Our services

The Australian Consumer Law sets out your rights and responsibilities in all sorts of purchasing situations. For example, it covers the rules for refunds, consumer guarantees, unsafe and defective products when you make a purchase using a lay-by; or through an unsolicited consumer agreement with a door-to-door seller or telemarketer.

We can provide free information to help you if you have a problem when buying goods and services. But remember, traders and retailers have rights too, so ensure that you make the right choice and are fully informed before you buy. Download  NSW Fair Trading what we can do for you PDF, 366.37 KB.

Do you know your rights when shopping online? For practical tips about online shopping covering topics such as dealing with overseas traders, refunds and returns, resolving online disputes and more visit our Ways to Shop page.

If you believe you have a legitimate complaint, the first step is to make every effort to sort out the problem directly with the trader or service provider. Be clear, firm and polite and state what the problem is and how you would like it fixed. Keep all relevant documents, such as receipts, warranties and quotes.

If you don’t reach a satisfactory outcome, you can contact us on 13 32 20, visit your nearest Service NSW centre or make a complaint online.

We provide free information about your rights and options to resolve disputes with traders. In some cases, our staff can contact the trader and attempt to negotiate a settlement.

If we are unable to successfully negotiate your matter, you can consider taking your dispute to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).

The Tribunal provides independent, low cost and accessible dispute resolution in consumer or tenancy disputes. There is a fee to lodge an application. Application forms and the fee schedule can be obtained from the Tribunal’s website or by calling the Tribunal on 1300 006 228.

We fund community-based financial counselling services across the State. These services provide assistance to people in financial hardship. To find the service closest to you, call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. Go to the alternatives to high-cost credit page for more information.

Buying and maintaining a car can be very costly. Knowing what to look for could mean the difference between an enjoyable car purchase and an expensive mistake. Visit the motor vehicles page for more information.

If you buy a new or used car from a motor dealer and have problems with warranty issues, call us for assistance on 13 32 20. We can give you information about your options for solving the problem. We can also help if you have problems with the cost or quality of repairs to your motor vehicle.

Thinking of building a new home or renovating? Only use a builder or tradesperson who is currently licensed with NSW Fair Trading. You can do a licence check online by visiting the online tools page or by calling 13 32 20.

Our website and building publications also contain lots of practical information, covering such things as the importance of written contracts, home warranty insurance and resolving building disputes for consumers, builders and tradespeople.

We provide information to tenants, landlords and real estate agents about their rights and responsibilities. This covers all residential premises, including residential parks. We also fund a number of community organisations to provide advice and advocacy to tenants across NSW.

Any money given to a landlord or their agent as a bond must be lodged with NSW Fair Trading. Go to the Renting page to find out more.

We have information to help you buy or sell a home either at auction or by private sale. If you are using a real estate agent or conveyancer, you can check if they are properly licensed on our website or by calling 13 32 20. We also have information about buying ‘off the plan’ from a developer.

We provide information on all aspects of living in a strata or community scheme, including management and administration, and solving disputes.

If you have any questions about your rights and responsibilities as a current or future resident or operator of a retirement village or land lease community (previously called residential park), visit the retirement villages page or the residential land lease community pages or contact NSW Fair Trading for help and advice on 13 32 20.

Your business may require some government licences and permits before it can start. To find out what licences you need, visit the Australian Business Licence and Information Service (ABLIS) website or call NSW Fair Trading on 13 32 20.

Whatever your business, it is important to keep up-to-date with the laws affecting your industry. As well as covering all the latest reforms, our website provides a wide range of information to help you run your business, including how to provide quality service, how to deal with complaints, and how to protect yourself against scams that target businesses.

A number of guides are available for businesses to explain requirements under the Australian Consumer Law.
These are:

• Avoiding unfair business practices
• Consumer guarantees
• Product safety
• Sales practices
• Unfair contract terms law.

Copies can be ordered and/or downloaded from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website.