With their ornate design and intricate mosaic patterns, it’s hardly surprising that Turkish-style lamps are a popular decorative feature in many Western Australian homes.
But just because they are beautiful, it’s important to remember that lamps are an electrical item that can pose a serious safety risk if they haven’t been approved for sale in Australia.
Regional Express Airlines Limited (Rex) has agreed to review its refund policies and procedures to ensure ongoing compliance with the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) when flights are cancelled or delayed, as part of an enforceable undertaking agreed between Consumer Protection and Rex.
The airline has agreed to modify some terms and conditions on its website that had the potential to mislead consumers by giving the impression that a refund was not available under any, or very limited, circumstances.
A Highgate business has been ordered to pay almost $11,000 in fines, costs and compensation after failing to lodge or return the bond money for three Leederville units.
Newblack Nominees Pty Ltd, trading as Verandah Apartments, did not have a representative at Perth Magistrates Court on 4 September 2020 when it was sentenced for three breaches of the Residential Tenancies Act 1987, which requires a security bond to be lodged with the Bond Administrator as soon as possible or within 14 days of receiving it from the tenant.
A Nedlands catering company and its Director have been ordered by the Perth Magistrates Court to pay more than $20,000 in fines, costs and consumer compensation after failing to turn up at a wedding reception and botching a birthday celebration.
Eat Street Enterprises Pty Ltd, trading as Ole Paella Catering, and sole Director Bradley John Lamb were fined $3,500 each for breaching the Australian Consumer Law and ordered to pay costs of $1,500 each, with Mr Lamb to pay a total of $10,073.10 in compensation to two affected consumers.
An East Victoria Park real estate agency that failed to lodge 19 tenancy bonds on time was fined $18,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court on 18 September 2020.
Verse (Aust) Pty Ltd, trading as Verse Property, pleaded guilty to breaching the Residential Tenancies Act by failing to lodge with the Bond Administrator the 19 bonds from 16 properties it managed as soon as practicable, or in any event, within 14 days after receipt.
It’s a scenario many of us are familiar with – you’re at home and there’s a knock on the front door, which you open to be greeted by a salesperson wanting to sell you something.
This may not be a welcome sight, so it’s worth knowing that there’s a simple way to stop uninvited salespeople showing up on your door-step – by displaying a ‘Do Not Knock' sticker at your front door or gate.
Consumer Protection created ‘Do Not Knock’ stickers following a 2013 Federal Court ruling in South Australia that found ignoring a ‘do not knock’ sign was a breach of the law.
The cooling off period for fitness industry contracts will increase to seven days from the current 48 hours under an updated mandatory Code of Practice that will come into effect on 1 July 2021.
The new Code, to be part of the Fair Trading Act, will be expanded to include other fitness service providers apart from traditional gyms, such as personal trainers and group exercise organisers.
Consumer Protection is advising caution for Christmas shoppers with a wider availability of credit options including ‘buy now, pay later’ schemes and payday loans which could leave consumers drowning in debt.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen increasing use of ‘buy now, pay later’ schemes which allow shoppers to take possession of the goods straight away while paying off the purchase price in instalments.
With Black Friday sales coming up and many people doing their Christmas shopping online this year, Consumer Protection is warning consumers that scammers are out to take your money with fake retailer websites, social media pages and classified ads.
So far this year scammers have stolen a staggering $1.1 million from 418 WA victims in ‘buying and selling scams’ which, according to new figures from WA ScamNet, more than triples the losses from the whole of 2019 when 255 victims reported total losses of $319,100.
A Perth modelling agent has been ordered to pay almost $12,000 in fines, costs and compensation by the Perth Magistrates Court for taking payments from aspiring male models but failing to deliver what he had promised.
