Victims of last week’s harsh storm in Australia have been cautioned against dodgy tradesmen who would take advantage of their misfortune.

As the cost of Western Australia’s most destructive natural disaster reaches $650 million, consumer watchdogs warn that even established operators would take advantage of the situation due to huge demand for ‘quick money’.

The Consumer Protection had received five complaints earlier against four car hire firms who asked renters to pay the damage excess, which normally costs more than $3000.

Anne Driscoll, the commissioner of Consumer Protection for Western Australia, said that several operators try to make profits even in the storm’s aftermath by raising their prices. Although there was no legislation governing commodities’ prices, she is urging businesses to focus on building relationships with their customers rather than making short-term profits.

The commissioner also stated that many dodgy tradesmen would take advantage when demand skyrockets, so consumers should make sure that they are dealing with qualified people. She advised consumers to shop around first and get at least two quotations to compare price and value.

Moreover, Driscoll commented that it seemed unreasonable for car hire companies to hold renters responsible for the damages resulted from the heavy storm. She said that while some contracts give the company a basis to charge its renters for the damages, she urged car hire firms to consider customer goodwill first.

The Australian Consumer Law will be enacted by next year. Driscoll said that the law includes provisions that will make unfair contracts illegal, which means that businesses cannot enforce unfair terms in contracts even if the consumer agrees to them.