Consumer

Topics

Buying property by private sale

In a private sale, prospective buyers make offers to buy a property. This is often done through the seller’s real estate agent. Before making an offer, carefully consider its terms. Ask about any concerns you have about the property. In WA, there is no mandatory seller disclosure statement. The...
Buying a property
30 Oct 2024

Buying property at an auction

A real estate auction is a public sale of property conducted by a licensed auctioneer (real estate agent). Ask any questions about the property before the auction commences. For example if a timber pest or building inspection has been done on the property. During an auction, buyers bid against each...
Buying a property
30 Oct 2024

Residents committees and meetings

Residents’ committees work with the operator on the general operation of the village. The committee is a representative group of the village residents and provides a communication channel between the operator and the residents. Other committees can also be formed in the village for other purposes...
Living in a retirement village
23 Oct 2024

Retirement village maintenance, repairs and renovations

The resident’s contract will outline whether the operator or the resident is responsible for certain maintenance and replacement of items in the village. A resident’s recurrent charges usually funds the maintenance of the village. Replacement of any capital items is usually the responsibility of...
Living in a retirement village
23 Oct 2024

Dispute resolution in a retirement village

Disputes may happen occasionally when living in a close community. It can be between: two or more residents resident/s and the village operator resident/s and the village committee village committee and the village operator Many disputes are just misunderstandings. They can often be handled with...
Living in a retirement village
23 Oct 2024

Village rules

It is common for villages to have rules, but not all do. If there are rules in place, a copy must be attached to your contract. If your retirement village is a community land scheme or strata scheme you may have both village rules and 'by-laws'. Village rules can only relate to the use, enjoyment,...
Living in a retirement village
23 Oct 2024

Leaving fees and charges

When you move out of a village there will be a range of fees and charges payable which may include: deferred management fee refurbishment/renovation costs reserve fund contributions marketing and selling fees recurrent charges Exit entitlements An exit entitlement is a part refund of the ingoing...
Fees and charges
22 Oct 2024

Living in fees

All retirement village residents are expected to pay recurrent charges, including maintenance fees. Recurrent charges You will usually have to pay recurrent charges paid on a monthly or quarterly basis. These charges cover the cost of: expenses of running the village, including staff salaries...
Fees and charges
22 Oct 2024

Moving in fees

Retirement villages vary greatly and so do their fees and charges. It is likely to cost more to live in a village with a variety of amenities and services. The residence contract must cover what fees will be payable before entering the village, while you are living there and after you leave...
Fees and charges
22 Oct 2024

Engineered Stone

A ban on the manufacturing, supply, processing and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs will commence throughout Australia from 1 July 2024. Traders must not enter into or continue contracts involving their supply after 30 June 2024. What is engineered stone? Engineered...
Your consumer rights
17 Jun 2024

Pages

Publications

Retirement Village reforms pass through Parliament - Retirement village operators bulletin issue 1 (new series)

6 November 2024 Retirement Village reforms pass through Parliament Welcome to the first bulletin for retirement village owners on the implementation of the retirement village law reforms. We’re...
Consumer Protection
Bulletin
06 Nov 2024

Retirement Village reforms pass through Parliament - Retirement village residents bulletin issue 1 (new series)

6 November 2024 Retirement Village reforms pass through Parliament Welcome to the first bulletin for retirement village residents. We’re pleased to inform you the Retirement Villages Amendment Bill...
Consumer Protection
Bulletin
06 Nov 2024

Progress Report - Local Government periodic inspections of private swimming pool safety barriers 2023–24

READ
This Report is the sixth annual report on the progress of local governments’ pool inspection programs and is in response to recommendation 7 of the Ombudsman WA report Investigation into ways to...
Building and Energy
Reports
06 Nov 2024

Property inspection checklist

Handy checklist to help you compare properties, to use at a pre-settlement inspection or before you accept the keys / take full ownership of the property. A pest inspection could save you thousands...
Consumer Protection
Information
30 Oct 2024

Consumer Protection Year in Review 2023-24

READWATCH
Consumer Protection's Year in Review 2023-24 outlines the major achievements from the financial year.
CP Year in review 2023-24 - cover
CP Year in review 2023-24 - cover, by Consumer Protection
“Consumer Protection has had another busy year with plenty...
Consumer Protection
Reports
21 Oct 2024

Annual building disputes report 2023-24

READ
An overview of building disputes for the financial year of 2023-2024.
Building and Energy
Reports
30 Sep 2024

Building disputes monthly report – August 2024

READ
An overview of building disputes for the month of August 2024.
Building and Energy
Reports
30 Sep 2024

Building disputes monthly report – July 2024

READ
An overview of building disputes for the month of July 2024.
Building and Energy
Reports
30 Aug 2024

Building disputes monthly report – June 2024

READ
An overview of building disputes for the month of June 2024.
Building and Energy
Reports
01 Aug 2024

Building disputes monthly report – May 2024

READ
An overview of building disputes for the month of May 2024.
Building and Energy
Reports
01 Aug 2024

