Swimming Pool guest control

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994

Posted:

Our 650 home community has a swimming pool whose gate has a fob for access control. However, we have two specific rule violations that we are struggling to resolve. First, a homeowner may bring up to four guests to the pool. It appears frequently people are bringing well over their limit. Second, nobody under the age is supposed to be in the pool without an adult. This is also frequently violated.

I hear people say things like "use wrist bands" but with no explanation what that even means. Has anybody here ever addressed this, to offer a fully fleshed-out plan of how to manage who enters the pool? We have budgeted for a "pool monitor" this year. We have hired a company that provides pool staff, but they offered no suggestions on this - they simply make sure people are following our rules relating to behavior.

TIA

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Does your rule say no one under a certain age (14 in my HOA) may be in the pool area without someone over 18? Or does it say "in the pool?"

Can't help, though, since our pool gets pretty low usage.

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By KerryL1 on 02/19/2024 10:31 AM
Does your rule say no one under a certain age (14 in my HOA) may be in the pool area without someone over 18? Or does it say "in the pool?"

Can't help, though, since our pool gets pretty low usage.

"A Homeowner or Tenant at least 21 years of age must accompany any minor children under the age of 16 at all times inside the Clubhouse, gym, and pool area."

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

David,
Our community is about double yours with 1450 SFHs. We also have had Pool Monitors and if you get a good company and give them very defined rules, they can enforce them. I will list some of my suggestions below.

1) Have them stationed at the gate and make sure they use the Fobs. No following behind others.
2) Have a sign-up sheet that has space for Party Size.
3) Make sure that the company providing the monitors employe people over 21 for your property.
4) The monitors need to have the full support of the board so they can uphold your rules.
5) Rules must be clearly posted and even laminated on the table near sign in sheet.
6) If possible, I have always suggested that the Monitor have access to view Fob system so they can see if Fob matches signer.
7) Make sure the monitors understand their job is first to monitor entry and second the pool rules.

With any new rules you will have a few that will get on social media and make this seem as bad as possible. It is important to get out in front of this by stating the reasons in advance by communicating to your owners. At the end of the day, it usually is only 1 or 2 owners who are breaking the rules on a regular basis. When interviewing companies make sure they have good management and supervision. It took our community a few tries to find the right vendor.

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MarkM19 on 02/19/2024 10:45 AM
David,
Our community is about double yours with 1450 SFHs. We also have had Pool Monitors and if you get a good company and give them very defined rules, they can enforce them. I will list some of my suggestions below.

1) Have them stationed at the gate and make sure they use the Fobs. No following behind others.
2) Have a sign-up sheet that has space for Party Size.
3) Make sure that the company providing the monitors employe people over 21 for your property.
4) The monitors need to have the full support of the board so they can uphold your rules.
5) Rules must be clearly posted and even laminated on the table near sign in sheet.
6) If possible, I have always suggested that the Monitor have access to view Fob system so they can see if Fob matches signer.
7) Make sure the monitors understand their job is first to monitor entry and second the pool rules.

With any new rules you will have a few that will get on social media and make this seem as bad as possible. It is important to get out in front of this by stating the reasons in advance by communicating to your owners. At the end of the day, it usually is only 1 or 2 owners who are breaking the rules on a regular basis. When interviewing companies make sure they have good management and supervision. It took our community a few tries to find the right vendor.

Thanks - that looks very helpful! And I forgot the "opening gates for others" is another one of our big issues. We started out thinking we needed some kind of pool pass system, so even if a family comes in with one fob, they all have proof they are residents of proper age. But we've been leaning on scrapping that and simply concentrating on the monitor watching the kinds of things you describe.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MarkM19 on 02/19/2024 10:45 AM
David,
Our community is about double yours with 1450 SFHs. We also have had Pool Monitors and if you get a good company and give them very defined rules, they can enforce them. I will list some of my suggestions below.

1) Have them stationed at the gate and make sure they use the Fobs. No following behind others.
2) Have a sign-up sheet that has space for Party Size.
3) Make sure that the company providing the monitors employe people over 21 for your property.
4) The monitors need to have the full support of the board so they can uphold your rules.
5) Rules must be clearly posted and even laminated on the table near sign in sheet.
6) If possible, I have always suggested that the Monitor have access to view Fob system so they can see if Fob matches signer.
7) Make sure the monitors understand their job is first to monitor entry and second the pool rules.

With any new rules you will have a few that will get on social media and make this seem as bad as possible. It is important to get out in front of this by stating the reasons in advance by communicating to your owners. At the end of the day, it usually is only 1 or 2 owners who are breaking the rules on a regular basis. When interviewing companies make sure they have good management and supervision. It took our community a few tries to find the right vendor.

