Consumer Protection

As the weather warms up, our thoughts are likely turning to summer holidays and the festive season, however it’s important that consumers research their purchases to make sure they are safe and fit for purpose.

Faulty products continue to cause serious injury and harm to thousands of Australians every year – in 2017-18, more than 4.5 million faulty or unsafe items were recalled by suppliers.

To protect your home against fire risks at Christmas, choose less hazardous options for decorations, use low-voltage lights and keep flammable items away from the tree.

• Statutory Review will assess effectiveness of the special family and domestic violence provisions in tenancy laws
• Community consultation will determine if laws need fine-tuning
• Consultation begins with the 16 Days in WA campaign to end violence against women getting underway later this week

Special provisions in tenancy laws aimed at helping renters in situations of family and domestic violence (FDV) are now under review by the McGowan Government to determine if they need to be fine-tuned.

Christmas is an exciting and magical time of year but the lead up to the big day can often be chaotic and stressful. With online shopping scams and delivery delays, Western Australian shoppers are urged to get on top of their Christmas shopping early to avoid disappointment.

Online shopping is an easy and convenient choice to buy Christmas gifts, but Western Australian shoppers should be aware of scammers looking to trick unsuspecting victims into buying a product they may never receive.

• Improving engagement and service delivery for consumers with disability a high priority
• Empowering Consumers with Disability Forum provided an impetus for action
• Plan involves developing easier access to consumer information and resources

The McGowan Government has embarked on an action plan with the major focus of improving the services available to consumers and tenants living with disability in Western Australia.

• Mandatory professional development to continue for WA real estate and settlement industries
• Ongoing education and training to maintain faith and confidence in industry participants
• Agents to administer and self-fund program

The Cook Government has again thrown its support behind mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for everyone employed in the real estate and settlement sectors to ensure high standards are maintained.

If you’re looking forward to a dream holiday, then watch out for a sophisticated new scam that could risk it turning into a nightmare.

Consumer Protection’s WA ScamNet team is warning travellers about unexpected messages from their accommodation providers seeking additional credit card verification, as it could be the work of scammers who have hacked into the hotel’s computer system.

If you have a mobile phone, laptop, electric toothbrush, eScooter, eBike, any power tools, or solar power backup storage, you need to know how to reduce potentially deadly fire risks lurking in their batteries.

These common household items use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries which can be highly flammable. If these batteries are used incorrectly, or are damaged, they can overheat, explode and cause fires that can be dangerous and difficult to extinguish.

• All short-term rental accommodation providers to be required to register properties
• New $10,000 incentive for property owners to transition existing short-term rental accommodation into long-term rental homes for Western Australians
• Reforms to provide consistency across the sector and clarity on what is required to operate a short-term rental accommodation property

The Cook Government has today announced new regulations for un-hosted Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) in Western Australia, along with an incentive aimed at returning some properties to

Halloween has become increasingly popular in Western Australia, with many people using the occasion to dress up, decorate their homes and go trick-or-treating.

To ensure your night doesn’t end with a fright, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from harm. 

Buying or renting a residential property involves significant financial transactions which, increasingly, are targets for scammers.

Over the last 12 month, WA ScamNet received 129 complaints of real estate and rental scams that  left 74 West Australians almost one million dollars, in total, out of pocket.

Rental and real estate scammers try to trick you out of your money when you need to transfer payments or make deposits to banks, real estate & settlement agents or landlords.