Pay Rs 30K to Chennai man, consumer panel to EV scooter company

CHENNAI: The consumer commission has directed an electric scooter company to pay J Umashankar, a resident of Royapettah, who was previously residing in Chengalpattu, Rs 30,000 compensation for unfair trade practices.

Umashankar had booked an electric scooter through the company’s app by paying Rs 499 in September 2021. The company had also promised to assist him in getting a vehicle loan from the bank, for which he was told to make a down payment of Rs 20,000.

Umashankar was told he’d get delivery of the vehicle in January 2022, and was asked to make another payment of Rs 6,000. Even after the said date, the vehicle was not delivered to him.

When he checked on the app, it showed that document verification was pending. His calls and emails were not properly answered, and his app stopped working. In June, he received an email stating that his two-wheeler loan approval with the bank had expired, and that he had to pay the full amount for his scooter.

When the complainant enquired with the bank officials, they informed him that they had not received a loan application from the company.

Later in June, Umashankar received a message from the company that his request to cancel his purchase of the scooter had been processed. He was shocked as he had not given a request to cancel.

So he filed a complaint for which the company gave a refund of the advance amount, down payment, and pre-booking amount but an incensed Umashankar was not satisfied.

The vehicle company was directed to pay Rs 25,000 towards compensation for mental agony and hardship he had suffered, and also directed to pay Rs 5,000 towards costs within two months.