Consumer Protection

Two men who have admitted being involved in corrupt activities related to vehicle examinations have been reprimanded, fined and disqualified from holding motor vehicle repairer licences by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).

Alfonso Berardis, a former Director of IPM Enterprises Pty Ltd of Spearwood, was disqualified from holding or obtaining a motor vehicle repairer’s business licence for ten years and a repairer’s certificate for four years. He was fined $1,500 and ordered to pay $500 in costs.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillard

Ever forgotten to pick up your clothes from the dry cleaner? Or maybe you’ve left your camping gear at a site and never bothered to make the trip back to collect it? 

A Mandurah real estate sales representative has been cautioned and fined $1,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal for failing to disclose important information regarding the sewerage of a home that he was selling.

Jonathan Kenny-Levick was the co-owner of his home in Dawesville that he put on the market in January 2016 through his agency as the listing representative. At the time, the property was still on septic tanks even though a scheme sewerage connection was available.

An unauthorised withdrawal from a trust account has resulted in a Fremantle real estate agency being fined $3,000 and ordered to pay costs of $1,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal.

Port City Pty Ltd, trading as Port City Real Estate, had withdrawn $4,735 from the trust account in July 2017 as a “break contract fee” in circumstances where its agreement with the client who had engaged the agency to manage four commercial units did not permit it.

A real estate sales representative who stole money from an agency’s trust account has been permanently banned from ever holding a certificate of registration in the industry in WA.

Kylie Marie Chiplin pleaded guilty and was convicted on 12 April 2019 of stealing $34,803.99 from the trust account of Peard Real Estate Scarborough between February 2016 and May 2018 while employed as a property manager.

On 8 May 2018, Ms Chiplin was fined $3,000 and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, by the Perth Magistrates Court.

A Claremont property management agency has been reprimanded, fined $8,000 and ordered to pay costs of $2,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) on 13 June 2019 for trust account errors and other breaches of the law.

Gemranch Nominees Pty Ltd, trading as TM Residential and Executive Leasing, had breached the Real Estate and Business Agents Act and the Code of Conduct for Agents and Sales Representatives by failing to exercise due skill, care and diligence.

Consumer Protection is warning landlords who manage their own rental properties in WA to comply with their legal requirements under the Residential Tenancies Act or face being prosecuted.

A Mount Barker car restorer has been fined $5,000 by the Perth Magistrates Court for advertising his services without having a motor vehicle repair business licence.

Grantley Peter Graham, trading as G & T Restorations, was also ordered to pay costs of $514 when he was convicted in his absence on 22 February 2019 of breaching the Motor Vehicle Repairers Act.

Mr Graham held a motor vehicle repair business licence until it expired in September 2017 but continued to advertise his services via a website which is still active.

UPDATE 27/03/2019:

Consumer Protection has received about 90 calls/emails from consumers affected by the closure of Launch Film Productions, with funds at risk estimated at $450,000. Liquidator appointed is Katie Blyth, PricewaterhouseCoopers 9238 3000 - www.pwc.com.au 

Consumer Protection is investigating the closure of a Wangara wedding photography business which has alarmed many consumers concerned about receiving their photos and videos.

Consumer Protection and the WA Police Force are making a desperate plea to the community to help them hunt down travelling conmen who are ripping off Perth home owners, many of them seniors, in a roofing scam.

Reports have been received of conmen who knock on doors of unsuspecting home owners, convincing them that urgent roof repairs are required to their homes. They then charge exorbitant rates and either do not carry out the work or perform a sub-standard job.