A pool leak detection company should have a clear written pool-prep and cancellation policy sent to every customer before the appointment. The pool must be full, clear enough to see, accessible, safe, and ready for testing. Late cancellations, locked gates, unprepared pools, inaccessible equipment, or unsafe conditions may justify a trip fee or reschedule fee.
The policy should be firm, fair, written, and sent before the appointment -- not explained on-site when it is too late.
Required Pool Prep -- What to Tell Every Customer
Leak detection depends on testable conditions. Send these requirements in writing -- text or email -- before every appointment. Do not rely on verbal instructions alone.
When to Charge -- and When Not To
- Gate is locked on arrival
- No access is provided
- Pool water too low to test
- Pool is green or too cloudy
- Equipment is blocked or inaccessible
- Pets are loose
- Technician already en route when cancelled
- Commercial -- no authorized contact present
- Customer failed to follow written prep instructions
- Lightning or severe weather
- Emergency property closure
- Technician illness
- Company-initiated reschedule
- Conditions completely outside customer's control
Sample Pool-Prep Policy
"Before the leak inspection, the pool must be full to normal operating level, clean enough to see the bottom, and accessible. Gates must be unlocked, pets secured, and equipment accessible. Please do not allow swimming during the testing window. If the pool is too low, too cloudy, locked, unsafe, or inaccessible when we arrive, the inspection may need to be rescheduled and a trip fee may apply."
Sample Cancellation Policy
"Please give at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule. Same-day cancellations, locked gates, unsafe access, unprepared pools, or cancellations after the technician is already on the way may result in a trip fee. Weather or company-initiated reschedules will not be charged."
Common Policy Mistakes
Jeff David's Perspective
Early on, I showed up to pools that were green, pools where the water was six inches below the skimmer, and pools where nobody was home. I tried to make the best of it every time -- and most of those inspections produced weak results because the conditions were wrong.
The prep policy protects the inspection. When the customer knows exactly what is required before the appointment, the job starts right. And when the policy is written and sent in advance, the trip fee conversation is not a surprise -- it was already agreed to. That changes the dynamic completely.
-- Jeff David, Founder | Leak Business Academy, LLC | Leak and Subsurface Locators, LLC
Write It, Send It, Enforce It
A pool leak detection company should enforce a clear written pool-prep and cancellation policy sent to every customer before the appointment. The pool must be full, clear, accessible, and ready. Trip fees are appropriate for locked gates, unprepared pools, same-day cancellations, and inaccessible equipment. The policy should be firm, fair, and never a surprise.
Build the Operational Systems That Protect Every Job
Leak Business Academy, LLC provides the operational templates, policies, and workflows that keep pool leak detection businesses running professionally from first call to final report.