Mumbai: Flat owner wins Rs1.25L leakage compensation

Mumbai: A district consumer commission has directed a Borivali housing society to give Rs1.25 lakh in compensation to one of the flat owners who complained that a leakage has rendered the house uninhabitable. It also asked to appoint an expert commissioner to find the source of leakage and pay for damages done to the complainant's house.

According to the complainant, her flat started to leak following the renovations in other four houses in the next wing. She said that her grievance fell on deaf ears as one of the flat owners among four was a relative of the society secretary. She then complained to the ward office, local corporator but the problem persisted.

Owing to the unhygienic atmosphere caused by the leakage, the health of the woman's husband was impacted and he had no option but to shift to his native in Goa. She even sent a notice to the society, asserting that her house has become uninhabitable.

Later, the ward office filed a complaint with the Metropolitan Magistrate court. However, nothing concrete materialised as the BMC couldn't prove the source of leakage. When the matter reached the commission, the society argued that the woman just wanted exact money in the name of repairs. It contended that her complaint should be dismissed as she hid the fact that her case was rejected by the court.

To which, the commission countered that the court's order was passed on a complaint by the ward office and the woman hadn't directly approached the court. Observing that the alterations made by the four flats were unauthorised, the commission said that protecting the interest of members is the duty of the society. The society has been given two months to comply with the order passed on Dec 5.