Pool

[USMCGilmans]

Hello,

I'm hoping that I can get some advice. We rented a house that has an above ground pool. We moved in about 5 weeks ago and are already seeing how much of a pain the pool maintenance is and an extra expense we can't afford. I decided to look over our lease again and see what it said regarding the pool and there is absolutely no mention of the pool. This whole rental situation is weird anyway. When there is an issue we have to go through the owners' father and he doesn't get back with us very quick. The owners live in Canada and don't want to have anything to do with speaking with us. We've never even met them. My husband spoke to one of the owners about the pool once, but that was two weeks ago. I will send an email asking the owners wife about something and I will copy our real estate agent because she is listed as property manager if the father isn't available. Anyway, the husband responds directly to the real estate agent and copies me on the email that I sent. It is very unprofessional and just rude. We are grateful that they signed a three year lease with us while my husband is on independent duty for the Marine Corps for three years, but it is just suspicious. Anyway, sorry I got off track. If the pool isn't mentioned at all in the lease, who is responsible? All the other appliances and maintenance of the yard is included in the lease, but nothing about the pool.

Oh, one more thing. They never did a move-in condition type checklist, is it in our best interest to list what we have found to be problems, damages etc. to date and email it to them when it has just been 4 weeks since we moved in?

Thank you for any help!!
Debbie

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

If you're not going to use the pool and it's a pain to keep up with it, ask if you can simply drain it.

Most move-in condition lists need to be filled out within 3 to 5 days after moving in. You can send them information on what you feel are damages that were present at move in but don't be surprised if, later on, there are questions about these that the owners contend you did the damage in the five weeks you have lived there.

Gail

 

[USMCGilmans]

Hi Gail,

We have asked them if it can be "winterized" early and we just got a bunch of talk how they couldn't get the products to do that this early in the season and they won't be able to get a cover until late August...blah...blah...blah. I'm telling you, these people are weird. I've rented before and always have a great relationship with my landlord, but this situation is something we weren't expecting. My husband read that if you drain and above ground pool it will cave in, so that isn't an option right now for us.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Gail_in_Georgia]

For what it's worth...someone down the street from me put in an inground pool and then realized they needed a more stable patch of ground under the pool (i.e., the bottom liner sunk in a bit).

They've drained it and the sides have remained standing upright in the past month or so it's been drained.

Gail