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Communal pool issue following guidelines

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 2:59am
17 replies1096 views7 members subscribed
Louisesandersoncrail

Posts: 3

Location: La Marina

Joined: 31 Jul 2020

Hello All 

My parents own house in a phase on the urb that has about 90 houses that share a communal pool. Some, not all residents were notified in March, without any prior communication that the pool will remain closed, even though Spanish guidelines advised communal pools could be opened following the guidelines and to a 75% capacity. A great deal of residents were against the pool remaining closed and tried various ways to contact the President and the administrator but initially didn’t hear anything back for months. Eventually in July it was agreed the pool would be opening the 1st of August following some guidelines and requesting a form to be signed agreeing, again this email was sent out to some owners. I have been in touch with other presidents who have had their pools open for sometime now and are running fine. Their restrictions seem fair and sensible. However in our guidelines the amount of people in the pool area at any time appears very low and they have introduced times the pool can’t be used. We could understand if it was for cleaning but the cleaning takes place in the morning. The times are 10-1 and then 5-8, closing for 4 hours in the afternoon for no apparent reason. Reducing the amount of time to use the pool to 6 hours a day which will encourage more people to use the pool at the same time. I have asked this question to the president but unsurprisingly I have had no response. How do I find out the normal capacity for the pool area for my phase and how do I override the president who keeps making up ridiculous rules and then when asked why refuses to give a reason. What are our options? We are only here for another couple of weeks my parents have already missed out on the pool and had to return home. It just seems so unfair because we don’t live here we seem to have less say and are never considered. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Many thanks x 

Cheryl

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:09am

Cheryl

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Posts: 2973

3538 helpful points

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Joined: 8 Jun 2017

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:09am

https://www.spanishpropertyinsight.com/2020/05/27/with-social-distancing-the-new-normal-will-community-pools-be-open-in-spain-this-summer/
I found this, it's from May so some things may have changed but it gives an insight into the problems of opening a community pool and policing the rules.
Going purely on previous posts it seems that some community pools haven't opened at all.
When you say only some owners have received the e-mails, have you proof of this and do the community have everybody's up to date e-mail addresses?
On the subject of you feeling that you have less say because you don't live here permanently, all I can say is I have read reports saying just the same for full time residents when a vote has gone out for certain improvements and the permanent residents have been voted down as the holiday home owners don't feel the expenditure will benefit them enough for the few weeks a year they spend here.
Basically the community has to pay for all these extras and maybe there is only enough money in the pot to be able to open for restricted hours.

Louisesandersoncrail

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:29am

Louisesandersoncrail

Original Poster

Posts: 3

Location: La Marina

Joined: 31 Jul 2020

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:29am

Cheryl wrote on Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:09am:

https://www.spanishpropertyinsight.com/2020/05/27/with-social-distancing-the-new-normal-will-community-pools-be-open-...

...in-spain-this-summer/
I found this, it's from May so some things may have changed but it gives an insight into the problems of opening a community pool and policing the rules.
Going purely on previous posts it seems that some community pools haven't opened at all.
When you say only some owners have received the e-mails, have you proof of this and do the community have everybody's up to date e-mail addresses?
On the subject of you feeling that you have less say because you don't live here permanently, all I can say is I have read reports saying just the same for full time residents when a vote has gone out for certain improvements and the permanent residents have been voted down as the holiday home owners don't feel the expenditure will benefit them enough for the few weeks a year they spend here.
Basically the community has to pay for all these extras and maybe there is only enough money in the pot to be able to open for restricted hours.

Yes this is from May and completely changed since then, the New guidelines advised if Any resident and even if it was just one wanted the pool to open then it should be opened following the governments guidelines. 

Cheryl

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:31am

Cheryl

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Posts: 2973

3538 helpful points

Location: Albatera

Joined: 8 Jun 2017

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:31am

Louisesandersoncrail wrote on Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:29am:

Yes this is from May and completely changed since then, the New guidelines advised if Any resident and even if it was just one wanted the pool to open then it should be opened following the governments guidelines. 

Could you post the link to these guidelines please?

