Consumer Law & Australian Consumer Law Lawyers — All States & Territories
Consumer Law Lawyers — Defective Products. Misleading Conduct. Unfair Contracts. Your Rights.
The Australian Consumer Law (ACL) — contained in Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) — gives consumers and small businesses powerful rights against misleading conduct, unfair contract terms, defective products, and unconscionable conduct. ACL breaches can result in refunds, compensation, contract voidance, and significant civil penalties. A consumer law lawyer advises on your rights and the most effective remedy for your situation.
⚠ ACL claims are subject to a 6-year limitation period (s 236 ACL). ACCC and ASIC can also issue infringement notices and commence proceedings — acting early to resolve an ACL dispute before regulatory involvement is often the best outcome. Get consumer law advice today.
Consumer Law Practice Areas
The full scope of Australian Consumer Law — every matter covered.
Select the consumer law matter that matches your situation. Each page explains the relevant ACL provisions, your rights, and how a consumer law lawyer can help you resolve the dispute.
Misleading & Deceptive Conduct
Section 18 ACL prohibits conduct in trade or commerce that is misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive. It does not require intent — an honest but objectively misleading statement is enough. Remedies include compensation, injunctions, corrective advertising, and contract rescission. A consumer law lawyer advises on whether conduct is misleading under s 18 and the remedies available including damages and contract voidance.
Get misleading conduct help →Unfair Contract Terms
The unfair contract terms (UCT) regime in Part 2-3 ACL applies to standard form consumer contracts and small business contracts. A term is unfair if it causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights, is not reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the party relying on it, and would cause detriment if applied. Since November 2023, unfair terms are void and attract civil penalties — up to $50 million per contravention for corporations. A consumer law lawyer advises on whether a contract term is unfair and seeks to have it declared void.
Get unfair contract terms help →Product Liability (ACL)
Part 3-5 ACL imposes strict liability on manufacturers and importers for loss or damage caused by defective goods — goods that do not meet the safety standard that persons generally are entitled to expect. There is no need to prove negligence — the defect and the causation of loss are the only elements. A consumer law lawyer advises consumers who have suffered personal injury, property damage, or economic loss from a defective product on their strict liability claim under the ACL.
Get product liability ACL help →Consumer Guarantees & Refunds
Division 1 of Part 3-2 ACL implies non-excludable guarantees into every consumer contract — including guarantees that goods are of acceptable quality, fit for a disclosed purpose, match their description, and come with spare parts and repair facilities. For major failures, the consumer is entitled to choose a refund or replacement. A consumer law lawyer advises on whether a failure is "major" under the ACL and enforces the consumer's right to a refund or replacement.
Get consumer guarantee help →Consumer Credit Disputes
The National Consumer Credit Protection Act 2009 (NCCP Act) — and the National Credit Code (NCC) contained in Schedule 1 — regulates consumer credit including home loans, personal loans, credit cards, and car finance. The NCC gives borrowers hardship rights, access to internal dispute resolution, and the right to apply to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA). A consumer credit lawyer advises on hardship applications, unjust contract challenges, and interest rate cap breaches.
Get consumer credit help →ACL Complaints & Regulator Action
The ACCC (for goods and services) and ASIC (for financial products and services) are the primary regulators of ACL compliance in Australia. State and territory consumer protection agencies also have enforcement powers under the ACL. A consumer law lawyer advises businesses on responding to ACCC or ASIC investigations, managing regulatory compliance, and resolving consumer complaints before they escalate to regulator action or litigation.
Get ACL complaint help →Unconscionable Conduct
Section 21 ACL (and s 12CB ASIC Act for financial services) prohibits unconscionable conduct in trade or commerce. Unconscionable conduct is broader than common law unconscionability — it includes taking advantage of vulnerability, using undue pressure, and exploiting information asymmetry. Courts consider the full circumstances of the transaction, including the relative bargaining strength of the parties. A consumer law lawyer advises consumers and small businesses on unconscionable conduct claims.
