Losses are mounting following a spate of phone threats and voicemails from scammers demanding the payment of a fake tax debt or the victim will be arrested. So far this year, WA ScamNet at Consumer Protection has received 97 reports of tax phone scams with 15 victims losing a total of $188,200. The highest loss amount by one victim was $60,000. This compares with 2019 figures when $100,450 was...

Are you moving house? Then Consumer Protection recommends choosing your removalist wisely as about 40 complaints have been received so far this year against a few rogue operators in Perth. Issues raised in the complaints relate to damage to goods, late arrivals, untrained contractors, false claims that they have insurance when they don’t, poorly equipped vehicles and coercion for payment prior to...

WorkSafe is investigating the work-related death of a worker on a building site at Curtin University yesterday. It is believed that the death is related to the collapse of the roof of a building under construction, and two others are believed to be injured. WorkSafe thoroughly investigates serious work-related injuries and deaths in WA with a view to preventing future incidents of a similar...

The average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) is set to increase by over 30 cents per litre (cpl) to 135 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers, if they can, to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Wednesday 14 October 2020, most branded retailers are hiking their ULP price: Coles Express hiking by up to 44 cpl up to 147.9 cpl; Caltex, BP and Caltex...

With many people experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, one way consumers can save money is by checking and comparing unit prices when grocery shopping. Unit pricing shows consumers the value of grocery products as a cost per standard unit of measurement on shelf labels. Large grocery stores and some online grocery retailers must display the unit price when...

There’s a lot to weigh-up when hunting for a rental home, such as your budget and the location, but one important thing to investigate is whether the property is actually available. Scammers are taking advantage of Perth’s tight rental market by posting fake adverts, or responding to ‘rental wanted’ posts, on classified sites and pretending to be landlords with vacant homes for lease. WA ScamNet...

Effective Monday 5 October, Wageline’s opening hours have changed and Wageline will now be open an extra hour each week. Wageline’s new standard operating hours are: Monday: 8.30am – 4.30pm Tuesday: 9.00am – 4.30pm Wednesday: 8.30am – 4.30pm Thursday: 8.30am – 4.30pm Friday: 8.30am – 4.30pm Employers and employees can continue to call Wageline on 1300 655 266 with queries about: pay rates, leave...

The cooling off period for fitness industry contracts will increase to seven days from the current 48 hours under an updated mandatory Code of Practice that will come into effect on 1 July 2021. The new Code, to be part of the Fair Trading Act, will be expanded to include other fitness service providers apart from traditional gyms, such as personal trainers and group exercise organisers. Clearer...

COVID-19 rent grant updates See the latest announcement on the Residential Rent Relief Grant Scheme for current eligibility and application details. Next stage of grant helps tenants and landlords still affected by COVID-19 Tenants who received grant and are still in hardship can apply again Rent relief of up to $2,000 will be paid directly to landlords Western Australian tenants struggling...

It’s a scenario many of us are familiar with – you’re at home and there’s a knock on the front door, which you open to be greeted by a salesperson wanting to sell you something. This may not be a welcome sight, so it’s worth knowing that there’s a simple way to stop uninvited salespeople showing up on your door-step – by displaying a ‘Do Not Knock' sticker at your front door or gate. Consumer...

Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Bill 2020 to be introduced into State Parliament Delivering an election commitment to provide a fairer system for those carrying out construction work or supply related goods and services in WA Bill improves security of payment across the WA building and construction industry New laws to bolster the confidence of all participants in Western...

An East Victoria Park real estate agency that failed to lodge 19 tenancy bonds on time was fined $18,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court on 18 September 2020. Verse (Aust) Pty Ltd , trading as Verse Property , pleaded guilty to breaching the Residential Tenancies Act by failing to lodge with the Bond Administrator the 19 bonds from 16 properties it managed as soon as practicable, or in any event,...