Louisesandersoncrail

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:43am

Louisesandersoncrail

Original Poster

Posts: 3

Location: La Marina

Joined: 31 Jul 2020

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:43am

Cheryl wrote on Fri Jul 31, 2020 10:31am:

Could you post the link to these guidelines please?

Apologies it will not let me upload the pdf so had to take screen shots this came from the administrator. 

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Movingon

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:36am

Movingon

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Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 11:36am

Often the decision on whether or not to open a pool will depend on nothing more than the community administrators willingness, or ability, to pay for the sanitation procedures laid down in the guidelines hence why one communities experience cannot be directly applied to the next. 

If it is a question of money then I doubt anyone will need me to point out there really is only one answer to that!

Severntma

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:22pm

Posts: 103

49 helpful points

Location: La Marina

Joined: 17 Apr 2018

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:22pm

Regarding the afternoon closure, my friend lives in La Mata and his communal pool also closes. The majority of residents are Spanish where he lives and they follow the siesta habit which is deeply entrenched in Spanish culture. Perhaps you and your neighbours are mostly British I don’t know but it’s likely the reason so that the houses next to the pool are undisturbed for a few hours....what nationality is your president?. 

Also worth noting that his pool is not opening this year die to the  extra costs that would have to be levied on everyone. 

Sheila64

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:36pm

Sheila64

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Posts: 772

624 helpful points

Location: Playa Flamenca

Joined: 22 Dec 2015

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 4:36pm

Louisesandersoncrail wrote on Fri Jul 31, 2020 2:59am:

Hello All 

My parents own house in a phase on the urb that has about 90 houses that share a communal pool. Some, not all residents were notified in March, without any prior communication that the pool will remain closed, even though Spanish guidelines advised communal pools could be opened following the gui...

...delines and to a 75% capacity. A great deal of residents were against the pool remaining closed and tried various ways to contact the President and the administrator but initially didn’t hear anything back for months. Eventually in July it was agreed the pool would be opening the 1st of August following some guidelines and requesting a form to be signed agreeing, again this email was sent out to some owners. I have been in touch with other presidents who have had their pools open for sometime now and are running fine. Their restrictions seem fair and sensible. However in our guidelines the amount of people in the pool area at any time appears very low and they have introduced times the pool can’t be used. We could understand if it was for cleaning but the cleaning takes place in the morning. The times are 10-1 and then 5-8, closing for 4 hours in the afternoon for no apparent reason. Reducing the amount of time to use the pool to 6 hours a day which will encourage more people to use the pool at the same time. I have asked this question to the president but unsurprisingly I have had no response. How do I find out the normal capacity for the pool area for my phase and how do I override the president who keeps making up ridiculous rules and then when asked why refuses to give a reason. What are our options? We are only here for another couple of weeks my parents have already missed out on the pool and had to return home. It just seems so unfair because we don’t live here we seem to have less say and are never considered. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Many thanks x 

Hi Louise,

I am a president and hear so much about other presidents not giving out enough information. I was elected after volunteering, and for my efforts I am exempt from paying the community fee. As I live here permanently it is in my interests for things to run smoothly. Many presidents are holiday home owners, and some have the job forced upon them. Even if their fee is waived, it is usually not enough incentive to do the job. However, you have a president, Vice President, committee members and the Administrators, so you should be able to get answers from someone. It was a very hard decision to make about opening the pools, and the final buck stops with the president. I don’t understand the reduced hours, but it may be for a good reason. You are entitled to know what that is. As AGMs have not been allowed, decisions have had to be made without votes. I suggest that you don’t give up, and ring the Administrators asking them to get answers for you.

Golandrina

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 6:51pm

Golandrina

Super helpful member

Posts: 1660

1226 helpful points

Location: Almoradí

Joined: 24 Mar 2018

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 6:51pm

Some community pools did not open as early this year and some not at all due to the strict regulations laid down by the government relating to numbers allowed (depending upon the size of the pool) and the strict and costly cleaning rules.

Sheila64

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:17pm

Sheila64

Very helpful member

Posts: 772

624 helpful points

Location: Playa Flamenca

Joined: 22 Dec 2015

Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2020 8:17pm

This post that was quoted has been deleted.

Your comments are insulting. All Administrators will tell you that being a community president is a thankless task. Nobody wants to do the job! You are not even worth going into more detail with.

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