Cosumer Forum ask Packers and movers to pay car owner Rs 3 lakh damages

Chennai: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (North) directed a packing and moving company to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to an assistant manager of a hotel group for failure to deliver a car he wanted moved from Chennai to Nasik in Maharashtra. The petitioner, Vineet Mathew, an assistant manager in the ITC group of hotels in Chennai, had purchased a Ford Figo car on October 28, 2010 in Chennai. He was transferred to Nasik, Maharashtra and so approached the manager, Sahara Domestic and International Packers and Movers Pvt Ltd., Kolathur to transport the car to Nasik and paid freight charges of Rs 9,551 on June 3, 2013. The company assured him that the car would be delivered within a week.

He had not received the car in Nasik even after 10 days. When he contacted the movers he was informed that the car met with an accident during transit. On June 28, he sent a letter to them from Nasik questioning their misdeeds. On July 11, he rushed to Chennai from Nasik ascertain the true picture through Spice Jet airways spending Rs 7,004 for the ticket. After a search, he found his vehicle at Poonamalle where it was parked in open muddy and slushy terrain with the entire left side heavily damaged.

As the car failed to start it was towed away to Ford service centre, Chennai, which assessed that it would take Rs1.90 lakh to repair the car. However, the movers refused to pay the charges. He said the company was responsible for loss and damage to the vehicle. The act of the movers caused him mental agony and he filed the petition claiming compensation and repair charges.
The Sahara Domestic and International Packers and Movers Pvt Ltd. remained absent during the trial and hence it was set ex parte.

The bench comprising its president K. Jayabalan and member T. Kalaiyarasi said the failure to deliver the vehicle had caused the petitioner mental agony. The vehicle was damaged while it was in their custody and hence he is entitled for damages towards repairing the car. Vineet Mathew is entitled to receive Rs 1.90 lakh for repairing the vehicle, refund of Rs 7,004 paid for air ticket, Rs 9,551 towards booking charges of the vehicle and a compensation of Rs1.05 lakh for causing him mental agony.