Rental home pool problem. What would you do?

[bumbershoot]

OP, I don't know what I would do. It would be a serious problem for us, if we paid extra to heat the pool and then the owner completely and totally failed on having a heated pool for us.

A pool is useable whether the pump works or not.

YOu can't actually HEAT a pool if the pump isn't working. You have to be able to "swirl" the heated water around, and without the pump you're up the creek.

My brother, who swims for a workout and not for pleasure, keeps his pool on the cool side. His wife won't set foot in the pool at the temperature he keeps it at (she doesn't have time to swim for any reason so it's no big deal). I can, but I'm splashing around, shivering the whole time. My son will not, can not, go in that water.

And that's with it heated to some extent. When their pump broke and their pool guy was playing around with being an idiot for a few months, NO ONE went in that pool, and they live in San Diego!

Leave us your rental links so we know which properties to avoid.

I kinda feel the same way, if they don't refund when part of their property becomes unusable. If my house became unusable in some way, my landlady would fix it in a flash. If she couldn't, she would give us money off the rent. I expect the same from a short term rental as well.

An unheated pool is MINOR ...



As for Disney--they have "heated" pools, but they are not temps I am comfortable to swim in. Temps vary from frigid (but not hypothermia inducing) to slightly tolerable. But I don't get discounts if I can't swim even though the expectation is that I could swim if I chose to do so.
....

We don't charge extra for pool heat. It is solar. In winter, the pool needs a cover for the heat to retain. Tenant found our cover in horrible shape and it had to be tossed. We were not able to replace it. Forgot about it until this post. Unfortunately due to the magnitude of cost even after insurance of all that we MUST do, there will be no pool cover replacement. This shortens their swimmable season from about 10.5 months to 9. We won't reduce
Rent as we are under market.

An unheated pool, when you have a full expectation of being able to use it, is NOT a minor thing.

I bet you *could* get compensation of some kind, if you truly could not swim at Disney. But Cheshire-Figment says that they are heated to at least 80, which isn't frigid. It isn't as warm as my sister in law likes it (she likes it when their pool is set at nearly 90, when you can barely MOVE in it without starting to sweat and get fainty), but moving around just a bit keeps YOU warm.

Even solar heat requires a pump to move that water around, as far as my brother has taught me. With my brother's pool, they also have the water sent up to small hoses on the roof, and that requires a pump as well.

Without the cover, I know with my brother's pool, it loses, not only tons of heat, but tons of WATER, as well. The amount of water lost to evaporation can cause him (San Diego, not even Orlando) to have to add more water every week or less. Not having a cover on that pool is possibly costing your tenants quite a bit of money. I might reconsider, if I were you.

 

[Bell30012]

We were at AKL - Kidanni when the pool heaters weren't working one time... Disney's solution? You guessed it, take the shuttle over to Jambo House. However, it was fixed the next day.

Landlords like to make money. You have to really keep the landlord seeing that giving you something is in his/her best interest. That is why a discount off the next rental works so well. If you aren't going back anytime soon and this person rents it as a company, you could also consider a BBB complaint. Companies really, really hate these.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Actually more water is lost in summer with lack of rain when the pool cover isn't used anyway.

Pool covers are used mostly for heat retention and not water retention in my old neck of the woods.

OP, I don't know what I would do. It would be a serious problem for us, if we paid extra to heat the pool and then the owner completely and totally failed on having a heated pool for us.




YOu can't actually HEAT a pool if the pump isn't working. You have to be able to "swirl" the heated water around, and without the pump you're up the creek.

My brother, who swims for a workout and not for pleasure, keeps his pool on the cool side. His wife won't set foot in the pool at the temperature he keeps it at (she doesn't have time to swim for any reason so it's no big deal). I can, but I'm splashing around, shivering the whole time. My son will not, can not, go in that water.

And that's with it heated to some extent. When their pump broke and their pool guy was playing around with being an idiot for a few months, NO ONE went in that pool, and they live in San Diego!



