OYO Rooms fined Rs 1L for not delivering rooms

Kochi: Ernakulam district consumer disputes redressal commission imposed a fine of Rs 1.10 lakh on OYO Rooms for not delivering the rooms booked by a customer.
It said that the lack of service and unethical business practices caused the family to suffer despite booking rooms in advance through an online booking application. The complainant stated that those who went to the hotel at night with their children and elderly parents had to travel a long way that night to find another hotel because they were denied rooms as per the booking.The court directed the opposite parties to pay compensation of Rs one lakh and also court costs of Rs 10,000 to the complainants within 30 days, based on the complaint filed by Arun Das.
The complainant paid Rs 2,933 to book rooms for one night at Mangalat Hotel in Kollam for the accommodation of a ten-member group comprising his wife, children and parents. "When we reached the hotel around 10pm, the hotel owner refused to give us the rooms. They also demanded an extra charge of Rs 2,500 per room. With this, they had to travel overnight with their children and elderly parents and find another hotel," he said in the complaint.
The hotel owner told the court that there is no agreement with OYO Rooms at present. But this argument could not be proved. Consumer commission president D B Binu, and members V Ramachandran and T N Srividya said, "The opposite parties have shown betrayal of trust to the complainant's family. Due to this, the family has suffered not only financial loss but also a lot of mental anguish. This intervention is not only to convince the opposite party that customers should be treated with dignity and hospitality, but also to provide justice to the customer."