Chandigarh: Fitness centre told to refund money for services not availed by 14-year-old girl

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has directed a Chandigarh-based health centre to refund the cash for companies not availed by a 14-year-old woman. The fee additionally imposed a penalty of ₹8,000.

The woman had filed a criticism towards a health centre, Gagan Fitness Studio. She joined the studio for eating regimen consultancy and administration companies in February 2019 because it was located close to her home.

Her mom paid ₹28,000 for a one-year course. After two months, the woman discontinued the companies attributable to private causes. The health centre, as per the mom, gave it in writing that she can be free to take the companies inside six months.

In August 2019, when the woman needed to re-join, she acquired to know in regards to the relocation of the centre to Phase-7, Mohali. The mom alleged that they didn’t disclose relating to shifting of their centre. “Attempts to get the cash refund went futile because the centre denied it. Hence, we moved the patron discussion board,” the mom stated.

The centre replied that they’re nonetheless working Gagan Fitness Studio from the identical handle in Sector 21-D, Chandigarh, and that the studio opened in Mohali was a further studio to cater to the demand of Mohali residents.

They denied that the mom ever visited the workplace for a refund. “The woman has no proper, curiosity, title or claims towards the OP (health centre) as she had already surrendered her membership with out assigning any causes in April 2019 and the centre had changed her mom, Shalini Gupta in her place,” the centre stated.

They pleaded that there isn’t a deficiency in service on its half and sought dismissal

However, the fee noticed that the centre has not positioned on file any concrete proof to determine its plea that they’re nonetheless working the centre from the identical place.

It has additionally been admitted by the centre that companies for 9 months and 15 days are left to be availed. The fee directed the health centre to refund ₹28,000 (after deducting proportionate quantities for the interval of companies availed) to the woman and to pay ₹5,000 compensation for psychological agony and harassment and ₹3,000 as litigation prices.