Commercial pools
Taking over a community pool from the developer
Once the developer hands over, the owners’ association inherits the pool’s problems too. The handover is the moment to find them.
When a new community is completed, shared facilities such as the pool are handed over by the developer to the owners’ association or its appointed management company. From that point, routine maintenance, repairs and running costs usually fall to the association. Faults that are not identified and recorded at handover can become the association’s to fix later.
Commercial guides cover pools at towers, compounds, hotels, gyms and clubs.
A careful handover covers three things. An inspection of the pool, surrounds, plant room and equipment, with each system run and checked. The documents the association will need: manuals, drawings, equipment lists and the developer contractor’s maintenance records. And the first maintenance routine, started straight away so there is no gap between the developer’s contractor leaving and the association’s provider beginning.
The short version
Inspect before accepting
Defects found and recorded at handover are easier to have resolved.
Collect the documents
Manuals, drawings, equipment details and maintenance history.
Avoid a maintenance gap
Water can deteriorate quickly if nobody is responsible for a few weeks.
What the handover inspection covers
Pool and surrounds
Finishes, tiles, coping, grilles, gutters, ladders, lights and drainage around the deck.
Plant room and equipment
Pumps, filters, dosing, heating or cooling and controls run and checked for leaks, noise and labelling.
Water and records
A full water test and a review of the developer contractor’s logs.
Documents to request
Equipment manuals and data
For every item in the plant room, with model numbers.
Drawings
Pipework layouts and equipment schedules where they exist.
Maintenance history
Test records and service notes from the developer’s contractor.
Common questions
Who fixes defects found at handover?
Normally the developer, under the handover arrangements, if they are recorded at the time.
Is an independent inspection worthwhile?
Often. An inspection by someone working for the association gives it an independent view of condition.
What if records are missing?
Request them in writing. Where they cannot be provided, the handover inspection becomes the new baseline.
Related pool care guides
- Storing and handling commercial pool chemicalsAnother part of running a commercial pool.
- Planning a cleaning schedule for a commercial poolAnother part of running a commercial pool.
- When pool pH is too highAnother water problem with a related cause.
- When pool pH is too lowAnother water problem with a related cause.
This guide sits under commercial pool maintenance. Browse all pool care guides. We look after pools at homes and commercial properties across Dubai.
Ask about your pool
Tell us where the pool is and what you are seeing. A photograph of the pool and the plant room helps us plan the visit.
Phone
+971 56 181 0106Talk through what the pool is doing and book a time for us to see it.
WhatsApp
Send a messageThe easiest way to send photographs of the pool and plant room.
Next step
Taking over a community pool?
Tell us the handover date and the pool details. We can inspect it with you and set up the first routine.