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FENCES, ALARMS AND COVERS ARE AMONG SOLUTIONS TO TICK OFF THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS READER QUESTION: WE DON’T HAVE VISITING CHILDREN AND HAVE A DETACHED HOME WITH FENCING ALL AROUND. DO WE RISK

A FINE FOR LEAVING OUR SWIMMING POOL UNCOVERED AND WITHOUT AN ALARM? DO THE GOOGLE IMAGES USED FOR UNDECLARED WORKS ALSO PICK THIS UP? To answer the last part first – no. Google images are

used only for tax checks, not for safety requirements. The rules are that a pool must have safety equipment to reduce the risk of accidents, particularly among young children. This equipment

must include at least one of the following: a physical barrier, an alarm, a pool cover, or a shelter (conservatory type). Installations must meet certain safety regulations. They can be

installed by any equipment seller or contractor, and getting a professional to install them means they will already know what criteria must be met. They will also provide you with a safety

brief for the equipment. You can read a full list of the requirements here on the official Service Public website in English. If you do not install this equipment, you risk a fine of up to

€45,000. READ MORE: HOW TO KEEP YOUR SWIMMING POOL OPEN DESPITE DROUGHT IN FRANCE If you have an alarm, it makes sense to use it whenever the uncovered pool is not being used – most are easy

to remove or switch off. Your property fence could be considered a physical barrier, but the guidelines state it should be one metre from the pool, which is somewhat impractical. A recent

case of a toddler who drowned after falling into a neighbour’s uncovered pool shows how easily things can go wrong. The pool owner won a criminal case for not having safety equipment, but it

took three more court hearings to eventually be cleared in a civil case where the parents claimed €180,000 in damages. Read more: How to wake up your swimming pool when temperatures get

warmer