Consumer Protection

A Caversham real estate agency and its property manager have been fined a total of $12,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal for overcharging eight owners of Pilbara rental properties 132 times.

Arcturus Nominees Pty Ltd, trading as Polaris Realty, was fined $8,000 and property manager Robyn Dale Staggard was fined $4,000 for failing to exercise due care, diligence and skill, breaching the Real Estate and Business Agents Act and the Code of Conduct. They were also reprimanded.

Keeping warm and safe during the colder months of the year also means being alert to the hazards created by commonly used heating products within the home.

Consumer protection authorities are urging Australians to stay safe this winter by knowing the risks associated with items like hot water bottles, wheat/heat packs, electric blankets and heaters.

Every day across Western Australia there many individuals and organisations fighting for the rights of WA consumers and a number of these outstanding efforts have been recognised in this year’s Consumer Protection Awards.

• Winners of 2022 WA Consumer Protection Awards announced
• The awards recognise individuals and groups whose work advances protecting consumer rights in the community

A tenancy advocate and financial counsellor, a domestic violence support group, a child safety program and media stories about funeral insurance were the winners of the 2022 Consumer Protection Awards.

The winners were announced during a presentation lunch at Fraser's Kings Park today.

• Retirement village law reform to make village life fairer and easier
• Government proposes wide-ranging reforms to retirement village laws in WA
• Law changes will make retirement village living fairer and easier for seniors
• A 12-month limit to the payment of exit entitlements will be introduced

A revamp of laws regulating retirement villages in Western Australia is planned with the McGowan Government aiming to make the process of entering, living in and leaving a village fairer and easier for seniors, while supporting the industry's longer term viabilit

Babies can spend up to 17 hours a day sleeping, so it’s vital to ensure the place where they spend all this time resting is as safe as possible.  

As the range of infant sleeping products available in the Australian market continues to grow, leading medical and injury prevention experts, industry and regulators have developed a new best practice guide for the design of safe infant sleeping environments.

Online shopping has revolutionised the way many of us buy goods, but it has also meant navigating additional challenges not faced by traditional in-store shoppers.

Given online purchasers are required to pay for their items upfront before waiting to receive them, a common complaint we hear about is goods taking a long time to arrive, or perhaps never arriving at all.

Please visit the official NAIDOC Week website to download logos and other resources to help celebrate NAIDOC Week.

Consumer Protection WA celebrates NAIDOC Week 2022

Consumer Protection WA and Ask Us

When it comes time to move on a car or caravan, some people may lack the time or confidence to negotiate a private sale themselves.

Engaging a dealer to sell the vehicle on their behalf can therefore be a viable option, but selling on consignment does come with some risk. 

Given the dealer can keep any money they receive from the sale in excess of the amount they agree to pay the owner, this has at times resulted in dealers giving below reasonable value sale price estimates to vehicle owners.

Being contacted out of the blue by a business wanting to sell you something is a scenario many consumers will be familiar with. 

Whether it’s a knock at the front door from a salesperson, or unsolicited text messages, phone calls and emails, it may help to know there are strict rules surrounding how businesses are allowed to contact you.