AFA Furnishing Standards

Consumers, Suppliers, Architects, Specifiers, Manufacturers and Distributors will have varying degrees of adherence to Standards in their briefs to Designers. Value-adding to your design by embedding Standards, testing and certification requirements and referencing regulatory compliance in your design will increase your design’s relevance, market reach and desirability. Buyers will select designs that reduce or minimise risk. Need help with selecting the right Standards for your design project? Contact the AFA HERE.

overnment Procurement: The Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPR’s) underpin the Government’s legal obligations and procurement policy framework. This framework set out officials’ responsibilities, and the processes required for the procurement of products and services under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.

Changes to the Act outlines Australia’s Government Procurement obligations, and factors that must be considered in meeting the core rules, including adherence to procuring products that must meet Standards and Compliance requirements.

Rules that must be complied with in undertaking procurement are denoted by the term ‘must’. Non-corporate Commonwealth entities must report non-compliance with the rules of the CPRs through the Commonwealth’s compliance reporting process. The AFA has made it easy for you by summarising the Rules for the purpose of simplifying the Act for procurement officers, specifiers, designers, architects, manufacturers and suppliers across the Furnishing sector. READ MORE

Need more information on how to interpret the new CPR’s? Contact the AFA HERE

Commercial Procurement: Architects, Designers, Specifiers, Buyers and Procurement personnel insist on adherence to Mandatory Standards required for the supply or installation of furnishing and fit out products. Non-Mandatory Standards are also prescribed by clients to mininise risk and comply with insurance requirements.

Suppliers of Commercial Furnishings must also comply with Standards related to Product Safety, OH&S, Warranty and After Care of Furnishing products. READ MORE Need help understanding your obligations? Contact the AFA HERE

Residential Use: Consumers have the RIGHT to BUY SAFE Products. They also have the right to a refund if a furniture product is unsafe, and can seek compensation for damages and loss caused by a safety defect in products supplied by a supplier, manufacturer, or the importer of the product. READ MORE

Need help mediating a consumer complaint against your business? Contact us HERE.

The Australian Consumer Law contains a range of protections to help ensure that the furniture products purchased by consumers are safe.

Want to know your obligations? READ MORE HERE

Need help navigating your obligations? Contact us HERE.

You Are Legally Responsible for the Goods YOU Import or Distribute.

Are you aware that your business is responsible for any product that you import, sell, supply or distribute? This means that you can be held liable for any defect or other condition that renders the product unsafe and results in injury, death or damage. Importers carry a significant liability risk. Under the Trade Practices Act, Australian law deems importers to be the manufacturer of the goods they import therefore, if you IMPORT a product you are legally liable for any breaches in Product Safety and the Australian Consumer Law.

Consumers have the RIGHT to BUY SAFE Products. They also have the right to a refund if a furniture product is unsafe, and can seek compensation for damages and loss caused by a safety defect in products supplied by the importer of the product. The Australian Consumer Law contains a range of protections to help ensure that the furniture products purchased by consumers are safe.

Want to know your obligations? READ MORE HERE

Need help navigating your obligations? Contact us HERE.

Consumers have the RIGHT to BUY SAFE Products. They also have the right to a refund if a furniture product is unsafe, and can seek compensation for damages and loss from the seller caused by a safety defect in products sold. This includes products sold online or in store. The Australian Consumer Law contains a range of protections to help ensure that the furnishing products purchased by consumers are safe, including an claims of misrepresentation or false warranty claims. It is recommended that Retailers source products from reputable, qualified suppliers of Furnishing Products that comply with Standards, and the regulatory requirements prescribed by the ACCC. Find an AFA Supplier Member HERE

PENALTIES APPLY

Federal Parliament has increased maximum financial penalties under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Penalties for a breach of the ACL have been raised from $1.1 million for companies to the greater of $10 million, three times the value of the benefit received, or where the benefit cannot be calculated, 10 per cent of annual turnover in the preceding 12 months.

Penalties against individuals under the ACL have increased from $220,000 to $500,000 per breach. Companies will now face more serious financial consequences for breaching consumer law that align with competition law breaches.

Want to know your obligations? READ MORE HERE

Need help navigating your obligations? Contact us HERE.

Find an AFA Retailer Member HERE