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| Home » Australia » New South Wales » Office of Fair Trading |
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NSW Office of Fair Trading |
NSW Office of Fair Trading is a division of the NSW Department of Services, Technology and Administration (DSTA), formerly known as the NSW Department of Commerce. It provides a number of products and services to help safeguards the interests of consumers as well as businesses. It opens a window for all real estate people and consumers to obtain correct and timely information on their rights, obligations and responsibilities under Fair Trading Laws. Business people and traders can register business names and obtain the licences and the Certificate of Registration for their respective work areas.
The Renting Guide of NSW Office of Fair Trading addresses problems faced by tenants on rental issues, such as Tenancy Tribunal, Rent and Tenancy Agreement. Assistance is also provided to people with buying or selling property, building or renovating homes, or living in strata scheme property. The Office of Fair Trading Rules of Conduct aim at defining fairness in the transactions between consumers and traders, and setting up a very high degree of ethical standard in the general real estate business practices. Consumers can register complaints against unlawful practices of a licensed agent. They can also conduct a business name search or a licence check online.
What does the Office of Fair Trading Do?
The preceding paragraphs have outlined most of the tasks that an Australian Office of Fair Trading aims to do. Each state and territory of the country has a separate OFT, which keeps a tight control over the real estate industry and the people comprising it through a strict licensing and registration regime. Consumer complaints are received and investigations are carried out to maintain an ideal business environment built on mutual trust and fair dealings. Though the actual tasks carried out by the Office of Fair Trading in QLD, VIC, NSW, WA, SA, TAS and NT may vary, the general services we list here are common to most of them.
- Business Names: Business names can be registered at any Fair Trading Centre. A business having a name other than the name of its owner must follow the registration process. The business name search can be performed to see the trademark of a company listed with the NSW Office of Fair Trading.
- Licence and Certificate of Registration: It fulfills licensing and registration requirements of working real estate professionals. People can also check the licence of an agent online before taking a decision to hire or not to hire the agent.
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- Real Estate Buy and Sale: The OFT helps you know your rights and responsibilities for buying or selling a property in NSW whether at auction or by private treaty. A clear refund policy allows you to seek warranties and refunds on unsafe and defective products.
- Renting: The money a tenant gives to a landlord or their agent as a bond must be kept by the Rental Bond Board.
- Consumer Complaints: If you have a complaint against an agent you can register the same with the Office. Its staff may contact the trader to attempt a settlement negotiation. In case this does not work out, you can lodge the complaint at the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal. Note that there is a fee to do the same and you are also required to fill out a complaint form. You can also report scam to the Office.
- Strata Living: NSW Office of Fair Trading can be accessed to obtain complete information regarding legislation that regulates all aspects of strata living, strata management and administration.
- Home Building and Renovating: For home building and renovating seek services from the professionals that have been licensed by the NSW OFT. You can run a licence check online on its website. The website and building publications contain lots of information on Home Building Contracts, Owner Builder, Home Warranty Insurance, and on several other topics besides offering dispute resolution on issues arising out of a building construction, remodeling or renovation.
Visit the website of the NSW Office of Fair Trading to get more information on aspects like Bidders Guide, Form 4, Form 6, Jobs & Vacancies, Judicial Review, Model Rules, Property Management, Misleading Advertising, Ombudsman, Scams, Wages, Supervision Guidelines and complete legislation on Fair Trading.
Address and Contact Details:
Contact at Telephone Number 13 32 20 to make fair trading enquiries or lodge a complaint.
Head office
NSW Fair Trading
1 Fitzwilliam St
Parramatta NSW 2150
Postal address
NSW Fair Trading
PO Box 972
Parramatta 2124
Tel: 9895 0111
Fax: 9895 0222
Registry of Co-operatives & Associations
154 Russell Street
Bathurst NSW 2795
Tel: 6333 1400
Freecall: 1800 502 042
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