‘Hey Coach’ Ordered to Refund Rs 2.96 L for Poor Services
Rateesh, a 30-year-old IT employee, enrolled in a career coaching programme offered by the firm after being influenced by what he described as misleading advertisements.
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Bengaluru-based coaching firm ‘Hey Coach’ to refund Rs 2.96 lakh with 18 per cent interest from the date of payment to a Hyderabad resident, Rateesh Koganti, for delivering substandard coaching services.
Rateesh, a 30-year-old IT employee, enrolled in a career coaching programme offered by the firm after being influenced by what he described as misleading advertisements. He paid Rs 2.96 lakh on March 30, 2023, but was dissatisfied with the curriculum and mentor after attending the first session on April 7.
Despite sending multiple emails seeking a refund, Koganti said the company neither resolved his concerns nor returned his money. Although the firm later replied promising a new mentor and improvements, no action followed.
The company argued that Koganti had voluntarily signed up for the programme and that all content was transparently mentioned in its brochures. It claimed that advertisements were mere invitations and not binding offers, and insisted the matter be heard in Bengaluru as per its terms and conditions.
The commission ruled that the case was maintainable in Hyderabad, noting that the complainant resided and made the payment from there. In addition to the refund, the Commission ordered Hey Coach to pay Rs 5 lakh as compensation for mental agony and unfair trade practices and 10,000 towards litigation costs.