[Resolved]  Club Mahindra Holidays — Termination of membership

Hello all please read my story as well and ready to join with you .

I have taken a Club Mahindra membership in my wife Pooja Badhani's name (Membership Id: 1425441) in Dec 2008. I applied for membership cancellation due to bad services, misrepresented and hiding behavior. But now I am feeling cheated by club Mahindra.

While selling this membership, the club Mahindra executive’s misrepresented the facts and hides some facts to sell the membership. One day they called us and told (me and my wife) that we won a lucky draw and you need to attend 30 minutes session and we will provide you a movie ticket and 3 day free holiday stay at Mahindra resorts. But the fact is that:
1- They never conducted any lucky draw. They used to call all the persons who fill up their coupons in the mall and any supper market.

2- They misrepresented us that the offer was available for only that day and we had to choose at that particular time.

3- They told us about ASF, but never told that this charge will be increased every year.

4- They told us that only some families have been chosen by their centre for availing this offer (Centre is situated at Palm Beach Galleria Mall in Navi Mumbai), which is again a lie.

5- They never told us that 60 percent of the cost of the membership is towards the admission fee is not refundable and how the admission fee will be calculated. This is clear case misrepresentation and hiding of facts.

I want to tell you some facts about my membership. I have taken white studio. I have paid full amount Rs. 259015/- (Rs. 38851 in cash and rest of in monthly installment for one year) and a one year ASF. I have never availed any facility due (even given free holiday vouchers) from club Mahindra except one gift (26” Sony LCD TV) even that is after long struggle and follow up.

I have complains about getting reservations/bookings during last 3 occasions were quite an exercise for me and failed to do that. Their treatment with the 'privileged' members (since the members pay in advance) seeking reservations/bookings are quite painstaking. Based on my experiences with the reservation/booking process and the huge shortcomings and deficiencies in the services they offer, I have opted to get out of the membership. In short I have following allegations to make to substantiate my move:

1- The number of rooms available with them for the members is far less than required for the number of members they have enrolled.

2- This results in long waiting time for the members, who have paid in advance. They sometimes insist on the members to plan their Holidays 4-6 months (ridiculous!!) in advance in order to secure booking in resorts. This clearly shows they are short on rooms.

3- A member, who has paid in advance is trapped and is bound to wait at the mercy of CM, though it takes away all the air out of their holidaying mood and available time slot. Moreover, they allocate more and more rooms in any resort for non-members (this is strange!!), which is a fresh source of revenue for them. In a resort at any point of time, when there is 'No-room' for a member, there would be rooms available for non-members. As far as I understand the priority should be given to ones who have paid in advance, irrespective of member or non-member. Its a clear example of taking members for granted, taking them for a ride, cheating them, fleecing them, exploiting them, just because they have paid in advance and they are trapped.
After getting all this pain I tried to surf in the net if this is happening with me or to know more about club Mahindra, I found lot of people have same issues with club Mahindra.

Based on the above shortcomings/deficiencies and several more I have asked for the withdrawal of my membership with refund of the money.

And in www.consumercourtforum.in I got one email address of Miss. Indira indu.[protected]@mahindraholidays.com, she used to reply most of complaints in consumercourtforum and then I decide to send email to her and their ever green email id [protected]@clubmahindra.com . But till now I didn’t get any reply from her (3Months). But same time I got a call from Mr. Ajit Totre and he tried polishing as usual club Mahindra do but I stick out on my decision to cancel my membership and he send the final settlement of cancellation which is like this:-
Dear Mrs. Badhani,
This is in connection with your request for cancellation of your Club Mahindra membership. Terms and condition for the cancellation of your club Mahindra membership had been sent to you along with your membership kit.Below are the deductions for cancellation of your membership

Membership Cost In Rupees 259009
Amount Paid Till Date In Rupees 259015
Deductions In Rs
60% Non Refundable Admission Fees 155405.4
Cost Of RCI enrollment 9400
Cost Of Holiday Utilized 0
ASF Due 8994 !year from Aug 2010!
Pro Rata Entitlement fees 8289
Cost Of Gift Dispatched 20500 !26” LCD TV!
Total Deductions In Rupees 202588.4
Refund Amount 56426.6
In view of the large amount of money you would stand to loose, we request you to reconsider your decision and start planning a holiday with us.

On our part we would be delighted if we you reconsidered your decision. We shall be happy to welcome you back to the Club.

Warm Regards,
Ajit Totre | Member Retentions | Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd | Feedback : [protected]@clubmahindra.com | Reservations : [protected]@clubmahindra.com | Call : 39880000* |

In spite of huge losses I opted to get ride of this Cheater Company (in my words) and I replied:
Hi Ajit,

Please go ahead and do the necessary arrangement to reimburse my
Refund Amount Rs 56426.60 and formality required for cancellation.

Please mention the time line for refund so I need not to running (spelling mistake) behind Club Mahindra as usual. ---his reply
Dear Mr. Krishna,

Greetings from Club Mahindra!!

As per the request for cancellation and reund it will take a time of 30 to 45 days.

Warm Regards,
Ajit Totre | Member Retentions | Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Ltd | Feedback : [protected]@clubmahindra.com | Reservations :

After this so far there is no communication (3Months) and now I have decided to sue them in the court of law/Consumer court. I have given enough opportunities to them to mend themselves and compensate for the kind of harassment I have had, surprisingly they accept their mistakes but are not ready to budge. Please guide me for lodging a case against them. I am a resident of Navi Mumbai.
I want a compensation for the kind of harassment I have had in last 2 years apart from the money that I have already paid for their shoddy services.

The way the club Mahindra gets its client is highly objectionable. As per the contract act also, if an agreement is done by misrepresentation, it is voidable at the option of the party who has been misrepresented.
The agreement entered into by me and club Mahindra is the outcome of misrepresentation of facts and fraudulent activity (referring lucky draw, whereas there is no lucky draw etc.) of their marketing personnel. Thus it is not valid in law itself.
Please help me to get out of this agreement and getting my money back from club Mahindra


Radha Krishna Bijalwan

[protected]@yahoo.com