Consumer

Topics

When goods fail to meet a guarantee , a consumer has a right to a ‘remedy’ – an attempt to put the situation right. Common remedies include repair , replacement or refund , and can involve action for compensation or damages . Suppliers The supplier has to provide the remedy when goods do not meet...
Returns and cancellations
You do not have to give a refund when a consumer simply changes their mind about the goods. But you can have a store policy to offer a refund, replacement or credit note when this happens. If so, you must abide by this policy. Also see our cancelling a service page.
Returns and cancellations
Whether you have to provide a refund , repair , replacement or compensation to a consumer for problems with goods or services depends on whether you have met consumer guarantees set by Australian law. You are responsible for understanding your legal obligations. Australia’s consumer protection...
Returns and cancellations
Gas appliances, after installation, become part of the house and tend to be neglected and forgotten until something goes wrong or they stop working as they should. Like other machines, gas appliances become inefficient, unreliable and may even pose a safety hazard if not serviced regularly. ' For...
Gas appliances
Around 120 Australians have died as a result of do it yourself (DIY) car maintenance accidents since 2000, while many hundreds have been hospitalised due to injuries and Consumer Protection is keen to see a dramatic drop in these incidents. Research undertaken by the Australian Competition and...
Product safety for consumers
Product safety regulation in Australia is a shared responsibility between the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the states and territories. In Western Australia, Consumer Protection are the regulators of product safety and have a dedicated Product Safety Unit that deals with...
Product safety for consumers
Consumers have a right to expect products they buy work properly without any risk of causing illness or injury. A business must ensure their products meet acceptable levels of safety and will not cause harm when used as intended. Products must meet the requirements of relevant mandatory standards...
Product safety for consumers
A public consultation to seek feedback from the community and the funeral industry on the experience and operation of the Fair Trading (Prepaid Funerals Code of Practice) Regulations 2020 (WA) (Prepaid Funerals Code) closed on 13 September 2023. The Prepaid Funerals Code, which came into effect...
Consultations
Major problems with services A major problem with services is when: A reasonable consumer would not have bought the services if they had known the nature and extent of the problem. For example, a reasonable consumer would not pay to have acrylic nails attached if they knew the nails would fall off...
Services
A business does not have to give a refund if you simply change your mind about a service, unless they have a policy to offer a refund, replacement or credit note when this happens. However consumers do have rights and and responsibilities when cancelling a service or requesting a refund. What if I...
Services

Pages

Publications

Termites, often referred to as ‘white ants’, serve an important function in nature by feeding off dead trees and converting them into organic matter. Unfortunately for us, the wood in buildings and...
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
04 Dec 2023
This fact sheet is a guide to making your new home is sustainable, energy efficient and easy to run. What is an energy efficient house? An energy efficient house uses less energy than an existing...
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
22 Jan 2019
The cost of building a house can be affected by the nature of the site. It is wise to investigate the suitability of the site before selecting a block of land. When choosing a block When selecting a...
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
08 Aug 2019
Consumers need to be aware that painting work is by law a regulated building service in Western Australia. Under the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 (the Registration Act) a person (the...
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
10 Aug 2020
When dealing with building disputes relating to a regulated building service, Building and Energy may require the parties to a complaint to provide further details about the complaint. These further...
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
23 Jan 2019
This publication is the PDF and print-friendly version of information outlined on the webpage ' Building service and home building work contract complaints '.
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
13 Aug 2020
Sample complaint letter relating to retirement village issues. Your name Your address Your phone number Your email address (if you have one) Date Name of contact person (or address the letter to the...
Consumer Protection
Template
22 Oct 2020
Sample complaint letter concernin g the purchase of retail goods and services. Your name Your address Your phone number Your email address (if you have one) Date Name of contact person (put the name...
Consumer Protection
Template
22 Oct 2020
Online consumer reviews are increasingly being relied upon by consumers as a low cost means of making more informed purchasing decisions. As long as the integrity of those reviews is ensured, this is...
Consumer Protection
Guide / handbook
29 May 2014
A sample complaint letter for unsatisfactory building work. Your name Your address Your phone number Your email address (if you have one) Date Name of builder Street Suburb/town State Postcode Dear...
Consumer Protection
Template
22 Oct 2020

