HOSPITALITY AND HOLIDAYS FIRM TOLD TO REFUND MEMBERSHIP AMOUNT

GREATER NOIDA: The Gautam Budh Nagar District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed a hospitality and holidays company to refund membership fee to a customer over discrepancies in agreement.

The complainant Sunita Vajpayee, a resident of Greater Noida, stated that on March 9, 2016 had signed on a membership plan with the firm, Country Club, and paid ₹2.75 lakh.

Vajpayee stated in her complaint that the firm violated the terms of agreement in the KYC process, that there was over writing on the date of execution on the document, and what she was told during the debriefing differed from the terms in the agreement document.

She stated she had requested the company to cancel the membership and refund the amount, but the firm refused, after which she filed a consumer complaint on June 6, 2017.

The company, in a written reply, stated that the agreement was not forced upon the complainant and that she has been told the membership is non refundable.

Further, the firm said the district commission has no jurisdiction to hear this complaint.

During the final discussion before the commission on January 13, 2021, no one from the firm appeared.

The district commission then proceeded as per documents available and held that the membership document is void. There was also deficiency of services on part of the company, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held.

“The district consumer commission, comprising president Anil Kumar Pundir and member Daya Shankar Pandey, has directed the company to refund ₹2.75 lakh to the complainant, along with a six per cent of simple interest, besides ₹5,000 towards physical and mental harassment and ₹1,000 towards litigation expenses,” said Aditya Bhati, representative, district consumer commission advocates association said on Saturday.

The officials of the firm could not be reached for a comment.