Pool Fence Compliance Victoria — What You Need to Know Before You Sell or Swim

Pool Fence Compliance Victoria — What You Need to Know Before You Sell or Swim

You think your pool fence is fine. It’s been fine for years. The kids have grown up swimming in it, the neighbour’s kid has been in and out all summer, and nobody’s ever said a word. Then someone files a complaint — or you decide to sell your house — and suddenly you’re scrambling to find out what the rules actually are. By then it’s too late for a quick fix. That’s the thing about pool fence compliance in Victoria. You don’t think about it until you have to.

I inspect pools across Geelong, the Bellarine, Wyndham and Moorabool shires pretty much every week. I’ve seen the same problems over and over. Gates that don’t self-close properly. Gaps under the fence that a dog could squeeze under. Windows that open more than 100mm because someone replaced the latch and nobody checked the regulation. These aren’t exotic problems. They’re common. And they’re the reason the regulations exist in the first place.

Here’s what most people don’t realise until I tell them: the rules around pool fence compliance in Victoria aren’t just about keeping kids out of pools. They’re about a certificate — a Form 23 — that you’re legally required to have if your property has a pool or spa above 300mm deep. That certificate has to be issued by a registered building inspector. And if you don’t have one when you sell, you can’t settle. That’s not me being dramatic. That’s the law.

The regulations come from the Victorian Building Authority and they’re tied to the Building Act 1993. Every pool and spa in Victoria needs to comply with AS 1926.1 — that’s the Australian standard for pool safety. The standard covers fence height, gap tolerances, gate hardware, and a whole range of things that sound technical but become very real when you understand what they’re actually protecting. A 100mm gap under a fence might seem harmless. A toddler doesn’t think so.

When I come to your property in Geelong or the surrounding areas, I’m checking against a detailed checklist. The fence itself needs to be at least 1.2 metres high from the ground on the outside. The gaps between palings or rails can’t exceed 100mm — and that applies to any part of the fence, not just the bottom. The gate has to swing outward away from the pool and it has to self-close and self-latch from any position, including if someone just leaves it open and walks away. The latch needs to be at least 1.5 metres high, or more than 100mm from any handholds. These details matter because they’re the things that fail when a kid gets hurt.

A lot of the non-compliance I see in Geelong and Bellarine properties comes from age. Original pool fences from the 80s and 90s were often built to a different standard. Materials sag, timber moves, gates get used thousands of times and the hardware wears out. Something as simple as a gate hinge losing tension means it no longer self-closes. That one thing makes the whole barrier non-compliant. It takes five minutes to check. It takes a lot longer to fix if you wait until you’re in the middle of a property sale.

What surprises people is the windows thing. If your pool is visible from a window in the house, that window needs to have a lock that prevents it opening more than 100mm. I’ve been to properties where the pool fence looks perfect and then I walk inside and the kitchen window just above the sink opens fully and a kid could climb through. That’s not compliant. The fence does its job but the access from the house isn’t restricted. The regulations cover the entire barrier — every point of access to the pool.

There are also rules about objects near the pool that can be used to climb over the fence. Things like outdoor furniture, pot plants on stands, BBQs, pool equipment. If it can be used as a step and a child can reach the top of the fence, it’s considered a climbable object. That means it needs to be at least 900mm away from the fence on the pool side, or the fence needs to be higher to account for it. This catches people out all the time because it requires you to think about your yard layout differently.

The inspection itself doesn’t take long. I go through every element of the barrier, check the gate hardware, measure the fence heights and gaps, check the window restrictors if applicable, and make sure there are no climbable objects within range. If anything doesn’t comply, I let you know exactly what needs fixing and why. Most things can be fixed without replacing the whole fence. Some things can’t. Better to know before you list the property.

Once the inspection is complete and everything complies, I issue the Form 23 certificate on the spot. That’s your proof of compliance for the Victorian Building Authority and for any property transaction. If you’re selling, your solicitor or conveyancer will need it. If you’re not selling, you still need to have a current certificate — it’s an ongoing obligation, not just a one-time thing for when you sell. The certificate needs to be renewed every four years for a registered pool. I’m happy to walk you through what the current requirements are when I visit.

For most properties in Geelong, the Bellarine, Wyndham and Moorabool areas, the total cost is the fee listed on our website all-inclusive. That covers the inspection, the certificate, and any follow-up advice on what needs fixing if something’s not quite right. No hidden fees. No call-out charges on top. I know people have been stung before by quotes that balloon after the inspector arrives. I don’t do that. You call me, I come and inspect, you get your certificate or you get a clear list of what needs to be done to get one.

If you’re in the Geelong region and you need a pool compliance inspection, call me on 0402 860 499. I cover the Bellarine Peninsula, the Wyndham shire, the Moorabool area — pretty much anywhere in Victoria where there’s a pool that needs checking. Most inspections can be booked within a few days. If you’ve got a settlement coming up or you’re getting ready to list, don’t leave this to the last minute. The last thing you need is a failed inspection two weeks before you were planning to sign.

The thing nobody tells you is how often the compliance issues are small and fixable. It’s not usually that the whole fence needs replacing. It’s a latch that’s worn out. It’s a hinge that’s lost its spring. It’s a window restrictor that was never installed. These are hundred-dollar fixes. But you have to know about them first. That’s what the inspection is for.

Don’t wait until you have to. If you’ve got a pool in Victoria and you don’t know whether it’s compliant, find out now. It takes thirty minutes to check. It takes a lot more to deal with a non-compliance notice after the fact. Call me on 0402 860 499 or book online — whatever works for you. The inspection is the fee listed on our website all-inclusive and you’ll have your Form 23 certificate the same day if everything checks out. If it doesn’t, you’ll know exactly what needs to happen next.

Get your pool barrier inspected in Geelong, Bellarine or Bacchus Marsh

Local Pool Inspections issues same-day Form 23 certificates across the Bellarine and Greater Geelong, plus Moorabool Shire and Wyndham. Flat $250 inc GST, free re-inspections after remediation. Pick the area closest to you:

• Pool inspection Drysdale
• Pool inspection Ocean Grove
• Pool inspection Barwon Heads
• Pool inspection Portarlington
• Pool inspection Bacchus Marsh

Or call 0402 860 499 to book.