I kinda feel the same way, if they don't refund when part of their property becomes unusable. If my house became unusable in some way, my landlady would fix it in a flash. If she couldn't, she would give us money off the rent. I expect the same from a short term rental as well.




An unheated pool, when you have a full expectation of being able to use it, is NOT a minor thing.

I bet you *could* get compensation of some kind, if you truly could not swim at Disney. But Cheshire-Figment says that they are heated to at least 80, which isn't frigid. It isn't as warm as my sister in law likes it (she likes it when their pool is set at nearly 90, when you can barely MOVE in it without starting to sweat and get fainty), but moving around just a bit keeps YOU warm.

Even solar heat requires a pump to move that water around, as far as my brother has taught me. With my brother's pool, they also have the water sent up to small hoses on the roof, and that requires a pump as well.

Without the cover, I know with my brother's pool, it loses, not only tons of heat, but tons of WATER, as well. The amount of water lost to evaporation can cause him (San Diego, not even Orlando) to have to add more water every week or less. Not having a cover on that pool is possibly costing your tenants quite a bit of money. I might reconsider, if I were you.

 

[sam_gordon]

A couple years ago we were at the Poly over New Years and the Volcano pool's heater was out. I never thought about asking for ANY kind of refund.

My opinion on the OP... I'm guessing whatever contract was signed didn't include a line for 'pool heat... $100' or something like that. Simply find out how much a comparable rental property would be for the week that DIDN'T have pool heat or a spa. Ask for that much. I'm guessing those two amenities really don't add that much to a weekly rental.

 

[mrsklamc]

... I'm guessing whatever contract was signed didn't include a line for 'pool heat... $100' or something like that. .

Then I'm guessing you haven't rented many pool homes in Orlando. It is extremely rare for it motto be a separate line item.

 

[sam_gordon]

Then I'm guessing you haven't rented many pool homes in Orlando. It is extremely rare for it motto be a separate line item.

If so, than it's easy... that's the amount you ask to be refunded. End of story.

 

[mommy23kids]

We paid $30 a day for pool and spa heat for 9 days so we are not talking a small amount. Also the pool was NOT filtering so it was turning green by the end of the week. I would have rented a different house had I known we were not going to be able to use the pool and spa. Also I specifically chose one that offered gas heat and not just solar heat. This is the 4th time to Florida and paying for pool heat so we are very aware of what it should feel like.

Anyways thank you for all the opinions. I plan to start by asking for the pool heat fee back and maybe 10% of the rental fee since we were not delivered what we paid for. We will see how it goes.

 

[plummer925]

We paid $30 a day for pool and spa heat for 9 days so we are not talking a small amount. Also the pool was NOT filtering so it was turning green by the end of the week. I would have rented a different house had I known we were not going to be able to use the pool and spa. Also I specifically chose one that offered gas heat and not just solar heat. This is the 4th time to Florida and paying for pool heat so we are very aware of what it should feel like.

Anyways thank you for all the opinions. I plan to start by asking for the pool heat fee back and maybe 10% of the rental fee since we were not delivered what we paid for. We will see how it goes.

My mom has a rental in Florida (not in the Disney area though) and I help her out with contracts and stuff. I think that your asking for the fee back plus 10% is very fair and if your landlord/rental person is reasonable, I think that you will get it.

Good luck!

 

[sam_gordon]

Let me preface this by saying I've never rented a home (from either side). But, if I'm the landlord, why should I refund anything other than the "heat fee"? I agree that should be refunded, but an extra 10%? Sorry, don't understand.

 

[Bell30012]

Sam, maybe for the inconvenience of not being able to use the pool? After all the rental was advertised with a heated pool. The renter not only was out the additional fee for heat but was out the use of the pool. One of the amenities advertised was the pool

 

[sam_gordon]

Sam, maybe for the inconvenience of not being able to use the pool? After all the rental was advertised with a heated pool. The renter not only was out the additional fee for heat but was out the use of the pool. One of the amenities advertised was the pool

Again, I'm simply playing devils advocate...
But nothing kept them from being able to use the pool. Yes, the water was colder than they wanted, but they still had use of it.

