A metric space (X, ρ) is called precompact, if, for every ε > 0, there is a finite ε-cover (a covering by sets of diameter ≤ ε). The space (X, ρ) is separable if for every e there is a countable ε-cover. There should be some in-between condition. We say that (X, ρ) has fine covers, if, for every ε > 0, there exists a countable ε-cover (U1, U2, …), such that the diameter ∂(Ui) tends to zero as i → ∞. In fact, Goodey [1] has related this property to Hausdorff dimension. We show that a space with fine covers need not be σ-precompact and that on any complete metrizable non-σ-compact space X there is a metric ρ* such that (X, ρ*) has no fine cover.