Builders Deficient in Services: Fight Your Own Case Without Hiring a Lawyer in Consumer Court..!

If your real estate builder / or developer / or promoter is deficient in services such as construction de- fects, maintenance or / misuse of common areas, you can take the matter to a consumer court and fight your own case without hiring a lawyer.

Construction Defects..!

The final design of the home could be different from what you were promised initially. If you do not get the same design or / outlay as mentioned in the advertisement or / shown in the sample flat - apartment, it is a deficiency in services on the developer's / promoter's part.

Price Escalation..!

An alteration clause in your builder /  or developer / or promoter agreement allows your developer to take a unilateral decision on price change during the course of the construction. But this may not suit you.

Misuse of common areas..!

The developer cannot sell the open spaces within the premise for setting shops and offices. Selling of common spaces of the complex may take away the extra space that you have paid for.

Delay in Compensation Charges..!

Al- though the property possession cases are taken up by civil courts, you can approach the consumer court if the developer / builder / promoter fails to pay you the compensation charges for delay in such cases.

Timeline for complaints..!

Though consumer courts hear such cases, you need to be quick in reacting against the short coming on the developer's / builder's / promoter's part. This is because once the developer offers you the possession, he /she is liable to take care of the deficiencies within a specified period of time.

For example, in the Ist year after possession, the builder / promoter / developer is liable to take care of damages such as leaks in water pipes or / cracks in the walls.

Also, it is the developer's responsibility to maintain parks, parking spaces, clubs & other such amenities for the first 3 to 5 years. Beyond these time limits, the developer / builder / promoter can not be held responsible for any deficiency.

3 Tier System of Redressal Mechanism..!

Redressal Consumer Protection Act, 1986, provides a 3 tier system of redressal mechanism.

1. District Forum..!  

Any one can file a complaint in the district forum of the district concerned where the value of goods, services & compensations, if any, is up to Rs. 20 lakh.

2. State Commission..! 

Any one can also approach the state commission for cases involving sums of money between Rs. 20 lakh and Rs. 1 crore.

3. National Commission..!

Any one can also approach the national commission  for cases involving sums of money above Rs. 1 crore.

The hearing in consumer courts is taken on a fast-track basis. You may get the judgement in a single day if all the necessary documents are in place.

If the court finds the developer guilty, it orders a compensation amount that the developer / builder / promoter needs to pay to you.

By Mr. Devesh Chandra Srivastava Src: Mint

Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission

Contact details..!

At present, there are about 630 District Forums and 35 State Commissions with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) at the apex.

Contact:

Upbhokta Nyay Bhawan, 'F' Block, GPO Complex,

INA, New Delhi-110 023

Fax No: 2465 8509, PBX No : 011 - 24608801, 24608802, 24608803, 24608804

Web Site: http://ncdrc.nic.in/

State Commissions - Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu State Consumer

Disputes Redressal Commission

Slum Clearance Board Building, II Floor, (Southern Wing),

212, R.K. Mutt Road, Mylapore, CHENNAI – 600 004

E-mail : scdrc@tn.nic.in and tn-sforum@nic.in

Hon’ble Mr. Justice R. Raghupathi, President

Ph: 044 -  2495 - 1718, 044 - 2464 0687, 044 - 2621 2575

Mr. A. K. Annamalai, Member Ph : 044 - 2464 0687

           

Mr. J. Jayaram, Member 044 - 2464 0687

           

Mrs. Vasugi Ramanan Member  044 - 2464 0687, 2435 9241

Mr. S. Sambandam, Member 044 - 2464 0687, 044 - 2854 3848

Mr. R. Sankaramoorthy, Registrar, Tel-Fax: 044- 2461 8900

District Forums - Tamilnadu..!

