The Mumbai district consumer disputes redressal commission has directed a banquet hall in Lower Parel to pay Rs 37,557 as refund and compensation to a woman whose guests left a birthday party early due to malfunctioning air conditioners in 2024. The incident caused her significant embarrassment and inconvenience.
Deficiency in Service Found
The commission ruled that the banquet hall exhibited a deficiency in service by failing to provide essential amenities during the event, for which the family had spent Rs 3.6 lakh. It stated that air-conditioning is an essential component of the composite service package when a consumer books a hall for a family function. Even though AC charges were not separately billed, the total payment covered all services, including air-conditioning.
Since the invoice did not itemize AC fees, the commission applied a reasonable estimation of 10% of the total consideration to calculate the refund. The hall management has been given 45 days to comply with the order.
Details of the Complaint
Aarti Jain, a resident of Ghatkopar, booked the hall managed by Datamatics Food & Beverages Pvt Ltd for a relative's birthday in July 2024. She reported that the air-conditioning system broke down during the function, causing discomfort and suffocation among guests. Although the management provided temporary fans, Jain alleged these measures were insufficient and led to guests leaving early, causing her embarrassment.
It was argued that the management was aware of the technical issues days before the event but failed to fix them. The proceedings were held ex parte as the banquet hall management did not appear despite receiving a notice.
Commission's Observations
The commission noted that while food services were satisfactory, the AC malfunction constituted a breach of the composite service package. It observed that the conduct of the opposite party post-event, along with their absence during proceedings, supported the allegation that the AC system was not functioning adequately. Email correspondence indicated that the management wanted to settle the issue, but no concrete steps were taken to resolve it, causing mental distress to the complainant.
