[Resolved]  Country Club India — Misrepresentation and fraudulent promises

Address:	New Delhi, Delhi
Website:	www.countryclubindia.net

To,

Ms. Ruchira suchdeva


I wish to draw your attention to the contumacious daylight fraud committed on me and my spouse by mr. Manoj (Manager) of country club resorts at their office located at ansal plaza, new delhi. We were called to the office of country club at ansal plaza, delhi, 15th may, 2016 on the pretext that we had won a country club vacation voucher and salon voucher worth rs. 10, 000/-. When we reached the office on 15th may 2016 (Sunday) at ansal plaza building at around 1:30 pm, mr saksham met us and started giving us the details of the offer to join country club as a member and avail their schemes. He, under the supervision of mr. Manoj, who claimed to be managing the branch, we were told of all the schemes that a member can procure and other details.

Though the offers and schemes were very attractive, we were reluctant to take the membership as we could not afford the same. Mr. Manoj then suggested that we made only part payment today and take the membership for 10 years period, without compromising on any of the offers, dicounts or facilities. This, he suggested, was an offer only available for 15th may, 2016. We told them that we want to take a half an hour break and think about the scheme with an open mind, but mr. Manoj insisted that we could not leave the table as all these proceedings were being recorded and were aired for their hyderabad office. They said we could take as must time as possible, but we could not leave the table as this was the company’s policy. We did, in fact, spend a of time understanding the terms of the contract, asking them questions about the facilities, seeking clarifications. They orally explained all the discounts and offers and assured us that we can avail of company club vacation straight away in june this year.
To suit our affordability, mr. Manoj and mr. Saksham offered us a series of discounts one after the other and assured us that we needed to pay only a part of the total payment. Rest of the amounts, they claimed could be paid, by way of 18 monthly installments and without any interest. When we enquired about the written documents, they showed us two contracts signed by an ex-army officer and an advocate, to prove their credibility. They also said that this year country club is celebrating its 25th anniversary and that is why these discounts are given to a few people selected through random lucky draw. But all through they made these offers only orally and backed it by saying that the written policies and rules would be shared after we take a decision.

Once we decided to take the membership on the discounted price offered by them, they asked us to pay a part of the total amount (Rs.55, 000/) which we had to pay by way of debit card (50, 000/) and cash (5000/-) to country club. Before we could even read the contract, understand it and sign it, mr. Manoj swiped the card on the payment machine. We were very uncomfortable with this and were reluctant to give the pin number but he assured us that this had to be done because the discount can be availed by payment from visa card only. He said all the documents will be provided to us, mentioning all the discounts and scheme. After the payment was deducted from our account, we were then given the contract papers. As we started reading the papers we realized that this was a very superficial document which did not mention any of the tie-ups that mr. Manoj and saksham had talked about. It did not even mention any facilities, discounts, offers, options for family vacations, gifts, wedding bookings and various other things that mr. Manoj had mentioned. We were instantly agitated and we told mr. Saksham that the document does not mention any of the things that they had orally promised. But he told us that this is a standard format and nothing more. Since we were not satisfied with this reply, saksham called mr. Manoj to reassure us. Mr. Manoj also said that this was a standard document and the other details and terms will be emailed to us on my email id by tomorrow (We have not received any such email from country club till now).

As we started reading the contract closely, we became more and more suspicious. At this juncture, we were given the assurance by mr. Saksham that, despite the expression “non-refundable” in the contract, the payment was refundable since we had only made a part payment. He told us that we could refund the amount “through some process” till the time we do not use any of the services. Mr. Manoj then asked us to give a post-dated cheque of the remaining amount which we refused. He told us that even if we do not want to give the cheque, it is okay, but when we get the conformation call from hyderabad, we should say that we gave the cheque of the remaining amount. We were not happy with this suggestion at all. Saksham sensed our irritation and told us that this was only a formality since some internal country club contest is going on and this would have increased the ranking of their office as well as their own scores! This was extremely unprofessional and we told the same to saksham. When we got the call, the lady on the other side asked some questions, but i stood my ground and did not say that we have given the cheque of the remaining amount (For this the call records may be verified).