Get unconscionable conduct help →False Advertising & Pricing
Section 29 ACL prohibits false or misleading representations about goods or services — including false claims about price, quality, standard, country of origin, and testimonials. Section 48 ACL prohibits bait advertising and misleading pricing. Civil penalties can reach $50 million per contravention. A consumer law lawyer advises consumers who have relied on false advertising and businesses that are the subject of false advertising complaints.
Get false advertising help →Why the Australian Consumer Law Matters
The ACL gives you rights that cannot be taken away by a contract or a refund policy.
Non-excludable consumer guarantees
The consumer guarantees in Part 3-2 ACL are non-excludable — any term of a contract that purports to exclude, restrict, or modify a consumer guarantee is void. So a "no refunds" sign or a clause stating "all sales are final" does not override the consumer's right to a refund for a major failure. A consumer law lawyer advises on when the major failure threshold is met and how to enforce the right to a refund or replacement.
The $100,000 consumer threshold
The ACL consumer guarantees apply to transactions up to $100,000 (increased from $40,000 on 1 July 2021) — or any amount where the goods or services are ordinarily acquired for personal, domestic, or household use. Goods and services acquired above the $100,000 threshold for business use are outside the consumer guarantee provisions — but may still be covered by other ACL provisions including misleading conduct and unfair contract terms.
Small business unfair contract terms
Since November 2023, the UCT regime extends to standard form contracts where one party is a "small business" — defined as a business with fewer than 100 employees or annual turnover under $10 million. Previously, small business contracts had to be below $300,000 (or $1 million for contracts of more than 12 months duration) to be covered. The removal of the contract value threshold significantly expands the UCT regime's reach — covering most standard form contracts between large businesses and small business customers.
UCT — civil penalties since November 2023
Before November 2023, unfair terms were only voidable — they had no legal effect but there was no penalty for including them. Since the Treasury Laws Amendment (More Competition, Better Prices) Act 2022 commenced, including an unfair term in a standard form contract attracts civil penalties — up to $50 million per contravention for corporations, $2.5 million for individuals. This has significantly increased compliance pressure on businesses that use standard form contracts with consumers and small businesses.
AFCA — financial services disputes
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is the external dispute resolution scheme for financial services complaints in Australia — including banking, insurance, financial advice, and consumer credit. Consumers can make a free AFCA complaint against a financial services provider who is an AFCA member (all licensed financial services providers are required to be AFCA members). AFCA can award compensation up to $1.085 million (general) or $7.7 million (superannuation). A consumer law lawyer advises on the AFCA complaint process and the prospects of a successful outcome.
Section 18 — no intent required
One of the most powerful features of s 18 ACL is that it does not require the defendant to have intended to mislead — conduct that is objectively misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive a reasonable member of the target audience, is prohibited regardless of the defendant's intent or good faith. This makes s 18 much easier to establish than common law misrepresentation (which typically requires proof of fraudulent or negligent misstatement). A consumer law lawyer advises on whether conduct meets the s 18 threshold and the remedies available.
How It Works
One request. A free consumer law consultation.
Tell us the nature of the consumer law dispute — misleading conduct, defective product, unfair contract, credit issue — and whether you are the affected consumer or the business responding to a complaint. A consumer law lawyer will advise on the ACL provisions that apply and the remedies available.
Submit Your RequestDescribe the consumer law issue
Consumer or small business, nature of the issue (misleading conduct, defective product, unfair contract, credit, unconscionable conduct), amount in dispute, and whether regulatory action has commenced.
Matched to a consumer law specialist
Matched to a consumer law lawyer with experience in the relevant ACL provisions and the appropriate forum — ACCC, AFCA, state tribunal, or court — for your dispute.
Free consultation
A consumer law lawyer contacts you for a free consultation — advising on the strength of the claim, the remedies available (refund, compensation, injunction, contract voidance), and the most cost-effective path to resolution.