Consumer Protection

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.

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.

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Lanie Chopping

It’s hard to believe that until 10 years ago there were 17 different national, state and territory laws covering consumer issues in Australia.

They were all replaced on 1 January 2011 with one law – the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), which meant that no matter where they are in this country, consumers can know their rights and traders their obligations.

• Fourth phase of rent grant scheme to soften the blow of expected rent increases
• Grants give tenants and landlords an incentive to continue current tenancies
• Strategy aims to reduce evictions and large rent increases after March 28, 2021

More financial assistance is being offered by the McGowan Government to tenants and landlords with the aim of securing current tenancies when the moratorium on evictions and rent increases ends on March 28, 2021.

Witnessing the effects food additives had on her own children inspired a Western Australian mother to create a movement that has been recognised in this year’s Consumer Protection Awards.

Francine Bell of Additive Free Kids (AFK) won the 2021 Rona Okely Award for individuals in recognition of her tireless efforts to educate consumers about additives and how to make additive-free choices.

Australia may be home to the world’s largest lithium-ion battery, at South Australia’s Hornsdale Power Reserve, but it’s the smaller models that have prompted a reminder about how to safely handle, use and store them.

Consumer Protection and WA’s electrical safety regulator, Building and Energy, are aware of two incidents in WA this year in which e-cigarette batteries have ignited in the user’s pocket, causing significant burns. Similar explosions have tragically caused deaths overseas.

• A legal service and head of Additive Free Kids win Consumer Protection Awards
• Advocate for a swimming pool ban at family day care takes out safety category
• Nine News wins media award for investigation into the tow truck industry in WA

A community legal centre that specialises in women’s rights and justice, a campaigner for additive-free food for children, an advocate for banning swimming pools at family day care services and a Nine News reporter have all won a Consumer Protection Award for 2021.

Dogs and cats are like family members to many Western Australians, but it’s not always easy for an animal-loving tenant to find a pet-friendly landlord.   

Compounding this issue currently is WA’s tight rental market, with animal shelters reporting large numbers of pets being surrendered by renters unable to find a property willing to accommodate them.  

In WA currently, tenants wanting to keep pets on the premises must seek permission from the landlord, who is not required to provide grounds for refusing the request.