HYDERABAD: The Telangana State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed HSBC Bank, Somajiguda branch, to pay a sum of Rs 5 lakh to Surapaneni Radhika, a resident of Kukatpally for deficiency of service and negligence.The complaint took a housing loan of Rs 19 lakh from the bank to buy a flat at Srinagar Colony. The bank collected the original documents such as registered sale deed as collateral security for the loan.
She discharged the loan amount in 2017 and when she requested the return of her original documents, the bank informed her that they were misplaced and steps were being taken for reconstruction and other formalities.In her case, she intended to sell the property and the value would be badly affected due to the loss of documents, hence she filed a case for adequate compensation.
It is also common knowledge that nobody would come to buy immovable property in the absence of original documents.Considering all these aspects and to minimise the loss caused as a result of the bank’s negligence, the commission directed the bank to publish the fact of loss with full description in two leading daily newspapers in Telugu and English.
The forum also directed it to lodge an FIR in the police station concerned in order to safeguard the fraudulent use of the original title deed and issue a certified copy of the title deed from the Sub-Registrar Office and shall also do all other things that help establish the ownership of the property. It also directed the bank to pay a sum of Rs 5 lakh towards compensation for the mental agony and trauma and to pay costs of Rs 10,000 within six weeks.