And if you do find a handful of homeowners who seem to break the rules over and over, it may be necessary for you to suspend their access for a few days (maybe the season if things get totally out of hand). Make sure your rules address that possibility if you want to go that route, along with appeal rights.

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 02/19/2024 1:46 PM

Posted By MarkM19 on 02/19/2024 10:45 AM
David,
Our community is about double yours with 1450 SFHs. We also have had Pool Monitors and if you get a good company and give them very defined rules, they can enforce them. I will list some of my suggestions below.

1) Have them stationed at the gate and make sure they use the Fobs. No following behind others.
2) Have a sign-up sheet that has space for Party Size.
3) Make sure that the company providing the monitors employe people over 21 for your property.
4) The monitors need to have the full support of the board so they can uphold your rules.
5) Rules must be clearly posted and even laminated on the table near sign in sheet.
6) If possible, I have always suggested that the Monitor have access to view Fob system so they can see if Fob matches signer.
7) Make sure the monitors understand their job is first to monitor entry and second the pool rules.

With any new rules you will have a few that will get on social media and make this seem as bad as possible. It is important to get out in front of this by stating the reasons in advance by communicating to your owners. At the end of the day, it usually is only 1 or 2 owners who are breaking the rules on a regular basis. When interviewing companies make sure they have good management and supervision. It took our community a few tries to find the right vendor.

And if you do find a handful of homeowners who seem to break the rules over and over, it may be necessary for you to suspend their access for a few days (maybe the season if things get totally out of hand). Make sure your rules address that possibility if you want to go that route, along with appeal rights.

Oh yes, fob access gets turned off for the rule breakers for 30 days at a time. But without a monitor we only catch the most egregious offenders. We hope the monitor will help.

SheliaH (Indiana)
Posts: 6,964

Posted:

Well some people may try to get admitted through a neighbor's fob, so you may have to think of a way to address that. When we had our pool, we said delinquent homeowners and their households (or tenants) couldn't get in, even if they used the pass belonging to another homeowner (and if they tried, THAT homeowner risked losing privileges).

If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it. Marcus Aurelius

DavidG45 (Delaware)
Posts: 994

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By SheliaH on 02/19/2024 1:53 PM
Well some people may try to get admitted through a neighbor's fob, so you may have to think of a way to address that. When we had our pool, we said delinquent homeowners and their households (or tenants) couldn't get in, even if they used the pass belonging to another homeowner (and if they tried, THAT homeowner risked losing privileges).

That’s actually my original question. What control measures have people been able to use effectively.

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

Sheila,
Yes, I agree the rules must state that the owner of record is the only user allowed to use Fob. That is why I tried a few years ago when we upgraded our Key Fob system to have our monitors have read only access to the system so when someone enters the gate the data shows the card owners name and address. In our case I did not want the monitor to confront these people at the time but make a list so that the PM can send them a warning note reminding them of the rules and put them on notice that they may have Fob access removed if this continues. Just for the record we do not have a big problem with this, and the board did not take up the idea.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MarkM19 on 02/19/2024 2:01 PM
Sheila,
Yes, I agree the rules must state that the owner of record is the only user allowed to use Fob. That is why I tried a few years ago when we upgraded our Key Fob system to have our monitors have read only access to the system so when someone enters the gate the data shows the card owners name and address. In our case I did not want the monitor to confront these people at the time but make a list so that the PM can send them a warning note reminding them of the rules and put them on notice that they may have Fob access removed if this continues. Just for the record we do not have a big problem with this, and the board did not take up the idea.

I would ask your company that services your fobs if there is a way to create an active list of people in the pool that the pool monitor can
check on a tablet or smartphone. Where I live we still have a special security key for the poo', we need the key to enter and exit the pool.
Using the fob as a quasi-check-in and out. The pool monitor would have a list of names to reference and make a little post it note for any
rabble-rousers.

DeanJ
Posts: 1,786

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By DavidG45 on 02/19/2024 10:20 AM
Our 650 home community has a swimming pool whose gate has a fob for access control. However, we have two specific rule violations that we are struggling to resolve. First, a homeowner may bring up to four guests to the pool. It appears frequently people are bringing well over their limit. Second, nobody under the age is supposed to be in the pool without an adult. This is also frequently violated.

I hear people say things like "use wrist bands" but with no explanation what that even means. Has anybody here ever addressed this, to offer a fully fleshed-out plan of how to manage who enters the pool? We have budgeted for a "pool monitor" this year. We have hired a company that provides pool staff, but they offered no suggestions on this - they simply make sure people are following our rules relating to behavior.

TIA

There are programmed RFID wrist bands that people would have to scan at entry and wear while in the pool.