WHITEGOODS WORRIES ON THE RISE

Complaints about whitegoods and home electronics are on the rise, prompting Fair Trading Minister Margaret Keech to remind consumers about their refund and warranty rights.

Mrs Keech said the Office of Fair Trading had received 84 complaints in the past two months, compared to only 49 for the same period last year – a rise of almost 70 per cent.

“Common problems include traders not giving refunds and not honouring warranties in relation to faulty products and installation,” Mrs Keech said.

“I want people to be aware of their refund and warranty rights so traders can’t take advantage of them. People are entitled to stand up for their rights.”

Mrs Keech said all products come with an automatic statutory warranty.

“This means that no matter what you buy, if the product turns out to be faulty, your costs should be refunded or the product exchanged or repaired,” she said.

“If you feel a refund is appropriate, stop using the product immediately and notify the trader.

“Take proof of purchase when returning the faulty product to the trader and let them know what you would like them to do and when you expect the issue to be resolved.

“In most cases traders have a legal responsibility to help their customers sort out faulty product complaints.

“This includes dealing with the manufacturer on their behalf - traders cannot pass the buck by directing the customer to speak to the manufacturer themselves.”

Mrs Keech said people are legally entitled to return goods and ask for a refund, exchange or repair if the goods they purchased:

• have a fault they could not have known about at the time of purchase;
• are not the same as the description provided by the salesperson or advertisement;
• does not match the sample they were shown at the time of purchase; and/or
• does not do the job as they were led to believe.

People are not entitled to a refund if they:

• simply change their mind or no longer want the goods;
• realise they can't afford the goods;
• found the same item at a cheaper price elsewhere;
• chose the wrong size or colour;
• knew about the particular fault prior to purchase; and/or
• were responsible for causing the fault.

“If you have a problem with a product you purchased, try to resolve the issue at the place of purchase first. If that doesn’t work, lodge a complaint with the Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au,” Mrs Keech said.

Media contact: David Smith 3225 1005 / 0409 496 534