Feb.17: CERS MEDIATES
MakeMyTrip refunds money for cancelled flight
Nimish Patel booked round trip tickets by Jet Airways through MakeMyTrip for his son who was coming home for the holidays from Orlando in US. A day before he was to leave for Orlando on his return trip, there was news that airports across US were closed due to a severe snowstorm. Nimish immediately called up MakeMyTrip customer care to check about the flight. He was told that the airline had not cancelled the flight.
When the family reached Ahmedabad airport on the date of departure, Nimish was told by Jet Airways that the onward flight from Mumbai was cancelled and that he should contact his booking agent. He also got a message saying that there is a ‘free date change facility’ for flights that get cancelled due to snow. But even after repeated follow-up with MakeMyTrip, Nimish could not get a ticket for his son within a week. Since his son was missing classes, Nimish booked another ticket for him. As he did not get a refund from the travel portal for over a year, he contacted Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad. In less than three months, Nimish got a refund of Rs. 39,428.
Tip
In case of any grievance, send your complaints through mail to the booking agent and also mark a copy to the airline.
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Builder returns booking amount for flat
Rahul Jain had booked a flat in Shiva Blessing scheme of Bansal Infracon Ltd. He paid Rs. 1 lakh as booking amount and was assured that all papers needed to get his loan passed would be provided. Six months later, he had still not got an No Objection Certificate (NOC) for his flat. The builder kept on delaying giving some excuse or the other.
Meanwhile, Rahul read a public notice in the newspaper regarding a dispute on properties of Bansal Infracon Ltd. including the scheme he had booked. Rahul contacted the builders and requested cancellation of his booking and refund. When the builders refused to refund the booking amount, Rahul asked CERS to intervene. CERS persuaded the builder to settle the matter amicably. The builder agreed and paid Rs. 1.1 lakh to Rahul as settlement.
Tips
- Once you decide on a property, check the builder’s reputation in the market. Inspect some of the completed projects by the builder.
- No payment should be made before complete scrutiny. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, which became effective from 1 May 2016, seeks to ensure consumer protection by bringing in transparency. As per the Act, builders have to disclose all relevant details.
