Consumer Protection

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Seeing the recent bushfires is horrifying for most of us and we just want to help somehow. But unfortunately scammers see it as an opportunity to impersonate charities, or create fake charities. This can happen online, via social media or website pop-ups, or in person, such as at your front door or on the street.

It’s doubly cruel because not only does it con the donor out of their money, it also denies the true cause much-needed funds for those truly affected.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Did you know that currently when you build a home in Western Australia, such as a one or two storey house, there are no mandatory inspections during, or at the end of, construction?

In a recent social media survey run on Consumer Protection’s Facebook page, 55% of respondents wrongly thought local government WAS required to carry out inspections of home building work during construction of single residential dwellings.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Baby walkers are a common sight in family homes. But they can be a dangerous product with more than 100 children ending up in hospital emergency departments each year because of baby walker accidents.

Consumer research shows that 32 per cent of carers placed no restrictions on where a baby walker was used, which is really concerning. A baby walker allows a young child to travel a distance to an unsafe area, such as stairs.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

It has been my position for a number of years that a small amount of damage to a wall, which can easily be repaired, is a small price to pay for ensuring the safety of children living in a rental home. Since 2001, on average, one child a year has died in Australia from toppling furniture with many more suffering serious injuries.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Imagine waiting four years for money owed to you after leaving a retirement village. In extreme cases it’s the shocking reality for former retirement village residents who are left in serious financial hardship and distress and unable to pay for alternative accommodation. We know seniors in this position may have urgent needs to move into aged care.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard

Do sales items tick guarantee boxes?

Australians are set to spend billions in post-Christmas sales and well into the New Year. Consumer Protection WA, and consumer affairs regulators across Australia, want to remind everyone that automatic guarantees apply when you hit the sales. 

Whether you buy in-store or online, from any business trading in Australia, you are protected by the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).

Your home is your most important asset, so you’ll naturally want to protect it from unwanted pests like termites and rodents.

While most people will undertake some form of simple pest control on their property, sometimes they may need to call in an expert.

In the past two years, Consumer Protection has received 203 enquiries and 48 complaints about pest control providers, mostly related to the operator not using due care and skill.

When it comes to booking holidays or buying presents online, the terms and conditions (t&cs) matter now more than ever.

This is because some businesses may now have extra policies in place as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that could include how they respond to a ‘change of mind’ purchase or booking.

Your consumer rights apply if the product or service is faulty or not as described, regardless of whether it is on sale or occurs during a pandemic.

Online classified sites are a popular and convenient way for car-hunters to scour listings of second-hand vehicles, but this also makes them a target for scammers.

WA ScamNet has received multiple reports from consumers who have enquired about vehicles being ‘sold’ online at very low prices via Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree, only to receive a convoluted backstory by the supposed seller about the sale.

Renters who have been doing it tough due to COVID-19 may have been worried about what happens when the moratorium on evictions and rent increases comes to an end on 28 March 2021.

In some good news for those tenants and their landlords, the State Government has agreed to pay up to $4,000 off their rental debt under an expanded Residential Rent Relief Grant Scheme that is also aimed at keeping tenants in their rental properties.