Two Perth businesses and their director must pay almost $90,000 in fines and costs following a Building and Energy prosecution for falsely claiming to be authorised to do work that only a registered building contractor can carry out. After a five-day trial in the Perth Magistrates Court, Frayson Pty Ltd and an associated company, Instyle Residence Australia Pty Ltd , were found guilty of separate...

Changes to pre-estimated liquidated damages From 1 January 2022, the maximum amount of pre-estimated liquidated damages that a dealer may charge is five per cent. A cooling off period for vehicle sales involving linked finance, removal of special warranties, reduced fees for contract cancellations and the scrapping of sales representatives’ licences are some of the proposed law changes covering...

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by over 18 cents per litre (cpl) to 149.5 cpl tomorrow, so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 6 August 2019, most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 159.9 cpl (hiking by 29 cpl). Most Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP price to 158.9 cpl, most Caltex...

A construction company has been fined $38,000 (and ordered to pay $8054 in costs) over the incident in 2017 in which 17-year-old Wesley Ballantine died after he fell through a void in the roof of an internal atrium at the old GPO building in Forrest Place, Perth. Valmont (WA) Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that persons who were not their employees were not exposed to hazards, and was...

A Perth window company and its director have been fined a total of $65,000 for not complying with a Building Commissioner’s order to fix incorrect glass installed at a Mandurah home. Malaga-based Barrowman Holdings Pty Ltd , trading as Perth Window and Door Replacement Company , was contracted to supply and install tinted double-glazed windows and doors at the property at a cost of more than $19,...

The average price of unleaded petrol is set to increase by around 18 cents per litre (cpl) to 149.6 cpl tomorrow (30 July 2019), so FuelWatch is encouraging Perth drivers to fill up today to save money. FuelWatch advises that on Tuesday 30 July 2019, most Caltex sites are increasing their ULP price to 159.9 cpl (hiking by 27 cpl). Most 7-Eleven, BP and Coles Express sites are increasing their ULP...

People who receive paper bills in the mail should check to see if it is costing them extra, and if it is, look into how to avoid the extra charge. Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said consumers may not realise that many bills they receive in the post could cost them an extra fee. “The fee could be a couple of dollars for some service providers but, for those receiving multiple...

A Perth building company has been found to be negligent and fined $5,000 by the Building Services Board for winning a contract to renovate a chocolate store in Fremantle, but then failing to carry out or supervise the work. Ferhan Developments Pty Ltd (BC102155) of Queens Park and its sole director Chrishan Fernando won a $236,158 tender and were issued a building permit by the City of Fremantle...

A proactive inspection program looking at safety issues in fuel retailing outlets across WA has found high levels of awareness in some areas, but also some areas of concern. The program, which included service stations selling all brands of fuel in metropolitan and regional areas of the State, was undertaken because workers were seen to be at risk on a number of fronts. WorkSafe Acting Director...

The Water Corporation advises that a number of important enhancements have been made to asset protection documentation. The changes address safety issues for working on or near assets and clarify a number of ambiguities in the previous documentation. Impacted documents and key changes include: Technical Guidelines for working near Water Corporation Assets Inclusion of a requirement for serious...

A motor vehicle repairer has been banned from holding a licence for three years, fined $3,000 and reprimanded by the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) after he admitted being involved in corrupt activities related to vehicle examinations. Peter William Horn of Bibra Lake had breached the Motor Vehicle Repairers Act by engaging in conduct which renders him unfit to be a licensee both as an...

With Commissioner for Consumer Protection Penny Lipscombe A super bargain promoted via an online pop-up or social media advertisement is just like an enticing shop window display with ‘sale’ signs. It can be hard to pass up the chance of big discounts or low prices but digital impulse buying may mean you get nothing in return for your money. Consumer Protection’s WA ScamNet team is kept busy...