The Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Anne Driscoll, has warned potential buyers of air conditioning units this summer to take great care in light of increasing numbers of consumer complaints.
Ms Driscoll said there were 124 enquiries to Consumer Protection about air conditioning in January 2010 compared to 105 in December 2009 - a 20 per cent rise.
Advice for air-conditioned consumers
She said many complaints involved an inability to get a faulty air conditioning unit fixed because manufacturers or traders had gone out of business and consumers paying large deposits for air conditioners which had yet to be installed.
Ms Driscoll said consumers should take care when making big money purchases like air conditioning.
“Shop around for quotes, ask friends or relatives for recommendations, research a trader via the internet, request references before entering into a contract with them and make sure that the unit you decide on is big enough to air condition the space you require it to,” she said.
“Don’t pay a huge deposit with nothing in return - we recommend no more than 10 per cent of the total cost, which should be made clear from the outset.
“Ideally make stage payments to coincide with the delivery of materials and wait until the job has been completed before paying the balance in full.”
Ms Driscoll said purchases like air conditioning units were covered by a statutory warranty under Western Australia’s Fair Trading Act.
“A statutory warranty means the item should match any description given and be fit for the purpose for which it was sold,” she said.
“If it turns out to be faulty, a consumer is legally entitled to a remedy from the seller.
“This could be a repair, replacement or refund,” she said.
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