Unleaded petrol (ULP) prices often grab the headlines but for many West Aussie drivers, diesel is the lifeblood that keeps their utes, trucks, 4WDs and family cars running.
Currently, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fill the tank with petrol, but Consumer Protection’s FuelWatch team often receives questions asking when the cheapest day is for diesel.
Unwanted calls and spam SMS can be a source of frustration. Whether it's persistent telemarketers interrupting your dinner or irrelevant promotional texts flooding your phone, there are ways to put a stop to them.
You may have forgotten about the Do Not Call register, which is a free service run by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). You can register your home, personal mobile or fax number online via donotcall.gov.au or call 1300 792 958. The good news is you only need to register once.
People who receive paper bills in the mail should check to see if it is costing them extra, and if it is, look into how to avoid the extra charge.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said consumers may not realise that many bills they receive in the post could cost them an extra fee.
“The fee could be a couple of dollars for some service providers but, for those receiving multiple paper bills over the course of a year, it’s an added cost people don’t need – particularly those who are on a low income,” Mr Hillyard said.
Consumer Protection WA has given its seal of approval to 270 Perth Royal Showbags after product safety inspectors checked about 1500 toys and novelty items that will be sold at the Claremont Showground.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard says the majority of toys and novelty items have been ticked off as safe for kids to have bags of fun with.
Consumer Protection is offering some reassurances for residents of two WA retirement villages affected by the Settlers group of companies being placed into receivership.
Administrators and receivers have been appointed to the company which operates a total of 463 units at Settlers Lakeside village in Ravenswood near Mandurah and Settlers Ridgewood Rise near Butler, as well as two villages in Queensland and one in New South Wales.
With Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard
Perhaps it’s the recent cold weather or maybe use of tax refunds but many Western Australians seem to be booking trips to tropical destinations – Consumer Protection has seen an increase in complaints from holiday-buyers.
One example involves purchases of discount return flights – Perth to Bali for as low as $99 – via a travel agent on Facebook. Despite paying, consumers were not able to get seats on a plane for their desired dates and were asked to cough up more money. We are inviting complaints.
A company and its Director have been ordered to pay a total of almost $77,000 in fines, consumer compensation and costs by the Perth Magistrates Court after taking substantial deposits from WA consumers for sheds but then failing to supply them.
Shed Systems Pty Ltd, formerly operating in Malaga and Northbridge, and sole Director David Walter Ah Chee were each fined $12,000 on 16 August 2019 after pleading guilty to six charges under the Australian Consumer Law of accepting payment for goods but failing to supply them within a reasonable time.
A property manager has been reprimanded and fined $1,500 by the State Administrative Tribunal for operating without a current certificate of registration.
Shamela Rima Neilson was working for an Attadale real estate agency when her real estate sales representative registration expired in March 2017, but continued to carry out duties as a property manager in breach of the Real Estate and Business Agents Act.
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.
