Wild weather and tenancies – who’s responsible for what when it comes to repairs and preparations? What can you expect from your landlord for cleaning up damage and carrying out repairs. But also, what’s your responsibility as a tenant? One thing, make sure you report issues early to prevent them becoming bigger issues. That’s in both the tenant’s and landlord’s interest so they can look after your home and their property. Same goes for both private and community housing. Listen to our podcast with Tom Chapman from Consumer Protection WA for all the details.

Do you still have a defective Takata airbag in your car? It may be one of 700 vehicles licensed in WA that still needs the airbag replaced and the Department of Transport will cancel those licences on 31 January. It’s important to act now, whether your vehicle is licensed or unlicensed, as the airbags are dangerous and more likely to degrade in hot, humid, dusty conditions. Replacement is at no cost to vehicle owners, but you must check your vehicle and arrange replacement with the manufacturer. This can be harder in remote regions but still possible and needs to be done. Look up your own vehicle at https://ismyairbagsafe.com.au and listen to our podcast with Tom Chapman from Consumer Protection for more vital information.

If you want to secure a car that you haven’t yet inspected or test driven, beware of signing a contract as there will be costs if you don’t go ahead and cancel the contract. The good news is these costs are now capped at 5% (down from 15%!), and dealers have to justify what they charge for cancellations. But 5% can still be a significant amount on an expensive car purchase. Tom Chapman, Consumer Protection Officer for the Kimberley, talks about how to check these charges to ensure you’re not being ripped off, as well as possible ways to hold the car until you can inspect and test it.

Christmas is over and you may have received some lovely presents. But what if they don’t work – or what if they’re something you’d never use? How do you return a faulty or unwanted Christmas gift? Can you exchange or get a refund if there’s a “change of mind”? Who’s responsible for postage costs for returned goods? And how do you tactfully get proof of purchase – or are there creative ways of showing proof of purchase? All these questions and more are answered in our podcast with Tom Chapman, Consumer Protection Officer in the Kimberley.

What to do if something isn’t right with a gift? You can ask for a refund if it’s faulty or defective, or if it never arrives in the mail. For minor faults, retailers have the right to offer a replacement. Give them a chance to rectify the order, but for major faults you can get a refund in most circumstances. Don’t worry if you haven’t got the original wrapping, and if you don’t have the receipt, there are other ways to show proof of purchase by you or “Santa”. Listen to our podcast to hear about these and other last minute Christmas tips.

We wish everyone a happy – and safe – Christmas, and on that topic, our latest podcast with Tom Chapman, Consumer Protection Officer in the Kimberley talks about product safety. This includes checking decorations and lights that we’ve boxed up for the year, as well as what to look out for with new decorations. If you’re putting lights outside your house, make sure they are intended for outdoor use, especially with potential wet weather! A bit of thought in advance about toys can also help ensure we stay safe, especially things like button batteries and self-assembly trampolines. Listen to hear details about all these topics.

Tom Chapman, Consumer Protection Officer in the Kimberley talks about Christmas advertising and promotions. Retailers must not mislead us with their advertising, yet it’s important to read the small print in the “up to X% off” and “buy one get one free” promotions. Check what’s rung up at the checkout, and keep your receipts. Gift cards now come with protection against expiry and can be used over multiple purchases. Your consumer rights cover purchases from those engaging in trade but not from individual sellers – make sure you know the difference. Listen to hear details about all these items.

Online shopping is great to find those perfect Christmas gifts, but how do you shop smart to make sure things work out well? You have the same consumer rights with online shopping, although they can be harder to enforce when buying from overseas. Checking if a shop has an ABN is the easiest way to know if it’s an Australian business. Smart online shopping is about more than just the price – checking product and shop reviews from other people may help you avoid disappointment. Make sure you’re using a secure payment option, and know what to do if the order doesn’t arrive or is faulty when it does. Tom Chapman, Consumer Protection Officer in the Kimberley, talks to us about all these things so we know what to look out for.

It can be hard to get on with your life when there’s issues at your place and you don’t know how to fix them. That’s where the new Blurred Borders tenancy law resource kit, or “My Place” comes in. My Place is a set of cards that use visual aids, plain language and storytelling to help us understand some basic legal concepts and processes around tenancy. They show things that might happen, things you can do, and other tenancy topics as simple steps to help you be more effective in your place, whether it’s getting things fixed, or being safe, or knowing your responsibilities. Listen to our podcast with Tom Chapman from Consumer Protection WA to learn more about My Place or go to https://blurredborders.legalaid.wa.gov.au/packs/Tenancy/story-cards to open the story cards.

How much is it worth to prevent a house fire? It’s small things that count with battery-related fire prevention. Batteries are an intense energy source. When that energy is released as heat or fire, it can become self-sustaining and hard to put out. Take care when you’re charging batteries – don’t leave them unattended if there’s no smoke alarm near by; don’t overcharge them; don’t charge them near other flammable objects; and don’t scrimp on cheap batteries or cheap or damaged cables.  Listen to our podcast with Tom Chapman from Consumer Protection WA to find out more.