Swimming pool

Our condo has a small but nice pool. Around 55/60 units join the pool out of 112 units. We do charge a fee to off set the cost. This year the other members of the board,all who do not join the pool, voted to raise the cost to $150 . Double what it has been. They also insist on having a limit of 3 guests,which for most that come causes a problem since most families are larger then 3. I have suggested an additional fee for guests over 3 or doing away with the limit all together, which is what the majority of the members would like.
I was wondering if anyone else on here has a pool and how they handle the cost and the guest issue. Thank you!

Our pool use set-up is pretty much like Don's.

One difference might be that we only withdraw members' privileges, but that members' tenant's fob would be deactivated if the Owner has had privileges suspended.

Another difference is that while we used to have a limit of 5, we discarded that rule as the pool area is rarely crowded. We do have a rule that the residents must accompany their guests.

(This is why I'm glad our community finally did away with our pool because every year we had to deal with this sort of thing!)

When we did have the pool, we didn't charge for guests, but only issued two passes per household and the homeowner or member of his/her household had to be present (e.g. someone bringing his/her grandchildren to use the pool). If the owner was delinquent in fees, he/she and members of the household were denied access and if the unit was being rented out (we're a townhouse community) the tenant couldn't use the pool either, nor could he/she access the pool via someone who was current. We also had a pool monitor to check people in and he had a list of eligible units.

It may be your guest fee is no longer enough to cover expenses. Sometimes people don't realize how expensive pools are - it's not just the water, it's opening and closing the pool, getting a permit (our county requires them annually), the chemicals, costs of a monitor and/or lifeguard, repairs and replacement to the equipment, and so on.

As for the number of people in the pool, you may be having a problem with overcrowding - you did say it was a small pool. Are there any city or county regulations on how many people can be in the pool depending on its size? If so, maybe you've run into a problem there. And of course, there are the usual problems with people who simply don't know how to act right, starting fights, accidentally (or accidentally on purpose) shoving others into the pool and so on. And you do realize the more people use the pool, the more wear and tear (and more expense) you will have, don't you?

Nonetheless, your board should explain whatever problems have come up and why the costs needs to increase and/or a limit on guests has to be enforced and go on from there. If your homeowners don't want any limits, they'll have to be willing to pay the higher costs - or live with the limits and not invite the entire neighborhood to use it.