6 days ago
Hyderabad Consumer Commission Orders School to Refund Admission Fee
A father paid a school Rs 21,000 to admit his daughter.
He paid the money on February 9, 2019.
Five days later, he asked to cancel because his family’s move to Secunderabad was postponed.
The school said its fees could not be refunded, transferred or adjusted.
The father complained to a consumer commission.
The commission said the school had not yet started teaching the child.
It ruled that calling the fee “non-refundable” did not automatically allow the school to keep it.
The school was ordered to return the fee and pay additional money.
The total amount the school must pay is Rs 36,000.
The Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered a school to pay Rs 36,000 to a father.
The father paid Rs 21,000 for his daughter’s admission on February 9, 2019, after receiving a fee discount.
He sought cancellation and a refund on February 14 after his planned move to Secunderabad was postponed.
The commission ruled that retaining the fee before classes began and without providing educational services was an unfair trade practice.
The award included Rs 21,000 as a refund, Rs 10,000 for mental agony and physical trauma, and Rs 5,000 in litigation costs.
- Who
- A father, his daughter’s school, and the Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
- What
- The commission ordered the school to pay Rs 36,000 after refusing to refund a Rs 21,000 admission fee.
- Where
- The dispute concerned a school in Secunderabad and was decided by the Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
- When
- The fee was paid on February 9, 2019; cancellation was requested on February 14, and the order was issued on August 19.
- Why
- The commission found that the fee was retained before the academic year began and before the school provided educational services.
Consumer Commission’s View
School’s Stated Policy
Whether the fee should be refunded
Consumer Commission’s View
The commission said a school cannot retain an admission fee when cancellation occurs before the academic year and before educational services are provided.
School’s Stated Policy
The school allegedly told the father that fees once paid were non-refundable, non-transferable and non-adjustable.
Effect of early cancellation
Consumer Commission’s View
The commission said the school had ample time to fill the vacant seat and described retaining advance payments as an unfair trade practice.
School’s Stated Policy
The school did not file a written version before the commission, so its detailed position was not presented in the case record described.
Key facts
- Refund ordered
- Rs 21,000
- Compensation
- Rs 10,000 for mental agony and physical trauma
- Litigation costs
- Rs 5,000
- Total award
- Rs 36,000
- Fee payment date
- February 9, 2019
- Cancellation request
- February 14, 2019
- Payment deadline
- Within 45 days
Quotes
Hyderabad District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission
Consumer disputes commission hearing the father’s complaint
“Such institutes have become commercial shops, and there cannot be any worse form of unscrupulous and unfair trade practice in the field of education.”
indianexpress.com
“If there is no rendering of service, the question of payment of fee would not arise.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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