Consumer

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Auction sales review

Consumer Protection sought public comment as a part of a review of the laws covering the licensing and conduct of auctioneers in WA. Status: CLOSED 15 April 2017 Background Currently under the Auction Sales Act 1973 , auctioneer licences are issued by local Magistrates Courts with WA Police checks...
Consultations and reports
15 Dec 2016

Six ways to be a smart shopper

Before you buy something, do your research and make sure you are getting the best disability good or service for your needs. This is particularly important if you are buying something that you will use for a long time or something worth a lot of money. Here are some tips to help you make an...
People with disability
13 Dec 2016

Food labelling for consumers

WATCH
Consumers can now identify how much of the food they are buying is sourced or made in Australia with the country of origin labelling system. There are two key features to look for a: kangaroo logo - which means the food is made or grown in Australia bar chart and description - which shows what...
Food
22 Nov 2016

Credit card chargeback

A chargeback is the reversal of a disputed transaction back to your credit card account. Chargebacks are only available on credit cards or if you use the ‘credit’ option on a debit or travel card. It is NOT available when you pay with cash, eftpos, BPAY, direct debit, money transfer or cheque...
Refunds and returns
08 Nov 2016

Improving the interaction between residential tenancy laws and family violence restraining orders

Introduction Tenancy laws in WA are under review as part of the Government’s family violence reform plan and community feedback is now invited. The purpose of this options paper is to seek stakeholder feedback into preferred drafting options to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 so that...
Consultations and reports
26 Oct 2016

Western Australian Products Symbol Act 1972

WATCH
The Western Australian Products Symbol Act 1972 (the Act) authorises the use of the WA Birthmark symbol (a prescribed symbol) to distinguish and promote the sale of products made in Western Australia. A person who sells any product, the production and preparation of which is substantially carried...
Information standards
26 Oct 2016

Music festivals and outdoor events

Music festivals are high-risk business ventures, susceptible to major changes or cancellations due to a unique set of planning challenges, such as inclement weather, natural disasters, venue suitability, and artist availability. When things go wrong and a festival is cancelled or does not match the...
Your consumer rights
20 Oct 2016

Button batteries

Every week, around 20 Australian children present to an emergency department following exposure to button batteries, including ingestions and insertions. Keep products with button batteries out of sight and out of reach of small children. Button batteries are found in many common household products...
Product safety for consumers
20 Sep 2016

Boarders and lodgers review

Consumer Protection is seeking community feedback about whether new laws should be introduced to regulate boarding and lodging in WA. Status: CLOSED , Friday 30 June 2017 Background Boarders and lodgers are currently not covered by the Residential Tenancies Act , although boarding premises...
Consultations and reports
15 Sep 2016

Ladder safety matters

In one year in Australia, 1668 people aged 65 years and over were hospitalised because they fell from a ladder. Sixty-two per cent of those injuries occurred in or around their home. Ladder related injuries among men aged 65 years and older is steadily increasing in Australia. The national...
Product safety for consumers
09 Sep 2016

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Publications

Gas service logbook

READ
Gas Service Logbook for industrial and commercial gas installations, not subject to a “Gasfitting Authorisation”.
EnergySafety
Information
09 Jan 2018

Property manager fined after falling victim to a holiday accommodation scam (Vicki Redfern): Real estate bulletin issue 166 (December 2017)

21 December 2017 Property manager fined after falling victim to a holiday accommodation scam (Vicki Redfern) A property manager has been reprimanded and fined $2,500 by the State Administrative...
Consumer Protection
Bulletin
21 Dec 2017

Pool safety and your rental property: Landlord bulletin issue 16 (November 2017)

24 November 2017 As summer approaches it’s time to check that the pool or spa at your rental property conforms to safety requirements. The pool or spa must have appropriate safety barriers according...
Consumer Protection
Bulletin
28 Nov 2017

Renewed warning after another loss from WA property sale scam: Settlement agents bulletin issue 75 (November 2017)

24 November 2017 Another loss from a cyber-attack that intercepted a property sale transaction has triggered Consumer Protection to issue a renewed warning to buyers, sellers, tenants and agents in...
Consumer Protection
Bulletin
23 Jan 2018

Renewed warning after another loss from WA property sale scam: Real estate bulletin issue number 162 (November 2017)

24 November 2017 Another loss from a cyber-attack that intercepted a property sale transaction has triggered Consumer Protection to issue a renewed warning to buyers, sellers, tenants and agents in...
Consumer Protection
Bulletin
28 Nov 2017

False billing and unsolicited invoices fact sheet

READ
Consumer Protection has had a number of recent reports from sporting associations that have received an unsolicited invoice for payment for services that they have not ordered. Busy small businesses...
Consumer Protection
Fact sheet
21 Nov 2017

Australian Consumer Law - Refunds and returns

READ
Refunds and returns sign sample We are not required to provide a refund or replacement if you change your mind. But you can choose a refund or exchange if an item has a major problem. This is when...
Consumer Protection
Flyers
07 Nov 2017

