The Coachella Valley and the city of Palm Springs have long been hot spots for the country and the entire world to rent a vacation home and enjoy the amazing weather as well as a slew of world-class amenities and the largest music festivals.

With the continued popularity of vacation home rentals, some cities are beginning to tighten their parameters and laws regarding the operation of vacation rentals. The city of Palm Springs most recently announced that the city will prohibit all vacation rental permit holders in the city limits from listing their pools for use on the Swimply application.

Information About the Swimply Rental App

Swimply is an app that works similar to more widely known vacation rental apps like Airbnb but is exclusively for the purpose of renting out swimming pools. A user can set a destination and then a list of rentable private home pools will pop up that are available in the area. The homeowner sets the hourly charge rate for their personal pool.

Some homeowners have taken advantage of renting out the use of their outdoor pools as a way to make some extra cash on very simple terms. It provides a way for people in the area to make use of a private pool when the weather is hot. Some hopeful vacation homeowners saw it as a way to generate a little extra income during slower renting times.

Some pool owners in desirable and very warm locations with nice backyard pools can bring in thousands of extra dollars a month by renting their pool.

The Reason Swimply is No Longer Permitted for Use in Palm Springs

It is essential for rental owners to have a plan in place should someone sustain an injury while using their home. Most often this is done through safety precautions like fencing (when it comes to pools), proper warning signage, and retaining insurance.

Many home rental apps require that homeowners using their services provide proof of insurance or require that they pay into an insurance program provided by the app. With Swimply homeowners are not required to hold insurance, it is optional. This is why Palm Springs will not permit the use of Swimply.

Any rental property permit holder in the city of Palm Springs that is found to be using Swimply for renting out their pool can face a fine of $500 for violating the municipal code as well as receive a strike against the property.

This does not mean that rental homeowners are not able to rent out the backyard and pool of their homes, they just need to do so through other means.

The Palm Springs Good Neighbor Brochure

Each city in the Coachella Valley has its own set of laws and regulations regarding vacation rental properties and obtaining a permit to rent out a property to vacationing visitors in the area. Here is a link to the Good Neighbor Brochure that lists the guidelines for visitors and vacation rentals in Palm Springs.

It is always best for vacation rental owners to make sure they know all of the local codes and laws regarding the operation of a vacation property. It can help to avoid costly fines and the chance of a disgruntled renter making a complaint that could cost an owner.

For more information on real estate in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley please contact us at any time.

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