Mr. Manoj had assured us that the rest of the amount (60, 000/-) was to be paid without any interest, while we could start using all the services forthwith. Since he had claimed that we could immediately book our vacation using the country club app, we wanted to do this immediately and asked mr. Saksham to download the app and help us in the booking. I even gave him my phone but he said that the app could not be downloaded for some technical reason. We started feeling that all their confidence about the promises they were making was now coming down. We were to receive a gift voucher of rs. 10, 000 but mr saksham said that they will deliver that to us in the kit since they only are left with expired vouchers. Once the payment was made, we were told that the fitness centre in rajouri garden could only be used on making a payment. We were shocked because all this while he had claimed that all the facilities of 25 years membership would remain the same for the 10 year membership, which included the use of fitness centres services without any payment whatsoever. We were very distressed with this immediate reversion of promise and talked at length to both manoj and saksham that they should assure this, as promised.
We were then given a receipt for only rs. 50, 000/-. When we asked the receipt of the remaining amount, mr. Manoj said that he had forgotten to hand over the money to the accountant! We were astonished but the exhaustion of almost three hours of this transaction did not make us react at that point.

We started realizing, while still in their office, that both the agents of country club had been only doing big talk with us but we were trapped since we had made the payment. We were very tense but we continued to believe that country club is a big brand and such frauds cannot take place in this company. With this assurance, but a lot of anxiety, we left for home.
This morning when we downloaded the app and tried to figure out about the possibility of making the bookings using the id and password they had given us. When we tried the same, the paid amount displayed on their website and it said that we cannot make any booking until we pay the remaining amount. This came as a big shock to us. We immediately called mr. Manoj. He retracted his earlier claim and said that since the “membership was not approved”, no bookings could be made! He again attempted to give us verbal assurance that all that was discussed and shown in the presentation will be provided. He also attempted to falsely suggest that he can provide discount on the same. This was of no use now since we could see through his tactics and fraudulent manipulations.

All day long, we have made multiple telephone calls to mr. Manoj and mr. Sakham who have asked us to write a complaint to the customer care. Mr manoj then asked me to contact you regarding the same. I also talked to mr saksham and he gave us the telephone number of some mr. Shashitosh jha who saksham claims is the head. Mr. Shashitosh’s number is not reachable and despite multiple calls to the two agents who interacted with us yesterday, we have not been given one single sign that the claims made by them were not false.
We are deeply distressed with this entire experience and have been harassed into taking the membership. Yesterday we were given the assurance that, despite the expression “non-refundable” in the contract, the payment was refundable since we had only made a part payment and till the time we do not use any services.

Given the harrowing experience and the breach of the very first promise that was made to us (Immediate country club bookings in the month of june), we do not wish to have any association with country club. We have yet not received any email with the details of the offer or the discounts. We have had multiple telephonic conversations with mr. Manoj and saksham who refuse to email us the documents mentioning the schemes and offers that they verbally promised us.

There are gross discrepancies on what was assured and represented and what appears to the real scope of the membership. We are deeply disturbed and traumatized due to the outrageous false promises made during the presentation yesterday. The cheating and fraud became too apparent to us this morning when we attempted to make the bookings today.

We request you to refund the entire amount that was paid by us yesterday at the earliest. We do not want this membership and urgently require the refund of our entire money since we have not availed any of the services of country club. We were pushed to making this payment even before we signed the contract and this coercion has vitiated our consent from the very beginning (The company has cctv cameras which they can look into to verify this). This experience has caused extreme mental harassment to me and my husband and we hope that now there will be no further delay in refunding our money.

We request you to kindly refund the amount and take appropriate action against the agents.

In anticipation of prompt response.

Latika vashist
Membership number: ccdl64v10lb24525
Spouse name: mr. Amit bindal