Consumer forum imposes ₹25k fine on OYO, also orders full refund to customer after hotel dishonours booking

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission at Gurgaon recently ordered hospitality chain OYO to give a full refund of ₹3,461 to a customer after the booking made by him for stay at a hotel for three days was dishonoured by the hotel for one day. .The consumer forum President Sanjeev Jindal and Members Jyoti Swatch and Khushwinder Kaur also ordered Oyo to pay 25,000 in damages and ₹11,000 as litigation expenses to the customer, a lawyer who had booked the room for a guest. .In December 2021, advocate Vibhor Aggarwal booked a room in ‘Hotel New Sunshine’ for his guest for three nights from December 30, 2021, to January 2, 2022. Though the booking was confirmed, the guest was denied stay for December 31 by the hotel on the purported ground that it already stood completely reserved for the day. This had forced Aggarwal (complainant) to make another booking for the guest on December 31, 2021. Since the actions of the hotel caused much hassle and trouble to the complainant and his guest, he issued a legal notice to OYO demanding a full refund and damages of ₹50,000. Since OYO agreed to pay a refund only for one day, the complainant moved the consumer forum. .The consumer forum noted that the assertions made by the complainant stood fully corroborated by the “accurate, brief and concise” documentary evidence placed on record by him.It concluded that the deficiency in service on the part of the OYO stood established beyond any shadow of doubt..Thus, it decided not to consider the defence taken by OYO that the complainant had no cause of action or that there was no deficiency in service on its part.“The discussion on the aforesaid pleas/defences taken by the OP would not only be unnecessary and irrelevant but also that the same would unnecessarily overburden this judgment, the said defences/pleas being false, frivolous, baseless and misconceived, etc.,” the consumer court reasoned..Accordingly, the consumer forum held OYO guilty of being deficient in its service to the complainant and allowed his plea with costs. “The opposite party shall make the compliance of this order within 45 days from the date of uploading of this order after the expiry of 24 hours (one day) therefrom, failing which the amount will attract interest @ 12% per annum, for the same period, till actual realization,” it added in the order dated February 1..The complainant, Vibhor Aggarwal appeared in person along with advocate Bhupinder Yadav.Advocate Sandeep Yadav represented OYO..[Read Order]