Car rental operator ‘fails’ to provide booked vehicle, man wins Rs 43,000 compensation

A 29-year-old man successfully won Rs 43,000 in compensation after his car rental operator failed to provide the vehicle he had booked for 10 days. The Warangal District Consumer Commission ruled in his favor, holding the rental company responsible for deficiency in service and unfair trade practices. The incident occurred in August 2023, when the man had paid an advance of Rs 30,000 for a car rental from August 3 to August 13, with an additional Rs 2,000 as driver allowance.

Despite taking multiple phone calls to confirm the booking, the operator neither answered the calls nor provided the promised service. The operator did not respond to calls, ignored the complainant, and refused to refund the advance payment. Consequently, the commission ordered the operator to refund Rs 30,000, including interest at 12% per annum, pay Rs 10,000 for mental anguish and financial loss, and cover Rs 3,000 in legal costs.

This ruling emphasizes the liability of car rental operators to deliver agreed-upon services and adhere to fair trade practices when advance payments are accepted.