MUMBAI: Observing that a housing society he cannot escape responsibility for the necessary maintenance just because the owners have rented out the house rentthe state consumer commission ordered a dwelling company to Deonar to pay Rs 55,000 in compensation and carry out repairs and waterproofing of two terraced houses.
“It is hereby declared that the opponent (the company) has committed shortcomings in service and unfair trading practices,” said the Maharashtra State Consumer Dispute Redress Commission.
He also refuted the company’s claim that the leak persisted because the tenants had kept plants on the terrace and were watering them. “Certainly, the complainants were the members of the society… it was the duty of the society to carry out the repairs and also to look after the proper maintenance of the terraced houses owned by the complainants,” she said.
Residents of Worli Latika and Prakash Chanderkar had moved the district consumer commission against Madhuban CoOperative Housing Society Ltd in 2017. However, the district commission rejected their complaint in 2018. Later, they moved the state commission.
The complainants said they had purchased two townhouses and paid regular monthly service charges, including repair and maintenance fees. They claimed that in March 2017 they had noticed large leaks in the ceiling above the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and slabs on the first and second floors. They informed the housing company who had done the waterproofing of all other units in the colony. The complainants said the company failed to fix the leaks and waterproofing of their homes. They said they sent the company a notice on March 2, 2017, but have not received a response. Reminders have been sent, but no action has been taken.
They claimed that by failing to carry out repairs despite assuming maintenance costs they constituted a shortage of service and an unfair trading practice. The real estate company denied making any repairs. Instead, he took the position that because there were many complaints from members about the leak, he had carried out a structural audit in December 2014 and repairs were underway.
“It is hereby declared that the opponent (the company) has committed shortcomings in service and unfair trading practices,” said the Maharashtra State Consumer Dispute Redress Commission.
He also refuted the company’s claim that the leak persisted because the tenants had kept plants on the terrace and were watering them. “Certainly, the complainants were the members of the society… it was the duty of the society to carry out the repairs and also to look after the proper maintenance of the terraced houses owned by the complainants,” she said.
Residents of Worli Latika and Prakash Chanderkar had moved the district consumer commission against Madhuban CoOperative Housing Society Ltd in 2017. However, the district commission rejected their complaint in 2018. Later, they moved the state commission.
The complainants said they had purchased two townhouses and paid regular monthly service charges, including repair and maintenance fees. They claimed that in March 2017 they had noticed large leaks in the ceiling above the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and slabs on the first and second floors. They informed the housing company who had done the waterproofing of all other units in the colony. The complainants said the company failed to fix the leaks and waterproofing of their homes. They said they sent the company a notice on March 2, 2017, but have not received a response. Reminders have been sent, but no action has been taken.
They claimed that by failing to carry out repairs despite assuming maintenance costs they constituted a shortage of service and an unfair trading practice. The real estate company denied making any repairs. Instead, he took the position that because there were many complaints from members about the leak, he had carried out a structural audit in December 2014 and repairs were underway.
