Hyderabad: A Hyderabad-based family was awarded Rs 1 lakh after their trip to the United Kingdom was cancelled due to visa rejection after a slip-up by a travel agency in November 2023.
The Rangareddy Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission held My Travel Buddy Services responsible for the fiasco. The visa consultancy firm was held liable for negligence in handling the visa process after it failed to submit the necessary documents.
The firm was ordered to refund Rs 83,000 along with compensation and interest to the family. The complainant, Sangeeth Saurabh of Maheshwaram, had enrolled his family of five in a one-year visa services membership offered by My Travel Buddy Services.
Initially Saurabh paid Rs 22,500 towards the membership and later another Rs60,985 for processing UK visitor visa applications for the family.
He alleged that the consultancy failed to submit the required documents in accordance to the visa application process.
Following the visa rejection, the complainant tried to contact the consultancy several times through phone calls and emails seeking clarification and support.
However, the consultancy allegedly failed to provide a satisfactory response. Feeling cheated, the complainant approached the consumer commission seeking relief.
Consultancy absent during hearing
Despite receiving notices from the commission, representatives of My Travel Buddy Services did not appear before the forum during the proceedings.
The commission then conducted an inquiry into the matter. After examining the evidence, the commission concluded that the firm was guilty of deficiency in service.
The consumer commission asked the consultancy to refund the entire amount of Rs 83,485 collected from the complainants.
It also ordered payment of interest at the rate of 9 per cent per annum from November 16, 2023, until the date of repayment.
In addition, the commission awarded Rs 10,000 as compensation for the mental agony suffered by the family and another Rs10,000 towards litigation expenses.
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