Does the Legal System Favour Consumers or Businesses in Cases of a Consumer Dispute?

Disputes between consumers and businesses are common and, some may argue, inevitable. It’s valuable to understand the complexities of consumer rights in order to comply with your obligations and reduce the likelihood of a dispute arising in the first place.

However, you also need to be prepared for instances where these disputes with consumers may occur. In either case, support from an appropriately specialised legal service may be a necessary step to mitigating risk.

Disputes between consumers and businesses that can sometimes result in court proceedings may relate to the following areas:

• Products and services

• Bills, invoices and payments

• Compensation

• Residential tenancy

• Retail tenancy

• Professional conduct and behaviour

• Government services and public services.

When it comes to Australian consumer law and fair-trading laws, the ACCC regulates consumer guarantees. Laws are in place to protect customers and ensure businesses can operate fairly and competitively – so the system has protections in place for both parties and is not prejudicial to either party per se.

However, it is often the case that consumers will initiate a complaint against a business in light of their consumer rights under Australian Consumer Law. For this reason, there may be value in engaging a Sydney lawyer to provide legal advice and support you in establishing best practice, and to advise and represent your business in consumer disputes.

When is the right time to engage a lawyer for consumer law advice?

All businesses engage lawyers at different points throughout their trading journey. Some business owners will engage a consumer law firm when they first commence (or consider commencing) operations, as this is an opportunity for them to get started on the right foot and ensure they are establishing their business in a legally sound and protected manner, including when it comes to contract law. Others will get in touch with a Parramatta lawyer when they feel that the service is an important step to mitigate risk.

As a rule of thumb, engaging a law firm at the onset of a consumer dispute is the best way to ensure a feeling of support throughout the process. The team at Arida Lawyers can assist businesses at any stage, whether that be understanding which consumer laws are relevant to them, or whether they are facing a difficult dispute.

At Arida Lawyers, our team is known for support across consumer law, contract law, debt recovery and a broad range of legal services. Our lawyers have extensive experience providing advice and managing a range of complex consumer law disputes, and we have the knowledge to assist you regardless of your circumstances.

Our experience has seen us work with multi-national corporations, medium and small sized businesses, and individuals. You won’t be disappointed with our clear communication, efficiency and dedication to good results.

If you have any questions about Arida Lawyers services or experience, we encourage you to get in touch with our team for an initial consultation. As a boutique law firm in Parramatta, we provide a highly personalised client-centric experience that can meet your needs, now and into the future.

This article provides general information relevant to our expert services. It is not legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. If you are seeking legal advice, you should contact us for a free initial consultation.

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