Consumer

Topics

Talk to the trader

Tips on how to approach an issue with a business or trader to get a mutually acceptable solution.
Complaints
19 Feb 2014

Enforcement

Information about Building and Energy's Enforcement Branch.
Enforcement
19 Feb 2014

Owner-builder application

Becoming an owner-builder To become an owner-builder, you must first obtain owner-builder approval from the Building Services Board, and then a building permit from your local government. The process and related form to become an owner-builder was amended in March 2023 to streamline determination...
Becoming an owner-builder
19 Feb 2014

Owner-builders' responsibilities

Responsibilities Before taking on a building project as an owner-builder you should be aware that owner-builders take on many of the responsibilities of a registered builder. These responsibilities include: complying with all building standards including the Building Code of Australia and safety...
Responsibilities
19 Feb 2014

What is an owner-builder?

If you are thinking about owner-building your own home or small commercial building, you will need to have been granted owner-builder approval from the Building Services Board before you can be granted a building permit from your local government authority. Owner-builder approvals can only be...
Responsibilities
19 Feb 2014

Prescribed appointors' responsibilities

This information applies to construction contracts entered into before 1 August 2022. For contracts entered into on or after 1 August 2022 see the Building and Construction Industry (Security of Payment) Act 2021 webpages. Practice directions Confidentiality A prescribed appointor must keep...
Information for prescribed appointors
19 Feb 2014

Multiple pricing

Multiple pricing occurs when a supplier displays more than one price for the same item or service. If a supplier displays the same item with more than one price then they must sell it for the lowest displayed price or withdraw the item until the price is corrected. A price published in a catalogue...
Pricing
13 Feb 2014

Rounding

Consumer Protection often receives complaints about incorrect rounding of prices by retail and fast food outlets. There are rules in place for businesses when it comes to dealing with small change transactions and we’d like to hear from customers who believe those rules are being broken. In...
Pricing
13 Feb 2014

Country of origin claims

WATCH
Country of origin labelling is a notice or label on products to let your customers know what country a product came from. In Australia misleading country of origin labelling is prohibited. If you sell food in retail stores in Australia, country of origin food labelling laws apply to your products...
Advertising and promotion
13 Feb 2014

Unconscionable conduct

Unconscionable conduct is a statement or action so unreasonable it defies good conscience. A business must not act unconscionably when: selling or supplying goods and services to a consumer; or supplying or acquiring goods and services to or from a small business. Examples of unconscionable conduct...
Advertising and promotion
13 Feb 2014

Pages

Publications

Dividing fences

The new 'Dividing fence matters' webpage provides general guidance on the Dividing Fences Act 1961 (the Act) and its interaction with local government by-laws in relation to the construction and...
Building and Energy
Brochure
04 Nov 2021

Resolving payment disputes in construction contracts

READ
Using adjudication to resolve payment disputes Every day, individuals and organisations enter into contracts for building and construction work. Sometimes disputes arise over payment. The...
Building and Energy
Fact sheet
22 Jan 2019

Building your new home – a checklist

READ
This booklet provides a guide to each stage of building or renovating your home.
Building and Energy
Brochure
16 May 2014

Building for better protection in bushfire areas

READ
This guide is provided to assist homeowners be aware of the regulated construction requirements and building standards for new homes and to assist those who wish to upgrade their existing homes for...
Building and Energy
Brochure
22 Oct 2015

Balconies and decks – a guide to maintenance

READ
This brochure will assist owners with the safety aspects of balconies, decks and other external structures which may be of a sufficient height above ground level to put family members and friends at...
Building and Energy
Brochure
16 May 2014

Response to application for adjudication – Form 4

READ
This form includes all the requirements of the Construction Contracts Act and the associated Regulations. Further requirements have been included by the department in the interest of assisting...
Building and Energy
Form – application
22 Jan 2019

Application for adjudication – Form 2

READ
This information applies to construction contracts entered into before 1 August 2022. For contracts entered into on or after 1 August 2022 see the Building and Construction Industry (Security of...
Building and Energy
Form – application
28 Jul 2022

Authority to represent at conciliation

READ
This form is to be submitted to the Complaints Branch of Building and Energy where a party to a complaint wants to be represented by another person in a conciliation hearing.
Building and Energy
Form – notification
03 Dec 2018

