool Service Professional. Weighing out the time, knowledge, and chemicals needed versus the cost of hiring someone can often lead to being “Worth It” to hire someone.
The third option that some home owners opt to use is to pass the burden to their renters. Some home owners will make the renters find and pay for pool service while they are renting their home. This has a moderate impact to the home owner and a high impact on the renters. This is the least recommended way of handling pool service on a rental.
The third and final option is the least recommended way to handle service on a rental in the fact that it does not protect the investment made by the homeowner and has a high impact on the renters. Any home owner that invests in a property to rent will have the same complaint. That complaint is that renters do not take care of their place. This quickly translates to the pool. A pool is a high maintenance feature of a home and when a renter has been given the responsibility to protect that investment; it rarely ends in a result satisfactory to the home owner. If a renter decides to take care of a pool themselves the home owner needs to ask him/herself if the renter has acceptable knowledge of pool maintenance to properly protect the pool and its bathers. Some renters will want to save a few bucks a month by servicing it themselves. This can result in a very costly repair in the thousands for the home owner when the renters move out. An example of this can be read here. If the renter is in charge of finding and paying for a pool service professional the renter will most likely find a “pool guy” that is the cheapest. The cheapest “pool guy” is usually not a good option. There is a saying… “You get what you pay for.” Some discount pool guys take good care of their pools but chances are, a self-respecting pool professional that knows he or she will take good care of a pool will charge accordingly.
There are a few options on how to proceed with pool service for a rental property. The recommended way is for the home owner to find a pool service professional that is reliable and knowledgeable enough in their field to take good care of the pool and protect the home owners investment as best as possible. Do-It-Yourself home owners, that can keep up with the maintenance and have enough knowledge about pool service, can save a few bucks a month. Finally, home owners should never have the tenants responsible for the pool care.
Rental properties can be an exciting investment that can provide short and long term returns. They can be anything from an apartment complex to yearlong leases to vacation rentals. When the rental has a pool, the cost of the pool maintenance often becomes a factor in how the rental is handled. Impact on the home owner and the renter also comes into play when considering how to handle pool service for a rental.
Some home owners that rent out their house with a pool include the pool maintenance for their renters. If the service is handled in this manner the home owner enters an agreement with a pool service professional for a certain amount of money every month for continued service. The home owner pays the pool service professional directly and the renters do not need to worry about pool maintenance at all.
The above is the preferred method of handling pool service for a rental. When someone owns or invests in a house with a pool, it is a big investment. With all large investments, it is wise to protect it as much as possible. This includes taking care of the pool in a consistent manner with a professional that understands water chemistry and how to properly service a pool. This will protect your investment for years to come with a very small impact on the home owner and its renters.
The second option for home owners that rent out their house with a pool is to perform the maintenance themselves. This can be a good option to save a bit of money every month. The home owner will service the pool every week on the day that he or she chooses including all the beautification tasks as well as the chemistry and maintenance. The impact on this option is high on the home owners but low on the renters.
The second option can be a good one for a home owner that is able to keep up with all the work. Consistent service on a pool is one of the hardest things for Do-It-Yourselfers to keep up on. Home owners that are retired or have a lot of free time may consider this option. There are, however, some things to keep in mind when servicing your own pool. The first is that the home owner needs to have a good grasp on water chemistry. Knowing what to add, how much to add, and when to add it is something that an experienced professional can bring to the table. This can take time to learn and can be very costly when done wrong. The second is the time that will be needed to maintain the pool. People often underestimate the consistency needed when working with water chemistry and pool service. Finally, but not limited to, is the cost of the chemicals. Most Do-It-Yourselfers purchase chemicals from Walmart, Target, or Costco. While they can be a cheaper option from getting the chemicals from your local Pool Supply Retailer the chemicals often lack in quality. Some chlorine tabs may contains extra chemicals like copper or algaecide that when used incorrectly can cause instability and damage to your pool or pool equipment. Usually the chemicals from your local Pool Supply Retailer may be a bit more expensive but they are better quality. These chemicals like chlorine tabs, shock, acid, soda ash, algaecide, conditioner, salt, ect. are often included in the monthly price of pool service from a Pool Service Professional. Weighing out the time, knowledge, and chemicals needed versus the cost of hiring someone can often lead to being “Worth It” to hire someone.
The third option that some home owners opt to use is to pass the burden to their renters. Some home owners will make the renters find and pay for pool service while they are renting their home. This has a moderate impact to the home owner and a high impact on the renters. This is the least recommended way of handling pool service on a rental.
The third and final option is the least recommended way to handle service on a rental in the fact that it does not protect the investment made by the homeowner and has a high impact on the renters. Any home owner that invests in a property to rent will have the same complaint. That complaint is that renters do not take care of their place. This quickly translates to the pool. A pool is a high maintenance feature of a home and when a renter has been given the responsibility to protect that investment; it rarely ends in a result satisfactory to the home owner. If a renter decides to take care of a pool themselves the home owner needs to ask him/herself if the renter has acceptable knowledge of pool maintenance to properly protect the pool and its bathers. Some renters will want to save a few bucks a month by servicing it themselves. This can result in a very costly repair in the thousands for the home owner when the renters move out. An example of this can be read here. If the renter is in charge of finding and paying for a pool service professional the renter will most likely find a “pool guy” that is the cheapest. The cheapest “pool guy” is usually not a good option. There is a saying… “You get what you pay for.” Some discount pool guys take good care of their pools but chances are, a self-respecting pool professional that knows he or she will take good care of a pool will charge accordingly.
There are a few options on how to proceed with pool service for a rental property. The recommended way is for the home owner to find a pool service professional that is reliable and knowledgeable enough in their field to take good care of the pool and protect the home owners investment as best as possible. Do-It-Yourself home owners, that can keep up with the maintenance and have enough knowledge about pool service, can save a few bucks a month. Finally, home owners should never have the tenants responsible for the pool care.
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