Mumbai: The district consumer disputes redressal commission has directed a Lower Parel banquet hall to pay Rs 37,557 in refund and compensation to a woman who complained that malfunctioning ACs during a birthday party in 2024 led to the guests leaving without having food, causing her embarrassment and inconvenience.The commission found that the banquet hall showed deficiency in service by failing to provide essential amenities during the event, for which the family spent Rs 3.6 lakh. “…when a consumer books a banquet hall for a family function, air-conditioning is an essential component of the composite service package. Even though charges for air-conditioning were not levied separately, the total consideration was a composite amount for all services, including air-conditioning,” it said. As air-conditioning fees were not itemised separately in the invoice, it applied a reasonable estimation of “10% of the total consideration” to calculate the refund. The hall management has been given 45 days to comply with the directive. Ghatkopar resident Aarti Jain booked the hall managed by Datamatics Food & Beverages Pvt Ltd for a relative’s birthday in July 2024. She said the air-conditioning system broke down during the function, causing discomfort and suffocation to guests. While the management provided temporary fans, she alleged the measures were insufficient and caused significant embarrassment as the guests left early. It was argued that the management was aware of the technical malfunctions days prior to the event but failed to rectify them. The proceedings were held ex parte as the banquet hall management failed to appear despite being served a notice. The commission observed that while food services were satisfactory, the ACs malfunctioning constituted a breach of the composite service package. “The conduct of the opposite party post-event, coupled with absence during proceedings, supports the allegation that the air-conditioning system was not functioning adequately. Email correspondence indicates that the opposite party wanted to settle this issue... However, at the end, no concrete steps were found to be taken to resolve the issue,” it said, while noting the mental distress caused.
