If our home truly is our castle, then we certainly don’t want to be visited or called by unwanted vendors.
We often complain about laws placing limits on our privacy and activities, but laws protecting us from unwanted attention are certainly welcome and worthwhile.
Our laws have put in place a regime limiting activity in door-to-door sales. This has been an area targeted by scammers in particular.
Under the Australian Consumer Law, cooling-off periods automatically apply to unsolicited
door-to-door sales where the goods or services are valued over $100. Payment cannot be sought during the cooling-off period.
Where the nature of the goods or services being
sold door-to-door involve building work, any such work valued at more than $5,000 must be
performed by a licenced contractor. Care should be taken in this area because work undertaken by an unlicensed contractor may void your home insurance policy.
As for unwanted telephone calls, the Australian Government has established the Do Not Call Register which is a secure database where individuals and organisations can register, check or remove their Australian telephone, mobile and fax numbers to opt out of receiving most unsolicited telemarketing calls and faxes. Registration is free and, once registered, a number stays on the register indefinitely unless the number owner or their representative removes the number.
John Clarke
Telemarketers and fax marketers have 30 days to recognise the registration of a number on the Do Not Call Register and to stop contacting that number. Marketers must update their calling lists against the register regularly. Any organisation that either calls or faxes a number listed on the register, or arranges for this to occur, may be breaking the law and could face penalties.
Further details on the register can be found at www.donotcall.gov.au.
We hope that this information assists you to ensure that your home continues to be your castle.
John Clarke is the Solicitor Director of Clarke Law with a local network of offices in Narooma, Bermagui.