HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad-III District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum here has directed the Country Club Master Life to pay `1 lakh as compensation to a customer for luring him with a false promise of complimentary plot in return for taking membership of the club.
T Vishwanatham received a telephone call from a representative of Country Club Master Life namely Abdul Amir informing him that he had won a lottery and requested him to visit the club’s office and collect the prize. Accordingly, Vishwanatham visited the office and alleged that he was talked into taking the membership of the club by offering a complimentary plot measuring 150 square yards in Salla Bhoomi’ of Vangoor village, a venture promoted by the club.
Attracted by the offer, Vishwanatham payed `85,000 out of the total sum of `1,70,000 payable by him and joined as a member in a Country Club Master and got a plot allotted which was his dream. Subsequently, he received a notice on May 23, 2014 from the club asking for payment of the balance amount. Vishwanatham, however, requested for registration of plot and handing over of the possession of the subject plot.
Without listening to the request of the complainant, the club once again issued a notice requesting for the balance sum of money failing which the allotment of the plot shall be canceled.
Alleging that cancellation of the allotment of the plot by the Club is arbitrary and illegal, Vishwanatham approached the form for compensation.
The Opposite parties failed to file written version despite several adjournments being granted and hence their right to file written version was forfeited.
The bench observed that the complainant was misled to believe that he was getting a free plot of 150 square yards in the venture promoted by the opposite parties along with the purchase agreement of membership.
“It has been our observation that opposite party indulges in such unfair trade practice to lure the common man to enter into membership with Country Club and Country Vacations irrespective of the fact whether the complainant is in need of such memberships or otherwise. The common man with a fond hope of wishing to fulfil the desire of earning a plot of land is lured by the offer of the complimentary plot even though he is aware that the membership of the club and Country Vacations are not within his requirement. Such an act clearly establishes an act of unfair trade practice,” the bench said.