NOV – 15: CERS MEDIATES
Godrej Properties waives penal interest
Lt. Col. Bhupender Suhag from Patiala booked a flat in Godrej Garden City, Ahmedabad paying Rs. 4.46 lakh in 2011. He also paid the allotment amount and next four instalments. Suhag had repeatedly written to the company asking it to send him payment reminders not by courier services but by email or SMS. But they did not heed this request. He did not receive the original invoice for the payment of the next instalment of Rs. 4.61 lakh due by 5 January 2013.
Suhag wrote to Godrej Properties and finally received a duplicate invoice on 15 March 2013. After that, he paid the amount due by cheque. The payment was naturally delayed. The company sent him the final payment invoice mentioning the penalty interest for late payment amounting to Rs. 52,878. The communication said the penalty had been partially waived. A distressed Suhag tried to make the company officials see reason telling them that the fault lay with them, but to no avail. Finally, he approached CERS which took up the matter with Godrej Properties. After persistent follow-up the penal interest amount was waived much to the relief of Suhag.
Tips
• When you make a request, get the opposite party to agree to it in writing
• If you don’t get results, escalate your complaint to a higher authority
• If you have a valid reason for delay in payment, even personal, insist on waiver of penalty despite the contract conditions
Finally, Tata Card stops harassing consumer
Soli and Rati Kanga, senior citizens residing in Mumbai, reluctantly accepted a Tata Card on the condition that no charges would be levied. Without their consent, the company upgraded the credit card in December 2013 and charged them a fee of Rs. 560. When Rati objected, she was told that the charge had been levied since the usage of the card during the year was less than Rs. 75,000. As payment was through ECS, it got paid.
The couple stopped using the card in May 2014 and told the company to cancel the ECS payment writing several emails. After cancellation of ECS, Rati asked Tata Card to cancel the card. The couple was taken aback to receive a statement in December 2014 charging a fee of Rs. 560 again. Despite sending emails and making calls, they kept getting intimations of late fee charges. Helpless, Kanga contacted CERS and asked it to intervene. CERS wrote to Tata Card. After persistent follow-up, the company stopped sending payment statements. The couple assumed that the card had been cancelled. The company did not have the courtesy to inform them.
Tips
• Read the terms and conditions carefully before accepting any credit/debit card
• Protest strongly if you are trapped into purchasing products/services without your consent
• Do not accept credit cards sold at malls. Never fall for verbal marketing tricks such as upgradation. Insist on getting all information in writing.
