Consumer Protection

Consumers facing financial difficulties are urged to exercise caution when approached by budget and debt management companies that charge fees for their services.

Complaints have been received by Consumer Protection from consumers who claim that they are charged fees for services, which were not delivered and some have signed contracts without realising that this would lead to a caveat being put on their home, preventing it from being sold.

A mum whose 15-month-old drowned in an unfenced backyard pool has joined Consumer Protection and Royal Life Saving Society WA to launch a start-of-summer pool safety campaign.

Taking substantial deposits from two consumers and then not starting or finishing the jobs has cost a Kingsley handyman $10,000 in fines after he pleaded guilty in the Perth Magistrates Court on 22 November 2019.

Walter Steven Vermeulen, trading as Ratio Design, was fined $8,000 on one charge and $2,000 on a second charge of accepting payment for goods and services but failing to supply them in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. He was also ordered to pay legal costs of $977.20.

A Perth carpenter has been ordered to pay more than $10,000 in fines, compensation and costs by the Midland Magistrates Court after taking deposits from consumers but failing to do the work.

Benjamin Dean McVilly, trading as BDM Carpentry of Caversham, was fined a total of $5,000 on three charges of accepting payments for carpentry materials and installation but failing to supply them, in breach of the Australian Consumer Law. He was ordered to pay costs of $3,287.

Mistakes made on a property sale contract have resulted in a York real estate agency and its operator being reprimanded and fined a total of $6,000 by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).

Avon Districts Professionals Pty Ltd, trading as Westerntown & Country.com.au, and supervising agent Nicola Di Giulio were each fined $3,000 and both were ordered to pay $700 in costs for breaching the Real Estate and Business Agents and Sales Representatives Code of Conduct by not exercising due skill, care and diligence.

Summer, school holidays and Christmas should be times of fun and relaxation and Consumer Protection wants to make sure that they are also safe times for everyone.

In the 12 months from July 2018 to June 2019, there were 276 drowning deaths in Australia with 31 of them occurring in swimming pools*.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard is concerned that these figures are higher than the previous year and says particular awareness of the dangers is required by consumers, particularly over the warmer months.

A real estate agent has been fined $500 and ordered to pay costs of $553.90 by the Mandurah Magistrates Court for failing to cooperate with requests from the auditor during the termination audit of his previous business.

We have received complaints from tenants recently about electrical hazards and gas leaks in rental properties. Issues include faulty electrical wiring, power sockets and appliances blowing, power shortages when raining, and water leaking onto electrical points.

A tree lopper who accepted payment to cut down six trees but only chopped off branches on one has been fined $3,000 after pleading guilty to breaching the Australian Consumer Law.

Siuosavaii Maiava trading as Fairdinkum Tree Services was also ordered to pay court costs of $2,307.50 when the Consumer Protection prosecution was heard at the Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday 11 October 2019.

A real estate property manager and agency licensee have been ordered to pay a total of $9,700 by the State Administrative Tribunal after the property manager operated while her certificate of registration as a sales representative had expired.