Removing the requirement to have a licence to be an auctioneer in WA is being proposed following a review of the Auction Sales Act. However, protections will be boosted with extra conduct standards and power for the Commissioner for Consumer Protection to take action to prevent unfit persons from working in the auction industry which covers the auctioning of all types of goods, including the sale...

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Consumer Protection is aware that contamination or damage to homes from illegal drug activity is a worry for tenants, owners and property industry professionals. But how do you identify past production, or smoking, of meth, heroin or cannabis at a property and whether there are potential health risks as a result? We’ve been working with WA’...

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Consumer Protection is reminding Western Australians how important it is to use licensed repairers to service or fix cars. Backyard or bush mechanics operate in WA and even though Consumer Protection aims to identify them and stop them, the community can help by always choosing licensed repairers, to protect themselves and their vehicles...

A Maylands real estate agency and its supervisor have been reprimanded and fined a total of $15,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal for failing to lodge tenancy bonds with the Bond Administrator within the required time limit and for recording wrong dates when received. Caputo & Clay Pty Ltd , formerly trading as Harcourts Integrity and currently trading as Perth Realty Group , was fined...

Consumer Protection WA has given its seal of approval to 270 Perth Royal Showbags after product safety inspectors checked about 1500 toys and novelty items that will be sold at the Claremont Showground. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard says the majority of toys and novelty items have been ticked off as safe for kids to have bags of fun with. “I’m pleased to announce that most...

Consumer Protection is offering some reassurances for residents of two WA retirement villages affected by the Settlers group of companies being placed into receivership. Administrators and receivers have been appointed to the company which operates a total of 463 units at Settlers Lakeside village in Ravenswood near Mandurah and Settlers Ridgewood Rise near Butler, as well as two villages in...

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Perhaps it’s the recent cold weather or maybe use of tax refunds but many Western Australians seem to be booking trips to tropical destinations – Consumer Protection has seen an increase in complaints from holiday-buyers. One example involves purchases of discount return flights – Perth to Bali for as low as $99 – via a travel agent on...

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 19 cents per litre (cpl) to 149.2 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 20 August 2019, most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 158.9 cpl (hiking by 30 cpl). Most BP and Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 156.9 cpl,...

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Hotel comparison websites offer to take the hassle out of searching for best value accommodation but instead of saving you money they could leave you out of pocket. One man who recently came to Consumer Protection had paid $137 above the quoted room rate using an American-based comparison site to book a hotel stay in Mandurah – charges,...

A property manager has been reprimanded and fined $1,500 by the State Administrative Tribunal for operating without a current certificate of registration. Shamela Rima Neilson was working for an Attadale real estate agency when her real estate sales representative registration expired in March 2017, but continued to carry out duties as a property manager in breach of the Real Estate and Business...

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard Are you paying extra for bills you receive in the mail? Service providers may be charging you a fee to cover the costs of printing and posting your bill – but there may be a way you can avoid the charge. The easiest way is to switch to online billing and receive your bills by email or via the company’s app or website but that is not going...

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 18 cents per litre (cpl) to 149.6 cpl tomorrow (30 July 2019), so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 30 July 2019, most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 159.9 cpl (hiking by 27 cpl). Most 7-Eleven, BP and Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP...