Consumer Protection

ASIC has today released an information sheet for providers of debt management services that explains their new regulatory obligations, including the requirement to be licensed.

The National Consumer Credit Protection Amendment (Debt Management Services) Regulations 2021 (Regulations), made on 29 April 2021, prescribe certain debt management services as a ‘credit activity’ for the purposes of the National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (National Credit Act).

As rents rise across Western Australia, many tenants may discover that in addition to paying more weekly rent, there is a further expense being asked of them.

When rent is increased at a property, a landlord or property manager may request the tenant pay extra money to ‘top-up’ their security bond.

Would you pay for something you’re entitled to get for free? Buying an extended warranty on new whitegoods, electronics or even a car could mean you’re doing exactly that.

This is because products are automatically guaranteed in a number of ways under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which may apply even after the warranty period has lapsed. 

Owing money and missing repayments can be stressful, so the last thing many people in financial difficulty need is to be charged more money for help getting their debt under control.

That’s why Consumer Protection urges consumers to choose free debt management advice where possible over other high-cost options.

While debt management service companies may claim to be able to fix debt problems, these businesses charge fees and may not always be able to resolve the issues.

• Gary Newcombe returns to Commissioner's role
• Brings 40 years' experience working in the Commonwealth and State public sectors, and for the Western Australian Parliament

Gary Newcombe has taken the baton to become Western Australia's new Commissioner for Consumer Protection.

He replaces Lanie Chopping, who has been appointed as interim Director General for the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

Your wedding can be one of the happiest days of your life, but it may also end up being one of the most expensive.

Covering the costs of all the things you need, such as a venue, catering, outfits and equipment hire, can soon add up – so it’s important to be across your consumer rights before you start shopping around.

With more than 9,500 weddings taking place in Western Australia last year, there are times when things don’t go exactly to plan.

If you’re gearing up to buy a used car, you might be thinking about whether to go through a private seller rather than a licensed dealership.

While buying a vehicle privately can be cheaper, it also offers less security, so it’s important to know what steps to take to avoid ending up with a lemon or being scammed out of your money altogether.

With ghoulish costumes, sweet treats galore and frightfully fun decorations, Halloween has become increasingly popular in Australia over the last decade.

So if you’re planning some Halloween fun with your family on 31 October, there are some things you can do to prevent it turning into Halloween hell.

If you’ve been looking to buy a shipping container for storage, transport or even to live in, it’s important to watch-out for scammers making leaky promises.

WA ScamNet at Consumer Protection is aware of ten victims who have lost $35,500 after they responded to online adverts for discounted shipping containers and transferred money to several websites that turned out to be fake.

The victims were even provided with ABN information of legitimate businesses, before being asked to pay for the container via bank transfer.

There’s a vast army of people in the Western Australian community dedicating their lives to helping consumers and tenants, and now is a golden opportunity for them to shine.

With nominations currently open for the Consumer Protection Awards 2022, I would urge advocates and promoters of consumer rights to step forward and lodge an online application before the closing date.