Disciplinary complaint form

READ
This is the approved form for lodgement of a disciplinary complaint about a registered building service provider or approved owner-builder under section 15 of the Building Services (Complaint...
Building and Energy
Form – application
06 May 2024

Notice of proposed complaint

READ
Proforma notice of proposed complaint under the Building Services (Complaint Resolution and Administration) Regulations 2011 .
Building and Energy
Form – notification
23 Oct 2018

Pages

Announcements

Choose solar installer wisely to avoid being burnt

High complaint numbers prompt reminder to research solar installers Issues involve poor quality parts, installers not using due care and skill Some complaints about companies that have gone out of business WA consumers looking to install home solar energy systems are urged to select their installers carefully, following a high number of complaints reported to Consumer Protection. So far this year...
Consumer Protection
Media release
14 Sep 2022

Retail trading hours for National Day of Mourning

National Public Holiday to honour life and service of Queen Elizabeth II Normal public holiday trading hours will apply for Thursday 22 September Metropolitan Perth trading hours will be 11am to 5pm, in accordance with the Retail Trading Hours Act 1987 (WA) The State Government will apply normal public holiday trading hours for the one-off National Public Holiday to honour Queen Elizabeth II. The...
Consumer Protection
Media release
13 Sep 2022

Inspections give South West dealers and repairers a tick of approval

Vast majority of dealers/repairers inspected found to be complying with the law Inspections carried out in Busselton, Dunsborough and Margaret River areas Three vehicles issued with defect notices and one unlicensed repairer found A sweep of parts of WA’s South West by Consumer Protection automotive officers has recently given the vast majority of motor vehicle dealers and repairers in the area a...
Consumer Protection
Media release
12 Sep 2022

New button battery rules see unsafe Royal Show items identified

The contents of 131 showbags and 20 stall products inspected for safety A total of 34 items failed to meet product safety standards Most items identified did not comply with new button battery rules Product safety inspections of toys and novelty items being sold in showbags and by stallholders at this year’s Perth Royal Show have resulted in 34 items identified that do not comply with product...
Consumer Protection
Media release
08 Sep 2022

Commissioner's Blog: Celebrating 50 years of protecting consumers

With Consumer Protection recently celebrating its 50 th anniversary in Western Australia, we have been reminded that while many things have changed over the last five decades, there is also so much that has remained the same. Back in the early 1970s, second-hand cars accounted for 40 per cent of the complaints we handled, while travel agents, tenancy and product safety were the other big issues...
Consumer Protection
Media release
07 Sep 2022

Alert to Perth motorists - fill up now to beat the petrol price rise

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 7 September 2022), Perth’s average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 23 cents per litre (cpl) to 177.4 cpl. 7-Eleven, Ampol, BP, Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express hiking between 33-41 cpl up to 189.9 cpl;...
Consumer Protection
Media release
06 Sep 2022

Fake social media accounts used to scam eager renters

Fake social media ads use stolen images of legitimate rental properties Desperate people looking for rentals vulnerable to falling victim $41,000 lost to rental scams already this year, exceeding last year’s total People eager to secure a rental property amid WA’s tight market are falling victim to scammers using social media accounts to post fake ‘to let’ ads. So far this year, WA ScamNet at...
Consumer Protection
Media release
02 Sep 2022

Act on domain name changes to prevent corporate identity theft

Domain name versions without .com, .net, .org etc. will soon be publicly available Businesses and organisations urged to register the .au only version of their name Failing to register .au versions could result in identity theft and financial loss Businesses and organisations are urged to take urgent action on planned domain name changes to prevent the possibility of their corporate identity...
Consumer Protection
Media release
25 Aug 2022

Alert to Perth motorists - fill up now to beat the petrol price rise

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today it is likely motorists will have to wait for two weeks before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 24 August 2022), the average price of regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 21 cents per...
Consumer Protection
Media release
23 Aug 2022

Commissioner's Blog: Don’t be drawn in by fake Aboriginal art

With their mesmerising patterns, earthy tones and Dreamtime narratives, it’s little wonder that Aboriginal art and crafts are displayed on walls in homes right across the world. While much of the allure of buying your own piece of Aboriginal artwork is knowing it has been created by an Aboriginal person, a new report demonstrates why there’s a good chance this may not be the case. During its...
Consumer Protection
Media release
19 Aug 2022

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