ozgirl

Hello fellow fodorites, I would like some advice please..
My daughter (23 years old) booked a holiday renatl house in LA on the homeaway website and has just checked in.
The property lists a pool and now that they have arrived they find it is a community pool apparently shared by one other property. The "pool rules" list no glassware (fairly standard) but the owner, who appeared to be somewhat surprised by their age (they are a group of 6, similar age) has stipulated no alcohol at the pool.

They are disappointed by the fact that it is a community pool as the website does not relect this but I have told her to chalk that one up to experience. However I am concerned that this alcohol stipulation has just arisen because they are younger than the owner thought they were which is somewhat discriminatory?

Is this reasonable without any previous notice of such a rule? They are certainly not intending to party hard but would like to relax by the pool with a beer after a hectic couple of weeks travelling. Apparently there is nothing in the house or by the pool that states no alcohol. They would not have chosen this property if they had known this.

Does this seem fair? Is this a normal practice?
I can understand owner's concerns but surely this should have been stated somewhere so that everyone was aware of this restriction from the outset.

Would appreciate any comments please?

StuDudley

>>Does this seem fair?>Is this a normal practice?

MichelleY

As long as everyone is over 21. Perhaps the owner is concerned about underage drinking and the liability thar goes along with that. Zero tolerance for under 21.

Jean

The owner can't know for sure that your daughter and her friends won't "party hard."

Just MO, but I think an owner can set (and announce) whatever rules he/she chooses. That's the downside of renting a private residence rather than staying in a commercial property.

It sounds like this is a condo complex, and the owner may be worried about alcohol-caused problems at the pool that could come back to bite him/her in the form of HOA fines. It's also possible the HOA precludes this type of rental, so he's worried about getting caught.

Are you sure the posted pool rules don't also say "No alcohol"?

Jean

BTW, in my mother's condo complex (in Southern California), guests cannot use the pool without an owner present at all times.

LaraM

I would think that all rules and restrictions should be written out. My family always travels by renting houses or apartments and we are often surprised by some arbitrary rule such as the washer being coined operated or not being able to go to the pool till after four because we were renters and not club house members. Perhaps if it is truly a community pool there are insurance and liability issues. Just like on public beaches where you typically can't drink. As I said though the rules should be written out so the renter doesn't feel as if they are being treated unfairly. At this point I think all your daughter can do is outline her displeasure in a review of the property on the rental site.

NeoPatrick

Is this rule one of the association? Or just one the owner made up for them alone? I think that's the main question.

ozgirl

Thanks for all of your quick replies!
NeoPatrick, I think you have hit the nail on the head, that is my concern.
I have forwarded this link on to my daughter - the 'local' advice is much appreciated once again.

MichelleY

If they use metal or plastic (not clear) beverage bottles, how would anyone know?

newtome

I'm really tired of people shouting "discriminatory" when it's the renter who maybe didn't check carefully. I would tell a group of 6 23 yer olds they couldn't drink either. If they DO have an accident or whatnot AND were drinking they could sue the owner's pants off. I'd live with it and drink in the house.

ozgirl

I have checked the website myself very carefully, there is no mention of no alcohol.

I am not saying the owners don't have a point, just that it should be clearly stated.
In Australia, rental properties in popular "schoolie celebration" areas clearly state who they will and won't rent to and what the 'rules' are and this is perfectively reasonable.

It just seems this rule was made on the spot and their money is worth is much as anyone's.

NeoPatrick

Well, I still think it's worth finding out if the rule of no alcohol is one that IS stated by the association and not merely made up by the particular renter. It is not an unusual rule of many US condos. I go to an annual condo rooftop pool party in Philadelphia, where there is a very strict rule about no alcohol at the pool. I also own a rental in Florida that has the same rule.

It's quite possible this is not the case with YOUR rental, but it is worth checking out. If in fact it is a policy of the pool itself, it leaves little room for argument, even if the owner failed to state it in the ad or contract. I'd be somewhat surprised if somewhere within the fine print of any contract, it didn't say something about following the rules of the association.

nytraveler

Agree that they need to check out associatioon rules.

However, I believe that a strict association would not have let them rent at all ( many have rules about renting to more than 2 or 3 unrelated adults - just so they can't be rented to a group of student age).

newtome

EVEN If the owner made up the rule - thy are renting a condo, not a hotel room and it may be illegal for the owner to rent it at all. That's the chance you take when you use a site like homeaway or airbnb.
Not that I am against those sites, I use them myself. But I ask a LOT of questions.

If the owner saw your DD and her friends and decided to impose a rule I don't think you have any recourse. The owner can always say he/she tells ALL his renters that. And if they are SO upset they can't drink in one location then I would be worried they would not be responsible.

janisj

Everyone is commenting as if this is a condo complex.

That isn't how I read things. ozgirl says it is a house and the >>The property lists a pool and now that they have arrived they find it is a community pool apparently shared by one other property.

If it is a two-home compound the other owner probably has some say about what goes on around the property.

I wouldn't think alcohol by the pool or not would necessarily be spelled out in any listing. But I agree, if they are discreet and not sloshing beer out of Bud cans who's to know?????

It doesn't sound like discrimination - just a worried landlord.

Jean

If a house is part of an HOA (even a 2-member HOA), it is bound by the rules of the HOA. Two-member HOAs are not uncommon where I live.

If I were the co-owner or part-owner of a common pool, I'd want some sort of legal arrangement to shield me from liability claims, and I'd sure as heck insist on rules and regulations that go way beyond "no glass by the pool."

ozgirl

Hi everyone, thanks for your comments.

From what DD says there are several other houses in the community but only two do not have their own pool.

No, they are not > and they are still having a great time by all accounts

It just raised an interesting situation that I had never come across before and I appreciate all thoughts and advice.

Christina

I can't imagine why they need to be constantly drinking anyway, you should be enjoying exercise and the outdoors at a pool, not drinking.

I don't think they have any say whatsoever and have no right to get incensed about rules at a pool they don't own and have little right to use in the first place, they are holiday renters, they have no legal rights at all, I bet.

If the website just said the property had a pool available, I would agree a nearby community pool would seem to fit that bill. If it said there was a private pool only for the house rented, then that is obviously a lie. Lots of properties I've seen listed on such websites talk about pool and gym availability, and it just means nearby.

I think they should chalk this up to experience as to questions you should ask when renting if it is so important, and I think they should sober up and stop getting bent out of shape that they can't drink constantly.

ozgirl

Christina, with all due respect, please don't label my daughter and her friends as a mob of drunks!

They don't need to "sober up and stop getting bent out of shape" and they are not "incensed" and "drinking constantly" - I am quite offended by these comments. My daughter is a responsible young adult who knows how to look after herself and other people's properties.

BTW the last photo I received was of the group playing tennis so at least she is "enjoying exercise."

KathyK

Christina, do you always jump to conclusions without knowing a situation?