To me, it depends what was written in the contract. But simply saying "I want the heat fee PLUS 10% of the value" doesn't fly.

Did the landlord make a good faith effort to get the pool fixed? It sounds like it. Of course, I wasn't there and I'm just giving my opinion, which, with $1.25 will get you a vending machine soda.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Let me preface this by saying I've never rented a home (from either side). But, if I'm the landlord, why should I refund anything other than the "heat fee"? I agree that should be refunded, but an extra 10%? Sorry, don't understand.

Sam, maybe for the inconvenience of not being able to use the pool? After all the rental was advertised with a heated pool. The renter not only was out the additional fee for heat but was out the use of the pool. One of the amenities advertised was the pool

I don't get it either.

If the owner made a good faith effort to fix it--why are you owed for the inconvenience.

I think you would have a case if the owner knew there was a problem. But he can replace a pump if he has no knowledge of it's complete and total failure

If it had stormed 24/7, would the owner have been responsible for loss of use?

Regardless--it doesn't hurt to ask. But most here are posting as though they believe the owner deliberately broke the pool and didn't care to fix it. I don't see where the owner did anything "wrong".

 

[Judique]

I don't get it either.

If the owner made a good faith effort to fix it--why are you owed for the inconvenience.

I think you would have a case if the owner knew there was a problem. But he can replace a pump if he has no knowledge of it's complete and total failure

If it had stormed 24/7, would the owner have been responsible for loss of use?

Regardless--it doesn't hurt to ask. But most here are posting as though they believe the owner deliberately broke the pool and didn't care to fix it. I don't see where the owner did anything "wrong".

It's not that the owner did anything wrong. They just have a maintenance issue. And it's on them to fix it so that their customer gets what they have contracted for.

It's just that the consumer is entitled to get what they paid for. And it's the owner's responsibility to deliver.

The owner takes the loss, not the customer.

In a longterm rental, a pool pump being out of service for a few days would not be a major issue.

But - for a short term vacation rental, it's a big issue. The purpose of the rental is for vacation and to enjoy leisure time doing things such as swimming. Not watching workers try to repair equipment.

 

[undertheradar]

Just wondering, If you go to WDW and Space Mountain has issues, are you going to get a percentage off ticket for it being down? Why should the owner be held to a higher standard than a corporation?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

It's not that the owner did anything wrong. They just have a maintenance issue. And it's on them to fix it so that their customer gets what they have contracted for.

It's just that the consumer is entitled to get what they paid for. And it's the owner's responsibility to deliver.

The owner takes the loss, not the customer.

In a longterm rental, a pool pump being out of service for a few days would not be a major issue.

But - for a short term vacation rental, it's a big issue. The purpose of the rental is for vacation and to enjoy leisure time doing things such as swimming. Not watching workers try to repair equipment.

What would the owner owe if it stormed 24/7 for the duration of the vacation or if there was a cold front making it too cold to swim even with heat?

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

Just wondering, If you go to WDW and Space Mountain has issues, are you going to get a percentage off ticket for it being down? Why should the owner be held to a higher standard than a corporation?

That depends. Did she pay an extra $30 a day to ride Space Mountain?

At the very least I think you should be able to get your $30 per day back.

 

[momto2inKC]

I would only expect to get the extra I had paid for pool heat back. Stuff like this happens. To me, it's no big deal, I wouldn't expect to be compensated more than I paid for the heat.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That depends. Did she pay an extra $30 a day to ride Space Mountain?

At the very least I think you should be able to get your $30 per day back.

That is a fair request.

The extra 10% is not.

 

[undertheradar]

That is a fair request.

The extra 10% is not.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

The extra 10% would be because the spa was not working either.

This is a vacation rental which would have different expectations than a home you would rent by the month. I would read the lease and see if there are any concessions if there is a loss of use of the spa or pool.