[Resolved]  Lodha Group — Unethical dealings and cheating

Address:

Mumbai Suburban, Maharashtra

If you ever think of buying a property in India, never ever consider any offer from Lodha Group. If you ever get into the trap laid down by Lodha group, you will regret through out your life. From day one of dealings with them you will lose peace of mind and remain under tremendous pressure.

My son fell into their trap and the sweet talk of the Sales representative. Before launching a new project, the first thing that they do is to print attractive brochure, build a posh office, employ some attractive girls and employ some of their Sales persons who are experts in trapping the customers with sweet talks. Like several victims, my son also fell into their well laid down trap and booked a flat in their so called upcoming project named "CODE NAME DAWN" in Ghodbunder Road, Thane. The Sales representative convinced my son to pay the booking amount of Rs.54,000/-. In order to make him pay this amount, the Sales representative made false claims about Lodha group, told that the flats in the proposed property were being sold like hot cake and the rates would shoot up in the next few days. He was made to sign an application form without letting to read the contents. He was told that a copy of the application form would be mailed to his e-mail id the next day as their photocopying machine was out of order. When copy of the application form was not mailed the next day it struck to me to verify details about Lodha Group and their dealings with innocent customers.

When inter-net search was done, I found that there were many similar innocent victims of the unfair dealing of Lodha group. After several follow up attempts by e-mail and phone calls, my son received a scanned illegible copy of the application form by e-mail. When I went through the contents of the form, it was found that all clauses in the form were defective and against the principal of fair play and equity. They refused to show me the land ownership document and draft sale agreement and insisted that the payment of 20% of the flat cost will have to be made before 42 days of booking and only after investing this amount, they would provide me an opportunity to look of the draft sale agreement. They also insisted that my son should pay the 1st installment of 10% payment of the cost along with cash payment of Rs. 3,60,000 towards car parking within 21 days and that no receipt would be issued for this amount. They told that as per Supreme Court order, they are not allowed to accept cheque payment towards car parking charges. They said that for any delay in adhering to their stipulated payment schedule, interest @ 18% compounded on daily basis would be charged.

On realizing that Lodha group is involved in unfair dealings, my son requested them to cancel the booking and refund the booking amount of Rs.54,000/-. They simply refused to refund the amount. This is a large sum for my son who never expected that the entire amount would be withheld particularly when they failed to fulfil their commitments to show even the land ownership document that is a prerequisite to commencement of any building project.