Now Reading: Chandigarh panel orders contractor to pay Rs 1.6 lakh
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Chandigarh panel orders contractor to pay Rs 1.6 lakh
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has set aside the dismissal of a complaint against a renovation contractor and directed him to pay Rs 1.6 lakh. Homeowner Vinay Kumar Kapoor had…
The Story in Brief
The State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh, has set aside the dismissal of a complaint against a renovation contractor and directed him to pay Rs 1.6 lakh. Homeowner Vinay Kumar Kapoor had paid Rs 5.2 lakh out of the agreed Rs 6 lakh for work on his Sector 22-C house, but much remained unfinished after the May 31, 2021 deadline.
The commission relied on WhatsApp chats where the contractor admitted the toilet seat was yet to be installed and that one washroom could not be built. Messages also showed pending electrical, carpentry, sanitary and kitchen work. The contractor had even agreed to adjust one month's rent for the delay. The district commission had earlier dismissed the case, noting Kapoor kept making payments, which implied satisfaction. The state commission rejected that logic.
The Indian Opinion
Another consumer wins only after producing WhatsApp chats. The usual narrative is that homeowners must have photos or videos to prove faulty work. But here, the state commission rightly noted that continuing payments does not mean work was complete. Contractors often exploit this assumption. The real test is whether digital evidence like messages will now become standard in such disputes – or will contractors simply stop admitting delays in writing?
Source: hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
