Consumer

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Safe use of lithium-ion batteries While lithium-ion batteries make life easier, they can be dangerous if used, charged or stored incorrectly. Lithium-ion battery-related fires and explosions can cause property damage, house fires, serious injury and even death. As rechargeable batteries have become...
Product safety for consumers
The Western Australian Government is progressing initiatives to better manage short-term rental accommodation in Western Australia through changes to the State’s planning system and introduction of a state wide registration scheme. Background In response to the 2019 Parliamentary inquiry Levelling...
Holiday accommodation
As of the 10 October 2022, the sale of open-flued gas space heaters that don’t have safety shutdown features has been prohibited. This includes the sale of new and second hand heaters. The prohibition took effect on 10 October 2022 . What are the safety concerns? It’s possible for open-flued gas...
Gas appliances
The Guidelines for the safety of buildings near network operator assets are issued under Section 33AA of the Electricity Act 1945 . The risks and potential consequences of an electrical incident involving building encroachments too near network operator assets are significant, especially for high...
Information for industry
Building or renovating a home can be an exciting and rewarding time. However, you need to be aware that the construction industry in WA, like elsewhere in Australia, is experiencing major shortages of materials and skilled workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and disruptions to global trade. This...
Building a home in challenging times
If a ‘dangerous incident’ arises through the conduct of a business or undertaking the regulator must be notified immediately. Where the dangerous incident is currently life-threatening, the PCBU should ensure the regulator is notified by calling 1800 678 198 (24 hours). Where the dangerous incident...
Report an incident
The WA building industry is currently impacted by an Australia-wide shortage of building materials and skilled workers, which is affecting project timeframes and costs. This is not unique to WA and is happening across the world. A guide to building a home in challenging times Content on this...
Building a home in challenging times
The current, Australia-wide shortage of building materials and skilled trades is impacting the residential construction industry in Western Australia. Supply of building materials has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and increased building activity following the State and Federal stimulus...
Building a home in challenging times
This information relates to home building work contracts that fall within the scope of the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (the Act) – that is, contracts for home building work valued between $7,500 and $500,000. The Act sets out the minimum contract terms and provides circumstances when a builder...
Building a home in challenging times
Funeral Pricing Code A public consultation to seek industry and consumer views on the draft Fair Trading (Funeral Pricing Code of Practice) Regulations 2022 (the Funeral Pricing Code) closed on 21 April 2022. The Funeral Pricing Code was published on 8 November 2022 and will commence on 1 May 2023...
Consultations

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Publications

An overview of building disputes for the month of August 2023.
Building and Energy
Reports
28 Sep 2023
An overview of building disputes for the financial year of 2022-2023.
Building and Energy
Reports
30 Aug 2023
Important guidance for beginning the building process including tips for choosing a builder and signing your home building work contract.
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
29 Sep 2023
An overview of building disputes for the month of July 2023.
Building and Energy
Reports
18 Aug 2023
An overview of building disputes for the month of June 2023.
Building and Energy
Reports
24 Jul 2023
Building and Energy has noticed an increase in the use of unapproved portable gas cooking appliances operating on butane canisters. The commercial use of these appliances, particularly used as table-top gas cooking appliances in indoor restaurant environments, has resulted in gas explosions injuring consumers. This fact sheet is intended to raise awareness by highlighting the 2016 WA prohibition order and the potential effects on restaurant design and patron safety.
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
06 Sep 2023
Building and Energy is Western Australia’s technical and safety regulator for the electricity industry and most of the gas industry as well as the regulator for the building, building surveying,...
Building and Energy
Plans
30 Jun 2023
Building and Energy is Western Australia’s technical and safety regulator for the electricity industry and most of the gas industry as well as the regulator for the building, building surveying,...
Building and Energy
Plans
30 Jun 2023
An overview of building disputes for the month of May 2023.
Building and Energy
Reports
16 Jun 2023
Button batteries can be a deadly hazard. If swallowed, button batteries can cause internal burns, severe bleeding and even death. Items containing button batteries include: toys TV and car key...
Consumer Protection
Flyers
22 Jun 2023

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Announcements

A lot of us love a bit of online shopping. The convenience and fast delivery times are all part of the lure. Online stores like Temu, Amazon and Shein are great for a bargain but who do you approach to get help when delivery is delayed or even worse… it never arrives? Based on the complaints Consumer Protection receives, we know a lot of people believe they need to take delivery issues up with...
Consumer Protection
Media release
29 Feb 2024
Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today motorists will likely have to wait a week before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 28 February 2024), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by over 32 cents...
Consumer Protection
Media release
27 Feb 2024
Deepfake videos and voice impersonations are now a chilling reality. Scammers are weaponising artificial intelligence (AI) to create convincing video and audio of well-known people, work colleagues, family members or even someone you have fallen in love with online. Consumer Protection’s ScamNet is predicting the use of AI voice and video cons to be an emerging scam feature to watch out for this...
Consumer Protection
Media release
21 Feb 2024
Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today motorists will likely have to wait a week before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 21 February 2024), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by over 32 cents...
Consumer Protection
Media release
20 Feb 2024
Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today motorists will likely have to wait a week before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 14 February 2024), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by over 32 cents...
Consumer Protection
Media release
13 Feb 2024
Sending your loved one wilted flowers on Valentine’s Day probably won’t get you the reaction you were hoping for. Before you get a bunch of dead roses thrown in your face, Consumer Protection hopes there’s time to explain you have rights under Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Consumer guarantees kick in on products purchased through Australian-based stores, including online. When a V-Day gift...
Consumer Protection
Media release
12 Feb 2024
WA losses to romance and dating scams surged 27 per cent to $3.7 million in 2023 Valentine’s Day warning to listen to your head when looking for love online AI deepfake images being used in video calls, advice to only meet in person New figures reveal financial losses to romance and dating scams hit a staggering $3.7 million in Western Australia in 2023, prompting a fresh warning from Consumer...
Consumer Protection
Media release
08 Feb 2024
Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today motorists will likely have to wait a week before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 7 February 2024), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by over 31 cents...
Consumer Protection
Media release
06 Feb 2024
Look out for ticket scalpers and scammers if major boxing event sells out Multiple offenders issued $2,000 infringement notices for recent Coldplay concerts Advice to only buy tickets from authorised seller Ticketek, or its official resale platform Boxing fans who may miss out on tickets to a premium world title event in May are being reminded to avoid getting knocked out by ticket scalpers and...
Consumer Protection
Media release
05 Feb 2024
“Businesses have to accept legal tender.” It’s a comment we hear a lot at Consumer Protection, so I wanted to take the opportunity to clear this up and let you know what the law says about it. Businesses can choose which payment types they accept. It is legal for a business to specify the terms and conditions that they will supply goods and services. This includes whether they will accept cash...
Consumer Protection
Media release
05 Feb 2024

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