A consumer court in Ernakulam has ordered real estate company DLF to pay compensation to a homebuyer for delay in giving a flat in Kakkanad.
In May 2010, Seena Susan Kuruvilla and her son booked a flat in DLF New Town Heights project for ₹34.29 lakh. As per the agreement, DLF had to hand over the flat by January 2013. But the buyers received the flat only in September 2017. The delay was almost four years.
The buyers said they had already paid 95% of the total cost on time. Still, DLF demanded an extra ₹10.22 lakh and later charged another ₹2.74 lakh, saying the flat was slightly larger in size. They also complained about poor water supply, bad electrical work, and irregular withdrawals from their loan account.
The consumer forum said DLF had failed to provide proper service and had followed unfair practices. The court ordered DLF to pay 12% interest on the flat cost for the period of delay, refund ₹5.76 lakh as rent paid by the buyers during the waiting period, and give ₹1.10 lakh as compensation for mental stress and legal expenses.
The order also said that the money must be paid within 45 days.
This case shows that builders can be held responsible if they delay projects or trouble buyers with extra charges.