rights when buying second-hand goods privately wa Page 8

Buying second-hand privately in WA? The Australian Consumer Law guarantees generally don’t apply to private sellers—only to businesses “in trade or commerce”.

Your key protection is that the item must match the description; if the seller misleads you or hides a whopper, you may have remedies under contract law (and if they’re effectively running a business, ACL protections can bite).

No statutory warranty or cooling‑off for private sales, and refunds are only what you agree in writing—or what a court says.

Be smart: get a written receipt, verify the seller’s ID, check the PPSR for vehicles, and remember if it’s stolen you can lose both the goods and your cash—fun for absolutely no one.