Announcements

Showing 776 - 800 of 1179 results

Commissioner's Blog: Renters have new rights to protect kids

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard It has been my position for a number of years that a small amount of damage to a wall, which can easily be repaired, is a small price to pay for ensuring the safety of children living in a rental home. Since 2001, on average, one child a year has died in Australia from toppling furniture with many more suffering serious injuries. I’m really...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Dec 2019

Unlicensed vehicle seller fined for winding back odometers (Rasmus Sepping)

An unlicensed dealer who illegally sold five vehicles and wound back the odometers of two of those vehicles was fined a total of $15,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court on 6 December 2019. Rasmus Sepping , formerly of Redcliffe but now living in Melbourne, pleaded guilty on 6 December 2019 of buying and selling five vehicles between October 2017 and September 2018 without having a licence, in...
Consumer Protection
Media release
10 Dec 2019

Landlord fined for not lodging bond and ordered to pay it back to tenant (Ive Cvitan)

The landlord of a Darch rental property has been fined $4,000 by the Joondalup Magistrates Court for failing to lodge a bond with the Bond Administrator and was ordered to pay back the $1,400 bond to his tenant. Ive Cvitan of Darch entered into a rental agreement with the tenant in May 2017 when the $1,400 bond was paid and a receipt was issued, however Mr Cvitan did not provide the tenant with...
Consumer Protection
Media release
10 Dec 2019

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 20 cents per litre (cpl) to 155.1 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 10 December 2019, most branded retailers are hiking their ULP price - Coles Express by 30 cpl up to 165.9 cpl, BP to 164.9, Caltex to 163.9 cpl, 7-Eleven and Puma to 163.7 cpl,...
Consumer Protection
Media release
09 Dec 2019

Commissioner's Blog: Baby walkers – buy smart, use safely

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Baby walkers are a common sight in family homes. But they can be a dangerous product with more than 100 children ending up in hospital emergency departments each year because of baby walker accidents. Consumer research shows that 32 per cent of carers placed no restrictions on where a baby walker was used, which is really concerning. A baby...
Consumer Protection
Media release
06 Dec 2019

Surge in solar system installations not without consumer issues

The growing rate of WA households installing solar PV systems has been mirrored by a growing rate of complaints to Consumer Protection. In the past 12 months, more than 200 people have reported having issues following the installation of a solar system at their property. Complaints relate to the performance of their solar system, including the panels and inverter, as well as other issues relating...
Consumer Protection
Media release
05 Dec 2019

New child safety laws now in force to prevent toppling furniture accidents

New laws supporting children’s safety have come into force for tenants who are now allowed to fix furniture to the walls of their rental home and the landlord can only object in limited circumstances. Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act aim to prevent injuries and deaths caused by furniture and electronic equipment such as TVs falling on top of young children. On average since 2001, one...
Consumer Protection
Media release
02 Dec 2019

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 20 cents per litre (cpl) to 156.2 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 3 December 2019, most branded retailers are hiking their ULP price - Caltex hiking by up to 30 cpl up to 165.9 cpl, Coles Express to 164.9 cpl, BP to 163.9 cpl, Caltex Woolworths...
Consumer Protection
Media release
02 Dec 2019

Western Australians urged to make pools SAFE

A mum whose 15-month-old drowned in an unfenced backyard pool has joined Consumer Protection and Royal Life Saving Society WA to launch a start-of-summer pool safety campaign. Royal Life Saving WA CEO, Peter Leaversuch, says the latest National Drowning Report has some tragic statistics: “Last year, there were 16 child drowning deaths and over 200 non-fatal drowning incidents recorded in swimming...
Consumer Protection
Media release
01 Dec 2019

$10,000 fine for not so handy handyman (Walter Vermeulen / Ratio Design)

Taking substantial deposits from two consumers and then not starting or finishing the jobs has cost a Kingsley handyman $10,000 in fines after he pleaded guilty in the Perth Magistrates Court on 22 November 2019. Walter Steven Vermeulen , trading as Ratio Design , was fined $8,000 on one charge and $2,000 on a second charge of accepting payment for goods and services but failing to supply them in...
Consumer Protection
Media release
29 Nov 2019

Commissioner's Blog: Home building approvals – have a say

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Did you know that currently when you build a home in Western Australia, such as a one or two storey house, there are no mandatory inspections during, or at the end of, construction? In a recent social media survey run on Consumer Protection’s Facebook page, 55% of respondents wrongly thought local government WAS required to carry out...
Consumer Protection
Media release
29 Nov 2019

Carpenter ordered to pay $10,000 after taking money for no work (Benjamin McVilly / BDM Carpentry)

A Perth carpenter has been ordered to pay more than $10,000 in fines, compensation and costs by the Midland Magistrates Court after taking deposits from consumers but failing to do the work. Benjamin Dean McVilly , trading as BDM Carpentry of Caversham, was fined a total of $5,000 on three charges of accepting payments for carpentry materials and installation but failing to supply them, in breach...
Consumer Protection
Media release
28 Nov 2019

