With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner Gary Newcombe
Are you planning home improvements? Perhaps a TV show like ‘The Block’ has inspired you to renovate. Consumer Protection has some important recommendations for you to consider before you hire tradespeople to carry out jobs at your property.
Our top tip is NOT to pay large amounts of money for nothing in return.
With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner David Hillyard
The start of the bushfire season in Western Australia has been a horrendous one, with the loss of lives and extensive damage cause by wild blazes in the Esperance region as well as serious fires in the outer areas of metropolitan Perth.
With Acting Consumer Protection Commissioner David Hillyard
Extended retail trading hours for the Christmas period began on the 5th of December for the Perth metropolitan area, giving shoppers an extra 51 hours to find gifts for family and friends.
Major retailers are allowed to open as early as 7am on weekdays and Saturdays, 8am on Sunday and close later at 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard
Crowd funding is an increasingly popular way for people to raise money for a variety of causes using the internet. If an online crowd funding campaign is regarding a work-related or leisure-based project we see this as peer-to-peer lending. However, when the fundraising is for a charitable purpose Consumer Protection is interested because we enforce the Charities Collections Act 1946.
The Australia wide roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) commenced on 1 July 2016.
To coincide with this, new information guides have been released for consumers with disabilities about their rights and businesses with useful information about their obligations under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
Consumers can be forgiven if they feel overwhelmed or confused by the myriad of insurance options currently being advertised.
At the end of every financial year health insurance providers’ start talking about tax, surcharges and rebates but don’t let this rush you into a poor decision.
Health insurance is a complex area and your needs may change with time so when you are looking to take out or review your health insurance policy there are a number of consumer tips that can help you with your decision.
With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard
Cots are supposed to be a place for babies to rest and sleep safely but Kidsafe WA reports that 51 children attended Princess Margaret Hospital in 2014/2015 with cot-related injuries.
If you buy or receive a second-hand cot, it may not meet current Australian safety standards, increasing the risk of injury to any baby placed in that cot. For example there is a minimum and maximum gap allowed between cot bars to ensure infants do not trap their head or limbs.
With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard
Changes to the way several new TV channels broadcast is causing reception issues for some television users, and sellers of TVs or set top boxes should attune to this.
With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard
The product, membership or subscription may say “free trial” but in many cases it turns into an automatic charge or renewal and consumers need to be aware of this marketing trap.
We receive many complaints and enquiries from consumers who report receiving unexpected charges resulting from the automatic charging or renewals of products or services they have purchased, usually online.
With Acting Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard
You may have seen or heard about a Samsung washing fire at a rental property in Wanneroo recently. Early indications are that it was a top loader which is subject to a national product safety recall and I would like to use the case as a reminder about recalled products that pose a threat to public safety.
