CHENNAI: For not handing over Patta for two plots of land in Tiruvallur district seven years after purchase, a consumer forum has ordered a real estate developer to pay Rs 15,000 as compensation to the complainant.
The matter dates back to 2011, when G Jamuna of Karaiyanchavadi in Tiruvallur district, purchased two plots through a real estate agent. Even after paying Rs 6,000 to the agent for procuring the relevant documents, Jamuna did not receive the Patta because of which she sent a legal notice to the agent in 2012. The agent replied to the notice asking for extension of four months. The complainant yet again sent a legal notice in 2016 as the stipulated extension was over, but never got any response from the agent.
In defence, the agent Bright Associates of Ramapuram said as parliamentary elections were announced in 2014 and due to administrative delay within the revenue department, the Patta could not be processed within four months. “Because of floods in 2015, all work in the revenue department came to a stop. Around 450 applications were pending to obtain Patta. I had to shell out an additional `4,000 for every applicant because of this,” the agent said.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum dismissed the agent’s response as it found that around 156 applicants had received their Patta from 2014 to 2016.