CHENNAI: A city consumer forum has directed a private healthcare company to provide a compensation of Rs 40,000 to a city resident after the company demanded more amount than it advertised about a weight loss therapy in the television programmes.
KM Monisha of Kodambakkam, in her complaint to the forum, submitted that after noticing TV advertisements about instant weight loss programme offered by M/s Kolors Health Care India Pvt. Ltd., she joined the programme at its Anna Nagar East branch. She was informed that for the entire programme, Rs 49,500 would be charged and for additional body therapies, Rs 11,123 and Rs 6,600. For the total cost of Rs 67,223, the company offered her a discount. Finally, she paid Rs 20,000.
However, after she attended three sessions, the company demanded Rs 20,000 more for getting proper results from the programme. But Monisha was not willing to pay the additional fee and sought an entire refund.
With no proper reply from the company, she issued legal notice on September 18, 2017, alleging unfair trade practice and also lodged a complaint with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Chennai (South), seeking a compensation of Rs 1.45 lakh from the company.
Despite several notices from the forum to the company authorities, they did not show up and so, the forum set them as ex-parte.
Considering the oral and documentary evidence, the forum presided over by M Mony and member R Baskarkumaravel observed that the company had failed to dispute the statements made by the petitioner and directed it to pay a compensation of Rs 40,000.