The Australian Consumer Law and your safety

READ
You are entitled to expect safe goods and services From 1 January 2011, every Australian consumer will be protected in the same way under the Australian Consumer Law from unsafe consumer products and...
Consumer Protection
Fact sheet
02 Nov 2017

Supplementary report – Perth Children’s Hospital audit: fire walls

READ
An audit of contractor and product performance in the construction of fire walls at the new Perth Children’s Hospital.
Building Commission
Reports
23 Oct 2017

Final Report 2016 - 2017

READ
The department's final annual report for 2016-2017 presents information on its statutory compliance, financial, non-financial and operational performance, in accordance with the requirements of the...
Corporate
Reports
16 Oct 2017

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Announcements

Fines and spent conviction for northern suburbs landscaper

An unsigned contract and an excessive deposit have cost a landscaper almost $2,800 in fines and costs, following a prosecution by the Building Commissioner. At Midland Magistrates Court last month, the man from Ocean Reef pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 . He was granted a spent conviction and ordered to pay fines totalling $2,200 and costs of $593.80. The...
Building Commission / Consumer Protection
Media release
15 Oct 2018

Duncraig pest controller fined $3,000 for not providing termite records (Mantis Pest Control and Jefferson Ashley Hetherington)

A Duncraig-based pest control company and its director have been fined a total of $3,000 at Perth Magistrates Court for not providing officially requested information about a termite treatment. Mantis Pest Control and its sole director and secretary, Jefferson Ashley Hetherington, did not attend court on 14 September 2018 when they were found guilty of failing to comply with a written direction...
Building Commission
Media release
12 Oct 2018

Fine against south-west builder follows $23,000 payment – Mark Anthony Wells (BC12740) trading as Mark Wells Designs

A Cowaramup-based builder has been fined $1,500 by the Building Services Board for not complying with an order to rectify issues at a property near Mandurah. The recent penalty against Mark Anthony Wells (BC12740), trading as Mark Wells Designs, follows a separate payment of more than $23,000 last year in relation to the same property. During 2016, the owner of the Madora Bay home identified...
Building Commission
Media release
11 Oct 2018

Scammers use cute puppy pics to lure their victims

Losses suffered by WA scam victims are mounting after they were conned into paying for puppies that don’t exist. Fake advertisements are appearing on websites, online trading sites and social media platforms that feature cute photos and cheap prices, making them irresistible to puppy buyers. So far this year 28 consumers have reported losing a total of $51,000. In 2017, 42 people reported losing...
Consumer Protection
Media release
11 Oct 2018

Fine for unlicensed motor vehicle dealer (Fadel Ali)

An unlicensed motor vehicle dealer has been fined $1,200 and ordered to pay costs of $205 by the Perth Magistrates Court after pleading guilty on 5 October 2018. Fadel Ali of Langford had bought and sold 24 motor vehicles between August 2016 and March 2018 without a licence, in breach of the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said unlicensed dealing...
Consumer Protection
Media release
10 Oct 2018

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 14 cents per litre (cpl) to 163.9 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 9 October 2018, all Coles Express and most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 167.9 cpl (an increase of between 18 and 19 cpl). Most Puma, BP and Caltex Woolworths...
Consumer Protection
Media release
08 Oct 2018

Toppling furniture Bill to be introduced to Parliament

Tenants will be allowed to affix furniture to walls, preventing them from toppling over New laws introduced following the tragic death of Reef Kite The McGowan Government will introduce the Consumer Protection Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 to State Parliament this week, which will provide better protections to residential tenants and their children. Amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act...
Consumer Protection
Media release
07 Oct 2018

Concern about the cost to consumers of cancelling car contracts

Consumer Protection is concerned about reports of significant charges being imposed by dealers on WA consumers who cancel motor vehicle purchase contracts. Under the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, the seller is allowed to charge an amount up to a maximum of 15 per cent of the contract’s value as “pre-estimated liquidated damages”. However, there appears to be a practice within some sections of the...
Consumer Protection
Media release
02 Oct 2018

Avoid Perth petrol price rise

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 13 cents per litre (cpl) to 160.7 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 2 October 2018, all Coles Express sites are hiking their ULP price to 165.9 cpl (an increase of 20 cpl). Most Caltex sites are hiking their ULP price to 163.9 cpl, most Puma...
Consumer Protection
Media release
01 Oct 2018

Perth car dealer loses $65,000 to an invoice payment scam

A Perth motor vehicle dealership has lost $65,000 after being stung by a ‘man in the middle’ scam involving the payment of an invoice to a bank account that had been changed. The dealership recently made a purchase from a supplier and received an invoice with correct bank details. A week later an email request, sent by scammers, was received asking to direct the funds to a new bank account. The...
Consumer Protection
Media release
27 Sep 2018

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