BENGALURU: The Fourth Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum has directed a firm, Unishire Housing, to refund Rs 10,55,203 at 10 per cent interest per annum to an elderly citizen within a month. Lured by attractive offers, 65-year-old K V Ramesh, a resident of Uttarahalli-Kengeri Main Road, had paid earnest money of Rs 10,55,203, his entire life’s savings, to Unishire Housing — a limited liability partnership firm with its office near Nehru Nagar, Kumar Park (West). He subsequently received the second allotment letter in August 2015 confirming the allotment of a two-bedroom apartment from the firm.
When the project was delayed, Ramesh sought a refund and the company, in its email, responded that the amount will be refunded in June 2017. When the firm showed no inclination to pay even after the deadline, Ramesh was forced to file a complaint with the consumer court in May this year. When the firm’s managing partners G Nandakumar and N Praveenkumar did not respond to notices from the forum, it proceeded with the ex parte hearing into the case.
The forum declared that allottees cannot wait indefinitely for possession of flats booked by them.
So, Unishire Housing should refund the earnest money at 10 per cent interest per anum. The firm was also directed to pay litigation fee of `3,000 to Ramesh.