Consumer forum tells developer to repair seepage in flat

Panaji: The North Goa District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission ordered a property developer to repair water seepage in the flat of a Bardez resident within three months and pay him Rs 25,000 towards loss due to the leakage.

In 2018, Vikram Vaigankar bought a flat on the first floor of the building ‘The Misty Greens’ in Socorro for Rs 38 lakh, developed by Universal Developers. In June 2020, Vaigankar said a portion of the false ceiling of the roof slab in the hall, as well as that in the bedroom, collapsed. The builder repaired the slab, but the waterproofing was defective, leading to leakages.

In June 2021, Vaigankar said water started leaking directly through the slab, causing damage to the interiors of the flat and furniture. The condition worsened during the monsoon.

Vaigankar said the repaired cracks reappeared, reflecting poor quality of workmanship and construction. He said he requested the developer to resolve the issue.

The developer argued that if Vaigankar was facing so many problems due to the leakage, he should not have continued to stay in the flat.

The commission, presided over by President Bela Naik, observed that it is the builder’s responsibility to repair structural cracks.