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 19 cents per litre (cpl) to 155.5 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 26 November 2019, most branded retailers are hiking their ULP price - Caltex hiking by 30 cpl to 165.9 cpl, BP and Coles Express to 163.9 cpl, Caltex Woolworths, Puma and 7-...
Consumer Protection
Media release
25 Nov 2019

Property sale mistakes result in fine for York real estate agency (Avon Districts Professionals Pty Ltd / Nicola Di Giulio)

Mistakes made on a property sale contract have resulted in a York real estate agency and its operator being reprimanded and fined a total of $6,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT). Avon Districts Professionals Pty Ltd , trading as Westerntown & Country.com.au , and supervising agent Nicola Di Giulio were each fined $3,000 and both were ordered to pay $700 in costs for breaching the...
Consumer Protection
Media release
22 Nov 2019

Commissioner's Blog: Bushfires equals fake charity scams

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Seeing the recent bushfires is horrifying for most of us and we just want to help somehow. But unfortunately scammers see it as an opportunity to impersonate charities, or create fake charities. This can happen online, via social media or website pop-ups, or in person, such as at your front door or on the street. It’s doubly cruel because...
Consumer Protection
Media release
21 Nov 2019

Summer safety campaign aims to prevent injuries and save lives

Summer, school holidays and Christmas should be times of fun and relaxation and Consumer Protection wants to make sure that they are also safe times for everyone. In the 12 months from July 2018 to June 2019, there were 276 drowning deaths in Australia with 31 of them occurring in swimming pools*. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard is concerned that these figures are higher than...
Consumer Protection
Media release
18 Nov 2019

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 20 cents per litre (cpl) to 155.4 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 19 November 2019, most branded retailers are increasing their ULP price - Caltex hiking by 33 cpl to 167.9 cpl, BP to 164.9 cpl, Coles Express to 163.9 cpl and Caltex Woolworths...
Consumer Protection
Media release
18 Nov 2019

Commissioner's Blog: Review of WA tenancy laws coming soon

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard It’s been more than 10 years since Western Australia’s tenancy laws were reviewed and times have certainly changed. So, Consumer Protection is set to review the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 and we are going to want to hear from you. The high cost of owning a home means more people in WA are renting. Meanwhile people with investment...
Consumer Protection
Media release
14 Nov 2019

Real estate agent fined for failing to cooperate with audit (Greg O’Farrell)

A real estate agent has been fined $500 and ordered to pay costs of $553.90 by the Mandurah Magistrates Court for failing to cooperate with requests from the auditor during the termination audit of his previous business. Gregory James O’Farrell , former Director of O’Farrell Property Group Pty Ltd of Mandurah, did not renew the company’s triennial certificate and the business ceased to operate in...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Nov 2019

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 20 cents per litre (cpl) to 153.3 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 12 November 2019, most branded retailers are increasing their ULP price. BP, Caltex and Coles Express sites are increasing between 29 and 32 cpl to 162.9 cpl, Caltex Woolworths...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Nov 2019

Commissioner's Blog: Time to nominate for the Consumer Protection Awards

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard I remember the first time we held the Consumer Protection Awards in 2004 and I’m proud that the annual event has become firmly fixed in the Western Australian calendar as an opportunity to acknowledge community contributions to consumer protection. Many individuals, organisations, businesses and media professionals are involved in helping...
Consumer Protection
Media release
08 Nov 2019

Alert issued after scammers steal $70,000 by cloning a settlement agent email

Home and business buyers as well as real estate and settlement agents in WA are urged to be on high alert after two payments totalling $70,000 meant for a Perth settlement agent were stolen by scammers. The scammers had cloned the settlement agent’s Yahoo email address, changing just one character, and sent a payment request for $48,000 to the buyer of a business. The email contained details of a...
Consumer Protection
Media release
07 Nov 2019

Caution urged when engaging budget and debt management services

Consumers facing financial difficulties are urged to exercise caution when approached by budget and debt management companies that charge fees for their services. Complaints have been received by Consumer Protection from consumers who claim that they are charged fees for services, which were not delivered and some have signed contracts without realising that this would lead to a caveat being put...
Consumer Protection
Media release
04 Nov 2019

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average cost of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 18 cents per litre (cpl) to 151 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 5 November 2019, most branded retailers are increasing their ULP price – Coles Express hiking by 29 cpl to 162.9 cpl, BP and Caltex to 159.9 cpl, 7-Eleven to 158.7 cpl, Caltex...
Consumer Protection
Media release
04 Nov 2019

National gift card law a win for consumers

New national gift card laws will come into effect tomorrow (1 November 2019) to help protect consumers from losing an estimated $70 million on gift cards each year. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said the Australian Consumer Law was amended to ensure a consistent approach to gift cards, no matter where in Australia they are purchased. “Gift cards are big money in Australia,...
Consumer Protection
Media release
31 Oct 2019

Pages