Victorian Numbered Acts Victorian Numbered Acts(1) A licensee must, in accordance with this section, disclose to a client the costs of the conveyancing work that the licensee is to carry out for the client.
Penalty: 120 penalty units.
(2) A licensee must give the disclosure referred to in sub-section (1)—
(a) before or at the time the licensee is retained by the client; or
(b) if it is not reasonably practicable to make the disclosure at that time, as soon as practicable after being retained by the client.
(3) A disclosure under sub-section (1) must contain the following information—
(a) if the amount of the costs is known, that amount;
(b) if the amount of the costs is not known, the basis for their calculation;
(c) the manner in which the client will be invoiced;
(d) the following avenues that are open to the client in the event of a dispute in relation to costs—
(i) making a complaint to the Director under Part 8 of the Fair Trading Act 1999 ;
(ii) making an application to VCAT under Part 9 of the Fair Trading Act 1999 ;
(e) any other prescribed information.
(4) A client of a licensee is not required to pay the licensee's costs if—
(a) the licensee does not make a disclosure to the client in accordance with this section; and
(b) section 48 does not apply.