The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Chandigarh has upheld an order directing Hotel Mountview, operated by Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation Limited (CITCO), to refund a portion of the booking amount paid for a cancelled marriage function.
The Commission dismissed CITCO’s appeal against an earlier ruling by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, which had ordered the hotel to refund ₹18,750 to Chandigarh resident Aman Arora along with interest, compensation and litigation expenses.
The dispute dates back to July 2022, when the complainant booked a marriage-related event at Hotel Mountview by paying an advance amount of ₹25,000. According to the complaint, hotel representatives had assured him that 80 per cent of the booking amount would be refunded in case of cancellation.
Following a family emergency, the event was initially postponed and later fully cancelled. However, the hotel subsequently refused to refund the amount, citing its internal cancellation and postponement policy.
In its ruling, the State Commission observed that the hotel’s refund conditions were “very harsh and one-sided.” The Commission noted that CITCO failed to establish that the customer had been properly informed about the cancellation terms mentioned in its office order.
The Commission further pointed out that under the hotel’s own policy, only 25 per cent of the booking amount could have been deducted after the second postponement, making the complete forfeiture of the advance payment unjustified.
Calling the hotel’s action a case of “deficiency in service and unfair trade practice,” the Commission upheld the refund order and rejected CITCO’s appeal.
Source : The Tribune