Pages

Announcements

Odometer tampering – what to look out for

Odometer tampering is a dangerous practice that puts the community at risk while lining the pockets of those who engage in it. And it’s at the expense of the consumers they are ripping off. Consumer Protection recently had a win in the Courts against a couple of mates who rolled back the odometers on two vehicles by more than 200,000 kilometres each. What’s especially shocking is one of the men...
Consumer Protection
Media release
21 Nov 2024

Alert to Perth motorists - fill up now to beat the petrol price rise

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today motorists will likely have to wait a week before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 20 November 2024), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 35 cents per...
Consumer Protection
Media release
19 Nov 2024

Pet scammers off the leash on social media

Social media users targeted by pet scammers, advice to check page transparency Same consumer protections apply to pets as other purchases ‘Adopt, Don’t Shop’ message to give rescue animals a second chance Families looking to welcome a new pet in the lead up to Christmas are being urged to steer clear of scams and remember their consumer rights. So far this year, Consumer Protection has received...
Consumer Protection
Media release
18 Nov 2024

From kitchen to conviction – Christopher Laurance Reich

Charging a deposit six times the maximum amount and disregarding an official rectification order were among the building offences leading to $24,000 in fines for a Perth kitchen renovator. Following prosecution by Building and Energy, Christopher Laurance Reich was convicted at Perth Magistrates Court for breaching WA’s laws for home building contracts and building complaints. The court was told...
Building and Energy
Media release
15 Nov 2024

Commissioner's Blog: How to dob in a ticket scalper

Re-selling tickets is a way for people to get their money back on tickets they can no longer use, and it gives fans an opportunity to buy tickets to otherwise sold-out events. However, there are laws re-sellers need to follow to make it fair for everyone.
Consumer Protection
Media release
14 Nov 2024

Alert to Perth motorists - fill up now to beat the petrol price rise

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today motorists will likely have to wait a week before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 13 November 2024), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by over 33 cents...
Consumer Protection
Media release
12 Nov 2024

Christmas shopping guide to extended hours and safe online purchases

Online shopping & marketplace scams steal $481,331 from West Aussies in 2024 In-store shopping hours boosted in Perth for Christmas-New Year shopping period Further shopping hours approved for remaining 2025 public holidays Christmas shoppers will enjoy 35 extra hours of in-store shopping in Perth this festive season, but they are also being warned about the increased risk of online scams...
Consumer Protection
Media release
12 Nov 2024

Regulator’s deep dive into overdue pool barrier checks

Building and Energy monitors local governments’ private pool barrier inspections Lowest percentage of overdue inspections since reporting began Almost half of all WA overdue pools were in just four local government areas A review by Building and Energy has revealed that most WA local governments are up to date with inspections of private pool safety barriers, but improvement is still needed to...
Building and Energy
Media release
12 Nov 2024

Commissioner's Blog: Fake auto parts scams revving up on Facebook

Consumer Protection’s ScamNet team are urging you to be cautious when dealing with these online marketplace sellers as there is a concerning trend for scammers to impersonate genuine auto wreckers, and car and motorbike parts businesses.
Consumer Protection
Media release
07 Nov 2024

Alert to Perth motorists - fill up now to beat the petrol price rise

Motorists in Perth and Mandurah are advised to fill up now if they need to, with petrol prices set to rise tomorrow. After today motorists will likely have to wait a week before petrol prices are again at the bottom of the price cycle. FuelWatch reports that, from 6am tomorrow (Wednesday 6 November 2024), the average price of Perth’s regular unleaded petrol (ULP) will increase by 34 cents per...
Consumer Protection
Media release
05 Nov 2024

Pages

Subscribe to Topics

Applications

Apply to run a street collection in Perth
Any organisation wanting to conduct a street collection in the Perth metropolitan area, whether or not licensed, must have a separate street collection permit.
Consumer Protection
Apply for a charity licence
An organistion can apply for a charity licence through the Charitable Collections Advisory Committee.
Consumer Protection
Register a co-operative
Register a co-operative.
Consumer Protection
Commercial tenancy
Tenant guides, disclosure statements, facts sheets and forms.
Consumer Protection
Renting a property
Residential tenancies - Notices and forms used to rent a home including rent applications, property condition reports and termination notices.
Consumer Protection
Building approval forms
Find a form or form template to use when making an application to a permit authority or local government authority.
Building and Energy

Notifications

Report a gas leak or incident
All fuel gas accidents or incidents that occur in Western Australia need to be reported.
Building and Energy
Report an electrical accident
Electrical accidents include electric shocks, electrical injuries, fatalities, incidents that cause danger to life or loss or damage to property (for example damage due to fire or over/under voltage).
Building and Energy

Payments

Complaint fee
Building and Energy accepts online payment for the complaint fee by Visa or Mastercard. Please note that hard copy receipts are not issued for payments. For your records, please write down your receipt number once payment has been made.
Building and Energy
Subscribe to RSS - Consumer