Pages

Announcements

Substandard turf and concrete work in Beeliar and Ashby Ignoring a building remedy order is an offence under WA’s building laws $5,000 fine and $2,000 in costs to be paid A Perth magistrate says two home owners were left in a “vulnerable position” after paying for substandard work by a landscaper, who ignored orders from the Building Commissioner to fix the faults. Haval Akrawy , also known as...
Building and Energy
Media release
14 Nov 2022
Online shoppers urged to be vigilant as scammers expected to be active An additional 37 trading hours approved to make Christmas and Australia Day shopping more convenient 57 extra hours of trading between Labour Day in March this year and Australia Day next year Western Australian shoppers are being urged by the State Government to be cyber safe this Christmas by being vigilant to scams while...
Consumer Protection
Media release
10 Nov 2022
Australians are losing more money to scams than ever before, so taking a moment to consider whether there might be a scammer behind the next random phone call, text message or email you receive has never been so important. Empowering consumers to learn how to spot a scam is the focus of this year’s Scams Awareness Week (7-11 November 2022), hosted by the Australian Competition and Consumer...
Consumer Protection
Media release
10 Nov 2022
Cracks, incomplete work and other defects at Woodvale and Landsdale properties No attempt to follow official orders for remedy or compensation Conviction at trial following prosecution by Building and Energy A Perth tradesman has been fined $12,500 for ignoring orders issued by the Building Commissioner to fix defective driveway work at two homes. Ricky Noel Clements , trading as Harden Up...
Building and Energy
Media release
09 Nov 2022
Being offered an extended warranty by a salesperson on new cars, whitegoods or electronics may be a familiar scenario to many shoppers, but it could be a waste of your money if you buy one. This is because the products we buy automatically come with a number of guarantees under our consumer laws, including a requirement that they be of acceptable quality and last a reasonable amount of time,...
Consumer Protection
Media release
04 Nov 2022
Serious concerns about tree lopper’s unethical and illegal business practices Demanding cash payment in full upfront and no receipt a warning sign Don’t deal with this rogue tree lopper with long history of bad behaviour Consumer Protection is issuing yet another public warning about the bad behaviour of a dodgy Perth tree lopper who has been the subject of numerous warnings and prosecution...
Consumer Protection
Media release
03 Nov 2022
Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 2 November 2022), the average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 24 cents per litre (cpl) to 198.5 cpl. Puma/Caltex and Ampol hiking by between 35-45 cpl up to 214.9 cpl; Coles Express, EG Ampol, 7-Eleven and...
Consumer Protection
Media release
01 Nov 2022
High number of complaints and enquiries about extended warranties on new cars Similar issues reported on new whitegoods and electronics Shoppers reminded that guarantees under Australian Consumer Law are free As the busy Christmas shopping period approaches, Consumer Protection is urging Western Australians to avoid buying extended warranties on new products such as cars, whitegoods and...
Consumer Protection
Media release
01 Nov 2022
Open-flued gas space heaters and open-flued decorative effect gas appliances can only be sold if they have new safety features Prohibition applies to the sale of new and second-hand appliances Consumers should use existing appliances safely and have them serviced Open-flued gas heaters that lack new safety shutdown features have been banned from sale in WA, with owners of existing appliances...
Building and Energy
Media release
27 Oct 2022
Times are tough for many Western Australians right now, so lots of households will be looking at ways to manage their rising living costs and keep on top of bills. To help consumers manage their living expenses, the Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s (ASIC) Moneysmart service has developed a cost of living ‘hub’ on its website. The hub contains information to help consumers make a...
Consumer Protection
Media release
26 Oct 2022

Pages

Subscribe to Topics
Subscribe to RSS - Consumer