What is included when you buy a pool service route?

The nearest question is whether a route is any good. This one is simpler: when the deal closes, what do you actually own? A pool service route is mostly relationships and routines, with a modest set of physical tools behind them. If the two sides assume different things are included, the gap shows up on the first Monday after closing.

The customer side

The core of the sale is the customer list with addresses, service days and notes on each pool, such as gate codes and dog warnings. The schedule matters as much as the names, because it shows how the route is laid out. Ask whether the seller will also hand over the opening and closing bookings for the season, and how many are already confirmed.

Vehicle, tools and stock

If the route runs from a truck or van, expect it to carry pumps, vacuums, brushes, poles, test kits and chemical stock. Ask for a list of each item and its condition, and decide together whether the stock is bought at cost or left out of the deal. Opened chemicals can be a nuisance to count, so agree on a method before the day you count them.

Name, number and accounts

The business name, phone number, website, social pages and online reviews are how customers find and trust the route. Supplier accounts and any credit terms are personal to the owner unless the supplier agrees to move them. Treat these as items you must ask for by name.

What usually stays behind

• The seller’s personal licences, insurance and supplier terms.
• Customers who have not agreed to continue.
• Anything the agreement does not list.

Your lawyer can turn the list into the asset schedule in the agreement, and how to check a pool maintenance route helps you test the route before you sign.