Minnesota court rules Swimply rentals can be consider public pools and need licenses
Case Summary
The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that pools rented out through the Swimply app are legally considered "public pools" under state regulations. This classification means that homeowners who rent their pools via Swimply must obtain the appropriate licenses required for public pools. The case arose after Minnesota homeowners challenged the state's requirement to license their Swimply rentals, arguing that their pools were private and not subject to public pool regulations. The court sided with the state, emphasizing the public accessibility aspect created by the rental model. Swimply, which launched in the Minneapolis area in 2020, facilitates short-term rentals of private pools and hot tubs to the general public through its app platform. This ruling clarifies that such rentals fall within the scope of public pool safety and health regulations.
Key Issues
- • Definition of 'public pool' under Minnesota law
- • Licensing requirements for pool rentals
- • Regulatory compliance for peer-to-peer rental platforms
- • Homeowner liability and safety standards
- • Impact of technology-enabled sharing economy on traditional regulations
Analysis & Coverage
Case Timeline
1 eventMinnesota court rules Swimply rentals can be consider public pools and need licenses
Minnesota court rules Swimply rentals can be consider public pools and need licenses MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Court of Appeals has sided with the state, agreeing that pool rentals through popular app Swimply are considered "public pools" and, as such, can be required to hold a license. Court ruling The backstory: The ruling comes as a result of a challenge by Minnesota homeowners who used the Swimply app to rent out their pool. Swimply began operating in the Minneapolis area in 2020. Its concept is simple: it allows pool and hot tub owners to rent out their facilities.