After dream home deal turns nightmare, Bengaluru firm ordered to pay up Rs 5.5 lakh | Bengaluru News
Bengaluru: What began as a dream home makeover quickly spiralled into a prolonged nightmare for a city-based woman, after she entrusted a furniture firm with interior work at her new residence. Lured by promises of top-tier quality and timely delivery, she paid Rs 5 lakh upfront — only to be met with delays, dodges, and ultimately, a denial of responsibility and refund. But over two years on, justice has been served as a consumer commission has ruled in her favour, ordering the company to refund the amount with interest and pay compensation.The story began in March 2023, when Latha S, 58, from Shankarapuram approached the furniture company, Ocean of Design in Deepanjali Nagar, to get her new residence furnished. Impressed by assurances of high-quality standards and delivery, she engaged its services and made an advance payment of Rs 5 lakh on March 20, 2023, through a demand draft — a payment the company acknowledged.Little did she know this was the start of a prolonged ordeal. Despite repeated requests and follow-ups, the company failed to deliver the promised designs and furniture. Frustrated by the delay, she hired an alternative agency to complete some of the interior work.It was only three months later, on July 5, 2023, that the company presented a modular comparison plan, followed by an estimated cost on July 6. Another revised estimate was sent on Sept 12. By then, Latha had already completed portions of the work with another vendor because of the unacceptable delay.She then requested the company to refund the advance paid, but the firm expressed its inability to do so. Instead, it offered to execute and deliver select furniture items — a foyer shoe rack, foyer seating, console, and crockery unit — and on Oct 18, 2023, sent an estimated bill of a little over Rs 9 lakh, which left her in shock. Latha alleged that the advance amount of Rs 5 lakh was not deducted from the new bill.When she questioned this, the company told her that the advance would be adjusted only if she entrusted it with the complete furniture contract. Latha expressed her willingness to pay the balance as per the latest invoice, but the company refused to proceed with any work, insisting on the full contract. It also declined to refund the advance.After repeated follow-ups for a refund yielded no results, Latha issued a legal demand notice on Aug 2, 2024. In its reply, the company claimed that the Rs 5 lakh wasn’t an advance for furniture work, but rather a design fee for services, effectively denying her request for a refund. Aggrieved by the firm’s conduct, on Jan 9, 2025, she filed a complaint with the IV additional district consumer disputes redressal commission, alleging unfair trade practices.Despite being served a notice, the firm was absent and was placed as ex parte. After going through all the evidence, the commission observed that the firm had failed to deliver the promised designs and furniture despite receiving an advance payment. It also noted that the company’s claim that the Rs 5 lakh paid was not an advance but a design fee was untenable. In the absence of any defence from the company, the forum concluded that the complainant had successfully proved the allegations. Holding the firm guilty of careless and negligent service, the commission declared it was liable to refund the advance amount.The company has been ordered to refund Rs 5 lakh with 6% interest from the day of payment, aside from shelling out Rs 25,000 for service deficiency, Rs 10,000 for the complainant’s pain and suffering, and Rs 10,000 as litigation costs.