Thane: Consumer commission asks holiday planning firm to refund amount, pay compensation to couple

Thane: Consumer commission asks holiday planning firm to refund amount, pay compensation to couple

Bhavna UchilUpdated: Sunday, November 28, 2021, 09:23 PM IST
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Finding a holiday packages firm deficient in service and asking a couple to pay for hotel bookings despite them having its five-year active membership, a Thane Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered the firm to refund with 10 percent interest p.a Rs. 80,000 it had taken from them in 2016.

The commission has also asked the firm to refund additional charges of Rs. 12,000. It said they are also entitled for Rs. 10,000 for mental and physical harassment and Rs. 2,000 for litigation costs.

The couple Vinod Iyer and Shilpa Iyer had gone to Sikkim on a holiday in May 2016 and came across ‘Club Jive’ of the firm Holiday Kart Pvt. Ltd. They had attended the seminar of the firm’s sales team and bought a five-year-membership from 2017 to 2021 by paying Rs. 80,000. They also paid additional charges of Rs. 12,000 thereafter when asked. In February 2018, they made a booking request, but got a sloppy response, as per their complaint before the commission. Their calls went unanswered, the firm requested extra time and then gave no updates. They had to send follow-up mails. After six months, it sent them an itinerary, but they found that it had asked them to pay for the hotel booking, which was already prepaid as per their membership. They escalated the matter to the firm’s director. A senior personnel of the firm responded and assured to solve the issue, but did not do so and then stopped responding to them. They then wrote to its director seeking a refund of their money, but got no response.

The duo was then compelled to approach the commission complaining that the firm had rendered deficient services under the Consumer Protection Act. They sought refund and compensation as well as Rs. 20,000 they spent on resort booking.

The firm did not appear before the Commission despite notice. Commission President Milind S. Sonawane and PV Maharshi drew an adverse inference as it did not challenge the complaint and found that it had rendered deficient service.

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