Water purifier dealer, manufacturer directed to pay Rs 1 lakh to two customers

NAMAKKAL: The Namakkal District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) on Tuesday ordered a water purifier dealer and the manufacturer of the product to pay a total of Rs 1 lakh compensation to two customers for providing faulty products.

P Chandrasekaran of Belukurichi and K Sengottaiyan of R Goundampalayam bought water purifiers from Aqua Care RO System in Namakkal town in August 2022. The dealer claimed that the purifiers had a capacity of six litre, with each customer paying Rs 20,000 for their unit. However, upon installation, it was discovered that the actual capacity was only four litres. Despite multiple complaints to both the seller and the manufacturer, no replacement for the promised six-litre unit was provided.

Feeling aggrieved, Prema and Sengottaiyan filed separate complaints with the NCDRC against the dealer in April 2024. The case was heard by Namakkal district consumer judge V Ramaraj, along with members R Ramola and N Lakshmanan.

The judge noted that the plaintiffs had successfully demonstrated through evidence that they had paid for six-litre water purifiers but received only four litre models.

The judge pointed out that the seller had failed to provide a receipt as required by the Consumer Protection Act, labelling the sale of a non-existent product as an unfair business practice.

"The judge ordered the seller to compensate each plaintiff with Rs 30,000. The manufacturer should pay Rs 20,000 each, totalling Rs 1 lakh," said an NCDRC official.