Chandigarh: Consumer panel orders packers and movers to pay Rs 15,000 compensation

Chandigarh: The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Chandigarh has directed New Chandigarh Packers and Movers, Transport Area, Sector 26, to pay a compensation of Rs 15,000 to a Mohali resident for damaging a dining table during transportation. Dr Ambresh Kumar Shivaji, a Mohali resident, in a complaint filed before the commission said that on August 28, 2020, he had availed the services of New Chandigarh Packers and Movers to shift his household goods from Sector 65, Mohali to IISER, Sector 81. The charges for the services were Rs 7,500, which he paid through Jeepay.

However, while he was cleaning and unpacking the goods, he found that the company employees had damaged the dining table and a chair in the process of shifting. Dr Ambresh immediately brought the matter to the notice of the firm and also shared the photographs of the damage with them and sought compensation, but to no avail. Alleging that this act amounted to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on the part of the packers and movers, he lodged the complaint. On the other hand, the firm denied the allegations. The owner of the firm stated that the loading and unloading was done in the presence of the complainant and he was fully satisfied with the services. He denied that the workers had broken the leg of the dining table.

After hearing the arguments, the Commission observed that the packers and movers, being a service provider and charging consideration fee, was duty bound to safely load/unload the household goods entrusted to it and if any damage was caused to the goods during the process, the firm should have paid due compensation to the complainant for the same. However, the packers and movers failed to do so. “This act certainly amounted to deficiency in service and unfair trade practice on the part of the firm and the present consumer complaint deserves to succeed,” the Commission said. In view of this, the packers and movers were directed to pay a one-time compensation of Rs 15,000 to the complainant along with interest at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of filing of the present consumer complaint till the date of actual recovery.