Get out there - February 2011 |
Scams relating to natural disasters
With the recent natural disasters in Queensland you should be on guard for dodgy trader´s tricks. Most traders working on disaster clean up and repair are honest and fair, but it is likely that some dodgy traders will be drawn to disaster areas to prey on the desperation of householders and businesses. Dodgy traders offer everything from roof repairs, electrical work or resurfacing damaged driveways, but some may be unlicensed and unqualified, providing sub standard work or failing to do what they say they will. Protect yourself by following these tips
- Ask the trader for identification. If the job requires building work, they should have a Building Services Authority (BSA) licence.
- Check the BSA website to ensure the trader´s licence details match what they told you. You can also check the trader´s history, including any disciplinary action taken against them.
- Ask for a contract and ensure all paperwork including quotes, invoices, and receipts have the trader´s name, Australian Business Number (ABN) and address on it.
- Don´t feel pressured to take up an offer on the spot. Do some research, seek quotes and most importantly, give yourself time to think it through.
- Check quotes carefully to avoid being overcharged. Some unscrupulous traders add extra square metres or deliberately miscalculate the job.
- Do not pay cash or pay for anything upfront, even for materials.
- Contact your insurance company for information and advice
Door to door sales
From 1 January 2011, the Australian Consumer law allows suppliers and traders to approach consumers and supply goods and services on an urgent basis after a natural disaster - without those suppliers complying with all the usual sales requirements (i.e. the door-to-door sales consumer protections).
These emergency repair contracts may be entered into under the following conditions:
- The supplier doing the work must hold a relevant Queensland or Commonwealth licence to do the work involved - for example, a building or contractor's licence.
- The contract entered into for the repairs must only be for repairs resulting from the disaster, and a state of emergency has been declared by either the Commonwealth or Queensland governments for the area in which the affected person's property is located.
- The repairs must only be in relations to:
o rectifying a hazard or potential hazard on the person's property
o protecting the health and safety of persons on the property
o preventing substantial damage to the person's property.
If the door to door sale falls within the above conditions, the trader does not have to give or notify the consumer of the 10 business day cooling-off period. The supplier or trader can also provide the goods or services contracted for in the agreement and accept payment with 10 business days.
Regardless of these emergency situation exemptions, a trader must not call on a consumer outside the permitted hours to talk about the emergency repair contract. The times a trader can call on a consumer are:
- 9am - 6pm on Monday to Friday
- 9am - 5pm on Saturday.
Sundays and public holidays are prohibited.
Charities
If you haven´t been directly affected by the disasters you may want to donate to a charity to help others in need; however, scammers can target your generosity. Be suspicious if:
- the collector does not have any identification or the identification does not look genuine
- cannot or will not give you details about the charity, such as its full name, address or phone number
- becomes defensive when asked what the charity does and how much of the donation gets taken up by costs
- asks for cash, will not accept a cheque or asks for any cheque to be made out to them rather than to the charity
- does not want to provide a receipt or the receipt does not have the charity´s details on it.
Also, beware of
- illegitimate online collectors, who have set up false websites or social media accounts and often send letters or emails similar to those used by real charities. If you want to donate online, go to the charity´s website directly and do not follow links in emails .
- fake charities, using unsolicited telephone calls or emails to ask for donations. To ensure you are donating to a legitimate charity visit the Office of Fair Trading website.
Why do prices go up?
After natural disasters, you may notice that prices for basic goods increase. This might include items such as bread, milk, fruit and vegetables and petrol.
It costs businesses more to get goods into their shop. For example, they may have to transport their goods further due to road closures, which means higher petrol costs. In some cases goods have to be flown in, which increases costs substantially.
When goods are in short supply, demand for them goes up. Greater demand means higher prices.
If you suspect a business is acting improperly ask the business to explain any price rise that seems unreasonable to you. If you are unsatisfied with the response, report them to the Office of Fair Trading. Complaints are taken seriously, and will be investigated.
Thinking of renting?
With university just about to start you might be thinking about moving out of home and renting with friends. Check out these handy tips.
- Once you have found and secured a place, make sure you visit the Residential Tenancies Authority (RTA) website to find out about your rights and responsibilities as a tenant.
- Make sure you read the tenancy contract and fully understand its terms before you sign.
- When you move in, ensure you fill out an entry condition report, which is a record of the condition of the property when you moved in.
- Make sure the report is signed by both you and the landlord/agent and that you keep the copy on hand. If there is a dispute over damage to the property, you will need to rely on the entry condition report for proof.
- If you are sharing, always get agreements with your housemates in writing. Write down how you will share costs, household duties and what you will do in the event of a dispute.
- Get receipts from anyone you pay money to, including the people you share with.
Moving into a rental property will mean that you need to organise utilities, including electricity, gas, phone and internet.
- To help you budget for your utility bills, download the budget planner from the get out there website.
- For a list of electricity and gas providers visit the Energy Ombudsman Queensland.
- You will need to provide proof of identity and proof of address when opening accounts with utility providers.
- You should talk with your utility provider on how you should be billed. You may be able to set up a direct debit, use Bpay or change the frequency at which you will be billed.
- Always check your utility payments against receipts or previous bills to ensure that you have not been over-charged.
- Be careful of door-to-door traders selling utilities. Ask to see their identification and make sure you read and understand the contracts, warranties and guarantees.
Every residence in Queensland must be fitted with at least one working smoke alarm by law. Landlords are legally responsible for fitting smoke alarms, but it is your responsibility as a tenant to make sure the alarm is maintained. For more information, contact your local fire station or visit the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
The Office of Fair Trading is now on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube
The Office of Fair Trading is now using social networking sites to reach our clients and promote our services. Our Twitter channel and Facebook page will provide alerts and supplement the information we publish on our website. You can also visit our YouTube channel to watch the product safety video.
Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
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Last reviewed 03/03/2011 |
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