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Holding a water purifier company, its retailer and service company guilty of selling a substandard product and deficiency in services, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has awarded ₹ 3,000 compensation to a Chandigarh resident.

The commission also directed Kent RO Systems Ltd, Noida; retailer Surindra Audio Video Centre, Chandigarh; and Smart Services, Panchkula, to refund ₹ 14,300, the cost of the complainant’s faulty water purifier, along with ₹ 3,000 as litigation costs.

In his complaint, Shashi Shekhar, a resident of Sector 34, submitted that he had bought Kent Water Purifier Grand for ₹ 14,300 from Surindra Audio Video Centre in May 2018. It came with a two-year replacement warranty and four-year free service guarantee.

However, the equipment developed fault after some time, following which a technician from Smart Services came for repairs and charged him ₹ 300. The water purifier developed issues again in July 2021 and the service company charged him ₹ 2,400 for replacing the faulty pump.

Shekhar submitted that he escalated the matter to Kent RO Systems Ltd several times, but there was no response, prompting him to move the consumer commission.

As no one appeared from the water purifier company and other opposition parties, they were proceeded against ex parte.

The commission observed despite different complaints from the customer, the company did not pay any heed. “Not only this, even during the proceedings of the present case, the opposite parties did not appear to contest the case,” it added.

Observing that the act of selling a substandard product and not providing services proved deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, the commission directed the opposition parties to refund ₹ 14,300 to Shekhar and also pay ₹ 3,000 as compensation for causing mental agony, besides litigation costs.

Tanbir Dhaliwal is a correspondent at Chandigarh. She covers health and business. ...view detail

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