On average, more than 30 Australians die each year, and over 6,000 are hospitalised with injuries, from ladder falls.
The injuries can be serious and life altering with people suffering fractured limbs, spinal cord damage and severe brain injuries. Sadly, the majority of people killed or injured were men aged over 45 years.
Stronger regulation of Short-Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) in Western Australia has begun, with the opening of a new register that will allow regulators and communities to keep track of the short stay sector for the first time.
The cooler weather has finally arrived and this usually means staying warm by using products like heaters, wheat/heat packs, hot water bottles and electric blankets, or even sitting near a cosy fire.
Consumer Protection is reminding people there are safety risks with many winter products and if not careful, they could pose a fire hazard to your home. Winter is also a time to be aware of mould in the home, as well as the safety of children’s clothing, which can be flammable.
The cooler weather has finally arrived and this usually means staying warm by using products like heaters, wheat/heat packs, hot water bottles and electric blankets, or even sitting near a cosy fire.
Consumer Protection is reminding people there are safety risks with many winter products and if not careful, they could pose a fire hazard to your home. Winter is also a time to be aware of mould in the home, as well as the safety of children’s clothing, which can be flammable.
The next stage of the Cook Government rental reforms will take place this month, giving tenants more certainty in their budgets and allow them to feel more at home in their properties.
Western Australians are being urged to be vigilant of payment redirection scams with losses this year already exceeding figures from 2023.
A WA man lost $153,950 as a result of the scam after scammers intercepted emails between him and his settlement agent in relation to the purchase of a property.
While you might be smart enough to get your tax return in early, no one is too smart to be scammed.
Consumer Protection is warning Western Australians to be alert to tax scams, which are most prevalent around this time of year. And they’re easy to fall for because you’re already expecting some communication from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or myGov about your tax.
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
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.
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.
