Taking a WhatsApp chat, wherein a Chandigarh-based make-up studio denied a refund to a bride-to-be, into consideration, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Panchkula, has held the former guilty of deficiency in services.
Parul Duggal Make-up Studio, Sector 10, Chandigarh, has been directed to refund the ₹25,000 payment with 9% interest, and also pay the complainant ₹5,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment.
Romil Gupta of Sector 12, Panchkula, had submitted before the commission that she had hired the studio’s make-up services for her wedding on April 16, 2020, against an advance payment of ₹25,000.
But due to the lockdown amid the Covid-19 pandemic, all salons and beauty parlours were shut down in line with a Union ministry of home affairs order.
Therefore, she decided to hold a simple wedding ceremony and sought a refund from the make-up studio via a WhatsApp message. In response, the studio asked her to utilise the payment for future services, while declining to refund the amount.
Seeking directions for a refund, Gupta approached the consumer court that sent notices to the studio in September 2020. As the notices were not accepted, it was proceeded against ex parte.
{{/usCountry}}Seeking directions for a refund, Gupta approached the consumer court that sent notices to the studio in September 2020. As the notices were not accepted, it was proceeded against ex parte.
{{/usCountry}}While disposing of the complaint, the commission said, “Pertinently, a complete lockdown was imposed at the national level on March 25, 2020, due to the Covid-19 situation and thus, neither the complainant was in a position to avail of the said services from the make-up studio nor they were in a position to provide these to the complainant. Therefore, no lapse can be attributed to that extent.”
“However, the make-up studio denied a refund of the booking amount, claiming it to be non-refundable as per its policy. It is pertinent to mention here that no such policy entitling them to forfeit the booking amount is available on record,” the commission held.
It further said as per the WhatsApp chat, the make-up studio asked the complainant to avail of the services within 2020, only to the extent of 50% of the amount deposited, which was totally unfair, unjust and unreasonable.
Therefore, the commission ordered the studio to refund the full amount, along with compensation.