Contracts
People enter into contracts every day, often without knowing it, for example buying a ticket on a bus, purchasing an item from a shop, buying a car or employing a tradesman to do work on a house.
Whether verbal or written, contracts impose obligations on the parties involved that, if broken, can have unwanted consequences.
Contracts are governed by contract law; however there are some general guidelines to follow that will assist in protecting your interests. The fact sheet below provides some important tips when signing contracts.
It is often desirable to obtain a quote before entering into a contract. The Quotes and Estimates fact sheet below provides some valuable advice.
If you wish to exercise your right to cancel an unsolicited consumer agreement, print the attached ‘Cancellation Notice’ and forward the completed form to the trader. Don't forget to keep a copy in a safe place.
- Cancellation notice unsolicited consumer agreements PDF (106.5 KB)
- Contracts factsheet PDF (294.3 KB)
- Quotes and Estimates PDF (329.2 KB)
- Unsolicited Consumer Agreements (Door to Door) PDF (379.0 KB)
Training Provider Information
Are you considering taking a course? Are you a training provider who wants to make sure your courses are compliant with the Australian Consumer Law? Consumer Affairs is warning residents of the Northern Territory, particularly those in remote and regional communities, about training providers offering ‘free’ laptops to people who sign up for courses.
There are reports regarding people offering training courses, such as diplomas, with the promise of a free laptop. They may sound like they are associated with Government supported or provided training. Consumers could be unknowingly signing up for a Commonwealth Government ‘Vocational Education and Training (VET) FEE-HELP’ loan for potentially thousands of dollars. This is a debt that has to be repaid once their income reaches a certain level and can affect their credit rating. Some people have been left with these large debts and incomplete training courses due to being sold inappropriate training courses.
Since 2015, VET FEE-HELP training providers have been banned from offering enrolment inducements to students like free laptops. So anyone promising a free laptop is breaking Federal Government rules around the loan-scheme.
Check out how the Australian Consumer Law applies to training providers and marketers PDF (292.5 KB).