Pune Consumer Court Orders Koregaon Park Hotel To Refund ₹1 Lakh Advance With Interest, Awards ₹25,000 Compensation
Pune Consumer Court Orders Koregaon Park Hotel To Refund ₹1 Lakh Advance With Interest, Awards ₹25,000 Compensation
Renuka Suryavanshi
Pune, July 3, 2026: In a significant ruling protecting consumer rights, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed O’ Hotel in Koregaon Park, Pune, to refund an advance payment of ₹1 lakh along with 6% annual interest after it refused to return the amount following the cancellation of a wedding booking. The commission also awarded ₹25,000 as compensation for the mental harassment caused to the customer.
The complaint was filed by Advocate Sangeeta Maheshwari (Bub), who had booked the hotel for her daughter’s wedding and paid an advance of ₹1 lakh after being satisfied with the venue and its facilities. Although the hotel informed her that a formal agreement would be executed for the event, no written contract was ever signed, nor were any terms and conditions acknowledged by the customer.
Subsequently, dissatisfied with the hotel’s conduct and communication, Maheshwari decided to cancel the booking to avoid any last-minute inconvenience during the wedding celebrations. She requested a refund of the advance amount, but the hotel refused, citing its internal cancellation policy despite the absence of a signed agreement.
After repeated requests failed, she approached the Consumer Commission.
Following nearly three years of legal proceedings, the Commission ruled that withholding the customer’s money without a signed agreement or clearly accepted terms and conditions amounted to unfair trade practice and deficiency in service. It ordered the hotel to refund the entire advance amount with 6% annual interest and pay ₹25,000 as compensation for the mental agony caused to the complainant. The order has since been implemented, and the complainant has received the refund.
The ruling serves as an important reminder for consumers to insist on written agreements, retain copies of contracts, and preserve payment records while making bookings for major events. It also reinforces the obligation of service providers to maintain transparency and fairness in their dealings with customers.
