We have used THS for a year now and found several great house sitters! My question is we have a large above ground pool and wondered if Sitters would assume they can use the pool if here during warm weather? This has not been an issue yet. We have a sitter that has family in the area and I think use of the pool is too big of a liability. What do other HO and Sitters think? Thank you and happy sitting and travels.
I think it’s entirely up to you whether the sitters use the pool. If you don’t want them to use it then tell them. If they can use it no doubt you’ll have to explain how they should maintain it.
You just need to be sure to clearly mention that the pool is off limits in your description. We have used the pool and take care of cleaning etc at several of our house sits so it would be disappointing to find out that information after accepting a sit. But it’s your home and you have the right to set the rules.
(Doesn’t liability insurance cover this though?)
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@LBB I agree with what’s been said so far, and would add that I would reinforce what’s covered in your listing and conversations/emails by also stipulating it in your Welcome Guide, as to what you will or will not allow.
This should extend to such things as indoor exercise equipment, which I’m seeing more and more in listings. Equipment use without proper training or guides can be an added liability.
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Yes you should definitely mention it in your listing if you don’t want the sitters to use it. We’ve done three house sits where we had the use of an outdoor pool. All three sits were in very hot climates so we certainly appreciated the use of the pool. We also were very appreciative of having pool maintenance staff maintain it - that was a bonus!
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Equipment use without proper training
I don’t need “training” on how to hang yesterday’s outfit on a treadmill or a peloton, because that’s how I’d be using either of those machines! 
If you don’t want them to use it, I would make that very clear in your listing, your welcome guide, and in your communications with the sitter.
I will say, that if I knew you had a pool and it was visible on your listing, I would have assumed we could use it and that would entice me to apply (and leave me SEVERELY disappointed if you mentioned after confirming that I couldn’t use it).
However, it seems like you are more concerned that because they have family nearby they may invite them over to use the pool and therefore maybe have access to the house as well. If that’s your concern I would mention that while you are ok with them using the pool personally, you are not comfortable with them inviting friends/family over to use the pool.
Just my two cents 
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If you don’t want sitters to use the pool, don’t post pictures of it in your listing, because this might lead to misunderstandings.
Clearly say that you don’t want it to be used, but be aware that probably less sitters will apply. At the moment many HOs experience very few applications so allowing the sitters to use the pool might work in your favor.
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Yes, sitters would assume if they are in the photos and the description. We went on a dog-sitting where there was a great description of the indoor pool. When we arrived it was apparent that it had been drained for quite a while.
It is your pool, if you have concerns then don’t include photos of it and state in your listing that there is a pool but it is not available.
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That’s awful… I’d be so disappointed. Did you post about that fact in your review?
I guess at least you weren’t responsible for maintaining the pool! 
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They did remove it from their listing
Am I right in understanding that your concern is about your sitter inviting family over to use your pool?
That would come under the general topic of allowing sitter’s friends/family to visit/stay. You might want to be specific in allowing/restricting use of the pool.
We were ok about a couple inviting their son over to dinner, but we didn’t say yes to a sitter asking if her friends could come too, a week before the sit started. This had been alerted to us in her reviews, so did expect to be asked. Generally, it’s a no to anyone else coming into our home but will consider anything that is asked of us.