'False promises' cost 'gym' Rs 1.4L

A slimming centre here has been directed by a consumer forum to pay Rs 1.4 lakh to a woman for making "false promises" to her that its weight-loss treatment was 100 per cent effective, failing which her entire money would be refunded.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum observed slimming centre Health Sanctuary and its agent had "failed to honour their promises."

"We are willing to hold that the opposite parties (Health Sanctuary and its agent) had made false representations to the complainant (Mrs Bhatia) about effectiveness of the treatment (for weight-loss) available at its centre. They had further made false representations that if results were not up to the mark, she would be refunded the entire amount paid by her.

"They, however, failed to honour their promises. We, hold them deficient in providing services to complainant. We direct them to jointly and severely pay her Rs 1.10 lakh along with Rs 25,000 as compensation for pain and agony suffered by her and Rs 5,000 as the cost of litigation," the bench presided by Rakesh Kapoor said.

In her complaint, Delhi resident Mrs Bhatia had claimed she was lured by the slimming centre's advertisement which promised reduction in weight and refund of entire amount paid in case the result is not achieved.

She said lured by their advertisements as well as their personal promise to her, she paid a total of Rs 1.1 lakh for enrolling in three different weight loss programmes.

While the first two treatments had failed to benefit her, she had chosen not to undergo the third one as it was a surgical procedure fraught with risks contrary to what she was told, she had said adding the slimming centre refused to refund the amount paid by her.

The slimming centre and its agent chose not to contest the complaint against them.

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