A problem with the clean
Write to the cleaning business
Your agreement for the clean is with them, so they get the first chance to fix it. Say what went wrong, what you'd like done and by when. Attach the quote, the invoice and your photos, and keep every message.
Ask for any re-clean
If the quote or their terms mention a re-clean, ask for it under those terms. If an agent's list prompted the problem, send them a copy.
Know what the law gives you
You don't need to have agreed to these rights. Under the Australian Consumer Law, a service has to be done with due care and skill, suit its purpose and be finished in a reasonable time, and those rights sit with the business you paid.
Go to your state's consumer agency
If you and the business can't settle it, the agency for your state can help. Expect to be asked whether you tried the business first: Consumer Affairs Victoria won't take a complaint further otherwise, and Access Canberra says you must contact the business before it can help. Queensland's Office of Fair Trading points out that it can't force a business to compensate you or fix a problem.
Ask a tribunal or court to decide
Access Canberra puts it plainly: only a court or tribunal can order a business to compensate you or fix a problem. The table below has the one for your state.
Who to go to in your state
| Consumer agency | Tribunal or court | |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | NSW Fair Trading | NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) |
| Victoria | Consumer Affairs Victoria | Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) |
| Queensland | Office of Fair Trading | Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) |
| Western Australia | Consumer Protection | Magistrates Court |
| South Australia | Consumer and Business Services | Magistrates Court, as a minor civil claim |
| ACT | Access Canberra | ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (ACAT) |
| Tasmania | Consumer Affairs Tasmania (formerly CBOS) | Magistrates Court, as a minor civil claim |
| Northern Territory | NT Consumer Affairs | NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) |
South Australia's row comes from the Legal Services Commission's Law Handbook. Agencies change their names from time to time, so check your state government's website if one here doesn't match.
A problem with your bond
A dispute over your bond isn't a complaint about a cleaner. It sits between you and your landlord or agent, and your state's renting rules decide how it runs. Find yours here: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, WA, SA, the ACT, Tasmania or the NT.
A problem with us
If your details went somewhere they shouldn't have, that's a privacy complaint, and it goes to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). Our privacy policy explains what the OAIC asks you to do first.