CHENNAI: A consumer forum has ordered a city-based builder to pay a compensation of Rs 60,000 to a resident of Ambattur, for delaying the construction of a flat for two years. It has also asked the builder to hand over the finished flat in three months. If not, the builder must refund the entire amount of Rs 14.4 lakh to the resident.
The matter dates back to 2015, when T E Malathy booked an apartment in P DOT G constructions’ new project layout in Thiruvallur, by paying an advance of Rs 50,000 as she wanted to shift her residence from Ambattur. After an 789 sq ft apartment was allotted to Malathy during January 2015, the builder promised to hand over the flat in the next 18 months. But the builder failed to complete construction and did not hand over the flat even after the stipulated date of June 20, 2016.
“Till date we haven’t be able to occupy the apartment. When I visited the layout six months later, even the base work hadn’t been started. Because of this delay, we had to shell out Rs 1.4 lakh for rent,” said Malathy.
After receiving a legal notice from the resident, the builder had agreed to offer an alternate flat which was close to completion. But even after the resident agreed to pay an extra amount of Rs 3.25 lakh for the new flat, the builder had failed to complete this process, which amounts to deficiency in service, observed the Tiruvallur District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum. The opposite party did not submit any averments in its defence.