Western Australia’s Consumer Protection division is warning that tenants are being cajoled into paying for conciliation services they can access for free.
According to the government body, one of the major functions of Consumer Protection “is to offer a free conciliation service for consumers who are in dispute with a trader”.
Gary Newcombe, the commissioner for consumer protection, said consumers who aren’t aware of the free service might end up paying for private advocates without the necessary knowledge or experience.
“It has come to our notice that some people are promoting consumer and tenancy advocacy services via social media and charge a fee when they don’t have the experience or track record that we have,” he commented.
While not illegal for these services to be offered, the commissioner noted that it’s often a similar service to what is offered by the government at no cost.
“We also have the power to enforce consumer laws in WA and ensure that consumer guarantees are met.”
Mr Newcombe said the regulator’s role extends beyond just conciliation — and can investigate breaches of Australian Consumer Law, among other state-based legislation.
He stressed that “it’s important that we are aware of any bad behaviour by traders and can take legal action if the situation warrants it”.
“This is not something a private advocate can do.
“There are also tenant advocates on social media who may not have full knowledge of tenancy laws in WA or the necessary skills to delicately and amicably resolve disputes with landlords or agents, particularly in the current tight rental market.
“So consumers and tenants may be putting themselves at risk by dealing with possibly inexperienced and unqualified private advocates. It also doesn’t make sense to pay for a service that is already offered for free,” he stated.
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