news details |
|
|
| Major consumer brands on looting spree | | Sorry state of Consumers Affairs | | Charging exorbitantly for cheap spare parts
Akshay Azad
Jammu, Aug 6: In blatant violation of Consumer Protection Act 1987, the service centers of almost all popular electronic companies across Jammu and Kashmir are brazenly looting the consumers by charging exorbitant rates for repairs of consumer electronics like televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens etc. These service centers have been found charging five to six times more than the actual price of various spare parts and even they are replacing the spare parts, which san any Maximum Retail Price (MRP) tag.
A customer Rameshwar Singh of Trikuta Nagar informed Early Times that some days back his LCD went out of order following which he approached the service center for repairs. "He took Rs. 1000 as service charges besides demanded Rs. 1800 for replacing a spare part, but when I asked him for showing spare part, there was no MRP tag on it. Most shockingly, after few days again a technical snag developed in same LCD and when I approached same service center, I got shocked over their demand of Rs. 21000 for some repairs", he rued.
He further added that even when I asked them for showing spare part, again there was no MRP over it. "The service provider even disrespected me and asked to pay Rs. 21000 in advance if I wanted to repair the LCD", Singh regretted. Another customer, Sureshta Devi of Julaka Mohallah while narrating the open loot at the hands of a popular Refrigerator service provider said that they demanded Rs. 16,000 for a spare part.
"Firstly they asked to pay Rs. 16,000 and take the refrigerator only after 15 days. It was only after repeated requests and on the spot payment of Rs. 16,000 that they repaired the refrigerator", she castigated. Recalling her past experience, she further says that some months back her Microwave oven went out of order and the service provider demanded Rs. 1800.
"For what purpose they demanded such huge amount, I don't know and when I asked them for spare part's MRP detail, the arrogant service provider refused to divulge details and disrespectfully asked to leave", she said. Lamenting the open loot of common citizens at the hands of electronic companies service providers, she said that electronic items were cheaper but their repairs were very costly.
Deputy Controller, Legal Metrology department Manoj Parbakar said that it was total violation of Consumer Protection Act 1987 by the electronic companies' service providers. "It is the right of each consumer to know about cost of each product while it is the responsibility of companies to mention MRP", he said, and assured that they would take action. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
