Builder told to pay flat buyer over Rs 16 lakh

The Mumbai district consumer forum has directed a city- based builder to return Rs 9.22 lakh to a Goregaon-based man,who paid the sum as advance, along with Rs 6.8 lakh compensation. Darshan Thakkar had booked a flat worth Rs 19 lakh in 2008,and never received possession of the flat.

According to the complainant,a 450-sq ft apartment was booked in builder Jagat Parikh’s proposed building in Goregaon. Thakkar claims that in 2008,he made an initial payment of Rs. 9.22 lakh,as agreed upon under the contract signed by them. However,on completion of project,the possession was not handed over to Thakkar and the the property was sold to a third party,Thakkar said.

Parikh allegedly gave Thakkar cheques for the money he had paid,but the cheques were dishonoured. Eventually,Thakkar approached the consumer forum in 2011.

The forum presided by member Jyoti Iyer and J L Deshpande observed that Thakkar suffered due to the builder’s decision to hand over the flat to a third party. The forum directed Parikh to pay Rs. 9.22 lakh to Thakkar along with an additional 18 per cent interest on the amount since 2008. An additional Rs 15,000 will also be paid to Thakkar for the legal expenses incurred by him.