Something I bought went wrong

Few things annoy like a toaster that dies in a fortnight. The good news is that Australian law is on your side more often than shops admit. This guide is general information about your rights in Queensland. The law has a name for the shop's side of this, "supplier", which sounds like someone who delivers pallets.

What this usually means

Under the Australian Consumer Law, goods and services you buy come with automatic consumer guarantees. In broad terms, goods must be of acceptable quality, and services must be done with due care and skill. These apply whatever the receipt, the sign by the till or the shop's own warranty says. The ACCC says the guarantee of acceptable quality usually still applies after a warranty has run out.

What you can ask for depends on whether the problem is minor or major.

• Minor problem. The business can choose between a free repair, a replacement or a refund.
• Major problem with goods. You choose between a replacement and a refund.
• Major problem with a service. You can cancel and get a refund (which may not be a full refund, because you may have to pay for work already done), or keep the contract and get a lower price.

The ACCC gives an example. A car radio that does not work might be a minor problem. Brakes that fail because of a manufacturing fault would be a major problem.

Changing your mind is not a consumer guarantee. The law is about faults, not second thoughts.

What you can do now

1. Collect your proof. Find the receipt, the order, photos of the fault, and any messages with the business.
2. Tell the business, in writing. Say what you bought, when and where, what is wrong, and what you want (repair, replacement, refund, or a lower price). Keep it short and polite. Set a sensible date to reply by.
3. Ask for the right remedy. For a major problem on goods, the choice is yours. For a minor one, the business can pick.
4. Lodge a complaint with the Office of Fair Trading if the business will not help. You must have tried the business first. Complaints must be in writing, and you can use the online form. The Office of Fair Trading is free. It can act as a go-between, which is called conciliation. It cannot make a business pay you or order a refund. It aims to resolve most conciliation matters in about 30 days, though it says high volumes are causing delays.
5. For building work, use the QBCC. See below.
6. Think about QCAT. If conciliation does not work, you can apply to QCAT. See below.

Building work and the QBCC

If the problem is with building work, QCAT's consumer and trader process generally excludes it. The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) deals with defective building work. Before you lodge a complaint, the QBCC says to:

• check your contract for how disputes and defect periods are handled
• talk to your contractor
• give written notice of every defective or unfinished item, with a time to fix it, such as 14 days
• allow reasonable access for repairs (a time agreed by you and the contractor, in normal working hours, with at least 48 hours' notice)

Then you can lodge a complaint online, by post or in person. The QBCC can direct a contractor to fix defective work, and ignoring a direction can lead to fines or action against their licence. If it cannot help, it can give you a letter so you can apply to QCAT.

The Queensland Home Warranty Scheme may also cover some defects, but its claim periods are short. Check the QBCC website now rather than later.

Time limits

For consumer guarantees, I found no separate short deadline. But QCAT says that under the Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (Qld), proceedings generally must start within six years. Check you are within that period before applying.

For building work, the time limits are shorter and matter more. The QBCC does not set a single deadline for a complaint, but it points to your contract's defect period and to home warranty time limits. Ask the QBCC straight away.

If it goes further

QCAT can decide consumer and trader disputes for claims up to $25,000, excluding interest. You can reduce a larger claim to $25,000 to use QCAT. It covers contracts for goods or services, written or verbal. It does not cover claims that are not for a fixed amount, minor debts, or building work. Private sales of motor vehicles are also excluded.

Application fees, from 1 July 2026, are $96.30 for claims up to $1,000, $164.30 for claims from $1,000 to $10,000, and $405.60 for more. If you cannot afford the fee, ask about a hardship waiver.

For claims under $1,500, QCAT goes straight to a hearing. For claims over $1,500, it usually tries mediation first. QCAT can order a payment or refund, the return of goods, or rectification of work.

Questions to ask whoever helps you

• Is my problem a minor or major one, and what can I ask for?
• Is this covered by QCAT, or is it building work that belongs with the QBCC?
• How long do I have, and is any shorter limit running?
• Is it better to complain to the Office of Fair Trading or go straight to QCAT?
• Could I be at risk of paying the business's costs if I lose?