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How consumer laws protect you

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How Consumer Laws protect you

Over the past 30 years there have been great strides forward in consumer protection and from the first of January 2011 the safeguards will be stronger and clearer than ever before, thanks to the new Australian Consumer Law - For more information, see Australian Consumer law

Fair trading legislation aims to give both consumers and traders a fair go. Consumers are entitled to expect the products and services they buy or use to do what they are supposed to do. They also have the right to complain when things go wrong and seek a remedy from a trader or manufacturer.

By taking a few simple precautions before buying a new product or arranging for someone to provide a service (for example, repair your car or paint your roof), you can reduce the risk of being out of pocket or getting into a dispute.

Informed consumers know how to shop around, how to compare prices and quality, what after-sales service to expect and what a product warranty covers. They also understand lay-by, refunds and how the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs can help with handling a complaint if a trader is unwilling to meet his/her obligations.

Consumer protection laws give you rights in relation to:


Your basic rights

The Australian Consumer Law guarantees your rights when you buy goods and services - including your rights to repairs, replacement and refunds.

You have rights under these ‘consumer guarantees' even if you do not have a warranty or extended warranty.

For more detailed information about the guarantees, see:


Misleading conduct

It is illegal for a trader to make false or misleading statements about the price, quality, nature, need or purpose of any goods and services.

Misleading conduct can occur in sales talk, sales presentations and advertising.

For more detailed information about the misleading conduct, see:


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