Consumer Protection

An Ellenbrook man has been fined $700 by the Midland Magistrates Court for advertising his motor vehicle repairer services while not having a licence.

Victor James Wright had advertised his mechanical repairs and servicing business on a website (www.ellenbrookauto.com.au) under the name of Ellenbrook Auto Services since October 2016. This business name was registered between July 2014 and February 2016 while Mr Wright had never held a motor vehicle repairers certificate.

With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner David Hillyard

If you’re buying a car any time soon we have a message we’d like to drive home. Consumer Protection has concerns about the value of add-ons being sold to people purchasing motor vehicles in Western Australia.

Buying a second-hand car can be a smart way to save money, but it’s important to be aware of the hidden risks that can come with used vehicles.

Most people assume a vehicle's odometer is a reliable measure of how far it has travelled, but this may not always be the case. Misrepresenting the number of kilometres a vehicle has travelled to attract a higher price is a calculated deception that takes advantage of an unsuspecting buyer and is a serious breach of consumer law.

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

If you’re a parent or carer, it’s highly likely you’ve heard all about, or seen too much of, ‘fidget spinners’. Alternatively, you may have noticed the novelty items for sale online or at stalls in shopping centres and we know there are also promotional giveaways where you get them for free. For anyone who isn’t sure what they are, the small devices have a circle in the centre and either two or three outer points you spin while holding middle.

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

The Department of Commerce Bond Administrator figures showed 10 per cent of all residential rental bond lodgements were made late in January this year.

A bond is money paid by the tenant and held in trust for the duration of a tenancy. The Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (the Act) requires that bonds must be lodged  by the landlord or property manager with the Bond Administrator as soon as practicable, and in any event within 14 days of receiving it. 

When we hear about a tragedy – from a bush fire or floods to someone badly injured by a coward’s punch or deaths in a terrorist attack – it’s normal to want to help those affected and giving or collecting money may seem the most practical way to do so. But cautionary tales from donors and collectors highlight the importance of our charity licensing laws.

Consumer Protection is here to help people navigate the correct way to safely go about helping those in need.

With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner David Hillyard

Air-filled loungers were one of the must-have Christmas presents for 2016 and had been heavily promoted via social media and at pop-up stalls in shopping centres. Photos or videos indicate the products are able to be used in water BUT two near-misses in Australian home swimming pools during the festive period prompted drowning risk warnings from a number of agencies including Consumer Protection WA.

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

It’s now easier for you to check whether your consumer goods are safe thanks to the new Product Safety Australia website www.productsafety.gov.au, which I would urge you to add to your favourites and make use of.

There were 670 recalls across the country in the last financial year compared to 596 in the previous financial year.

The top five categories of recalled products were:

With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection, David Hillyard

Tenancy laws in WA are under review in a bid to support victims of family violence who live in rental homes. It’s your chance to have a say because community feedback is now invited.

An options paper has been released outlining proposed amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act that are designed to complement the Restraining Orders and Related Legislation Amendment (Family Violence) Bill 2016, which was introduced into Parliament in September this year.

With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner David Hillyard

Avoid pre-holiday blues – buying travel tips

The recent collapse of a Perth travel agent highlighted that some Western Australians were unaware there is no longer a licensing system for travel agents and that the associated compensation scheme does not exist anymore.