Chengleput District Forum, Sub-Collector Office Compound,

 G.S.T. Road, Melamaiyur Village

Chengalpattu, Ph: 04114-27428832

Chennai North -  District Forum

212,  R. K. Mutt Road, First Floor, Mylapore

Chennai - 600 004 Ph: 044 - 2495 2458

Chennai South - District Forum

212, R. K. Mutt Road Iiird Floor

Mylapore, Chennai 600 004, Ph: 044 - 2493 8697

           

Coimbatore - District Forum

Collectorate Campus, Coimbatore 641018

PH: 0422 - 2300152

Cuddalore, District Forum

102, Pudupalayam Main Road

Cuddalore  - 607 002 Ph: 04142-295926

Dindigul District Forum, D. No. 62, 1, Anna Nagar

Dindigul 624 001 Ph: 0451 - 2433055

Erode District Forum, Erode Commercial Complex

Surampatty Naal Road, Erode - 638 009

Ph: 0424 - 2250022

         

Karur District Forum, Municipal Building

Azad Road, Karur - 639 002 PH : 04324 - 260193

Krishnagiri District Forum

62 / 46, M.V.K. Mansion, West Link Connection

Krishnagiri 635 001 Ph: 0434 - 3230499

Madurai District Forum, District Court Campus

Madurai - 625 001 Ph: 0452 - 2533304

Nagapattinam District Forum, 543, Public Office Road

Vellipalayam, Nagapattinam - 611001 Ph: 04365 - 247668

           

Nagercoil District Forum

55, Old No. 36 /1, First Floor, President Sivathanu Road

South Of S.L.B. Higher Secondary School

Nagercoil - 629 001 Ph: 04652 - 229683

Namakkal District Forum, 3/152 - D, Jeeva Complex

Triciiy Main Road, Namakkal - 637 001Ph: 04286 - 224716

     

Perambalur District Forum, Lakshmi Illam

345, Rover Nagar, First Floor, Ellambalur Road, Perambalur - 621 212    

Ph: 04328 - 276700

Pudukkottai District Forum, District Court Campus

(Combined With Thanjavur - Df), Pudukkottai - 622 301

           

Ramanathapuram District Forum, Collectorate Complex

(Meeting Hall), (Combined With Sivagangai-Df), Ramanathapuram - 623 501

           

Salem District Forum, District Court Campus

Yercaud Main Road, Hasthampatty, Salem - 636 002 Ph: 0427 - 2213279

Sivagangai District Forum

10 / 25, Thirupathur Road, Sivagangai - 630 561, Ph: 04575 - 241591

Thanjavur - District Forum, Elango Commercial Complex

Court Road, Needhi Nagar, Thanjavur - 613 002, Ph: 04362 - 272507

The Nilgiris District Forum, N.C.M.S. Complex,

Udhagamandalam - 643 001Ph: 0423 - 2451500

Theni District Forum,  First Floor, Combined Court Building

Lakshipuram, Periakulam Road, Theni - 625 523 Ph: 04546 - 269801

Thoothukudi District Forum, 2 / 263, 10th Street

Valli Illam, P & T Colony, (Combined With Tirunelveli-Df)

Thoothukudi -  628 008

           

Tiruchirapalli District Forum, 63 A, St. Marry's Complex,

First Floor, Bharathidasan Salai, Tiruchirapalli - 620 001, Ph: 0431 - 2461481

Tirunelveli District Forum, 4 / 993

2nd Street, Shanthi Nagar, Bel Amrose Colony,

Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli - 627 002, Ph: 0462 - 2572134

Tiruvallur District Forum

1 - D, C. V. Naidu Salai, 1st Cross Street

Tiruvallur - 602 001, Ph: 04116 - 2766 4823

Tiruvannamalai District Forum, 58 / D, Adi Dravidar Welfare Office

Ground Floor, Tindivanam Road, (Combined With Vellore - Df),

Thiruvannamalai - 606 601

Tiruvarur District Forum, 52, Kumara Koil Street

Tiruvarur - 610 001 Ph: 04366 - 224353

Vellore District Forum, District Court Campus

Sathuvachari, Vellore -  632 009 Ph: 0416 - 2254780

Villupuram District Forum, Old R.T.O. Office

Chennai Trunk Road, (Combined To Cuddalore - Df), Villupuram

           

Virudhunagar District Forum, Court Hall No. 5

Virudhnagar Distt.Court Complex Virudhnagar District

Srivilliputhur - 626125 Ph: 04563 - 260380

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