The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) applies to services supplied to consumers across Australia, including plumbing and other trades. The points below are general information, not legal advice - but they are a good starting point if you think you have been overcharged or misled.
Consumer guarantees for services
When a business supplies services to a consumer, the ACL provides automatic guarantees that cannot be signed away. In broad terms, the service must be:
- provided with due care and skill;
- fit for any particular purpose you told the business about;
- supplied within a reasonable time (where no time is agreed); and
- where no price is agreed in advance, charged at a reasonable price.
If a guarantee isn't met, you may be entitled to a remedy - for a minor problem the business can choose to fix it; for a major problem you may be able to cancel and seek a refund, or recover compensation.
Misleading or deceptive conduct
A business must not engage in conduct that is misleading or deceptive, or make false or misleading representations - including about the price or the nature of the services. If the way a quote was presented misled you about what you were paying for, that can be relevant.
Your right to an itemised bill
The ACL gives consumers a right to request an itemised bill for services. In general terms:
- You can ask for the bill to be itemised - showing how the price is worked out, including the hours of labour and the rate, and the materials used.
- The request should be made within 30 days of receiving the bill (or of being told the amount owed).
- The business must provide the itemised bill within 7 days of your request, and free of charge.
An itemised bill is a powerful, low-conflict first step: it simply asks the business to show its working. If the numbers can't be justified, that becomes clear.
A template you can copy
Send this in writing (email is ideal, so there is a record). Replace the bracketed parts.
If you can't resolve it directly
If the business won't provide the itemised bill, or you can't reach a fair outcome, you can escalate:
- Queensland Office of Fair Trading - complaints and free conciliation between you and the business.
- Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) - low-cost tribunal for consumer and minor civil disputes.
- Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) - for licensed plumbing/building work issues.
- ACCC - the national consumer regulator.
This guide is general information only and is current to the best of the author's knowledge; it is not legal advice. For advice on your situation, contact the Office of Fair Trading or a qualified adviser. Exact time limits and procedures can change - confirm the current position with the regulator.