Hyderabad: The State Consumer Forum overturned a District Forum’s judgment and asked Hyderabad-based Suvarnabhoomi Developers to return the sum of Rs 3.95 lakh with 9 per cent interest and a compensation of Rs10,000 to the consumer.
In 2010, Meena Kumari from Saidabad invested Rs 3.95 lakh as a token amount in a property being developed by Suvarnabhoomi Developers in Mahboobnagar. Realising that the developers would not deliver the property as promised, she cancelled the deal and demanded a refund, which the realtors refused.
The realtor’s argument was that since the consumer had failed to pay the balance sale consideration, the plot could not be registered and hence it had not been delivered as promised.
The case was referred to the Alternate Consumer Disputes Redressal Cell for arbitration, where the realtors refused to refund the amount stating that the consumer had willingly entered into a contract that did not allow for a refund.
The consumer then approached a District Consumer Forum, but yet again, the case was ruled in favour of the realtors.
She then filed an appeal with the State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission of Telangana. The forum found that there had been a failure on the part of the realtors in convincing the consumer to register the property. It passed a judgement in favour of the consumer.
“If a property dealer can’t provide good service and fails to live up to the promises made, then the consumer can file an appeal in Court,” says Advocate V. Gouri Shankar Rao.
