HYDERABAD: The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directed an interior designer to pay a compensation of Rs 5,000 and refund Rs 45 lakh with interest to a man for cheating, and deficiency in service.
The order came on a complaint filed by a Syed Mehdi H Zaidi. According to the complaint, when he was working in Dubai in September 2016, he approached an interior designer, through social media to get his house in Hyderabad renovated. The man in question, Syed Abdul Kareem agreed to complete the work for Rs 50 lakh within 12 months.
During this period, he paid the full amount to the designer in multiple instalments, as the designer claimed that work was going on.
After a few months, when he got his house inspected by a third party, it turned out that the designer was making false claims and had not finished the work. Following this, when the complainant approached him, he did not respond to his calls or messages. During the proceedings, the opposite party failed to appear in court and also failed to file any written version refuting the claims. Holding the designer guilty, the consumer forum asked him to refund of Rs 45,15,000 together with an interest of 18 per cent pa from the date of complaint till realisation.