Country Club/country Vacations Hyderabad — Denying membership cancellation: unethical behaviour

Website:

www.countryclubindia.net

Incident Date: 3rd FEB 2016, 12.00 Noon.
Place: Country vacations, Begumpet, Hyderabad.
My Husband Laxman Reddy received a call from one Mr. Ravi, who informed that we have won a lucky draw & asked to collect the free gift. He asked to come along with family & stated that it is compulsory to attend with family. Post denial from our end he started convincing that it is genuine & they do not take any money or anything for that & asked to come to Lifestyle building in Begumpet. Did not reveal the name of Country Club at all on the call, asked to come near life style building on 3rd FEB at 12.00 Noon & give a call.
On 3rd FEB morning another lady gave a reminder call & said we need to come compulsorily or else our gift will be cancelled. Once we reached Lifestyle building on 3rd FEB at 12.00 Noon. They asked to walk into Country vacations building. In the second floor they told we need to attend one hour presentation only if we attend it we will get our gifts.
We were escorted into a Hall by Manager Shaik Rabbani (who is been working there since 8 years). Later one executive named Madhu attended us & started explaining about the gifts we won. (1 Kitchen set+ 1 day free entry into Country club at any one of the three offered locations only + one gift voucher for 7 nights & 6 days stay within India which is to be availed within 8 months)
Later Madhu stated that he wanted to take a survey about our lifestyle. We agrred & he enquired about our residence, professions, our home town, interests, hobbies. In the end asked about the places we visited & we wish to visit in near future. The survey got completed.
After that Madhu started explaining that they have taken a lucky draw & selected 106 members for a special promotional offer in the event of completion of 25 years of Country Club. He started explaining about the offer which goes like this.
The Offer has 3 parts : Lifetime country club membership+ Lifetime Death/Accidental insurance worth 6 lakhs + 1 plot of 150 SQ yards
Lifetime club membership benefits which Madhu the executive has explained:
1.30 years of Gold CARD membership with 30 weeks of vacation ( 1 vacation per year/ 7 Nights & 6 days).
2. The vacation can be availed by paying Rupees 5000/- & if we do not avail the vacation we need not pay that 5000 rupees.
3. The vacation of one year automatically gets carry forwarded to another year if we do not utilise.
4. The vacation can be gifted to friends, family etc if we do not use them.
5. The lifetime membership is applicable to children as well & can be carry forwarded to next generations.
6. They have a tie up with DAE for international travel & has access to 90 to 100 countries for planning vacations & holidays.
7. If we avail the vacation we will be given 3 star to 5 star accommodation.(travel charges to be borne by us)
8. Free pickup & drop facility from airport/train, free sightseeing as it is included in accommodation package itself. Sight-seeing in Bus, if personal vehicle is given diesel charges to be borne.
9. Free Laundry/Kitchen/Cook/ Childcare.
10. The Country club facilities like GYM/ Swimming pool etc can be utilised free of cost.No charges. The banquet halls can be utilised 6 times in a year free of cost which out paying anything. Decoration & food charges are applicable.20% discount on food will be provided.
11. Free summer camps for the kids above the age of 5 years.
12. Lifetime access to any events organised by Country vacations & Country club like new year event/ Christmas event etc.
Life Insurance (Accidental/Death coverage)
1. The insurance is provided by HDFC Bank which is worth Six Lakh Rupees. (6, 00, 000 Rupees).
2. It is split amongst the Husband & wife.
3. In the 6 lakhs which they mentioned one lakh is the medical insurance in case of any accident. The husband gets a limit of 50000 & wife gets a limit of 50000 towards treatment.
4. The rest 5 lakhs is death coverage again split as 2.5 each between husband and wife
5. I enquired about insurance cards or forms, Rabbani said No insurance cards will be provided. In case of incident we need to contact only Country Club. They will get in touch with HDFC & get the formalities done for us.
150 SQ Yards of Plot:
1. Promised 150 SQ Yards of Plot in any one of the two ventures Near Aler, Warangal Dist/ Sundervanam Ventures near Maal, Nalgonda Dist.
2. In order to register the plot we need to pay an amount of rupees 50000(fifty Thousand) which includes registration charges, Water & Current facility, etc.
3. In the future we can sell the plot to anyone if we do not wish to keep it.
4. They will arrange sightseeing to the venture in a personal vehicle.
5. Rabbani the manager told that CV ventures are very huge in number & from them only 106 have been allotted for the promotional offer & we are the luckiest to receive the offer
An amount of 2, 28, 000/- has been quoted by Rabbani for this promotional offer +50000 registration for the plot.
Then the account Manager pitched in to negotiate the deal for us.
The account manager said on onetime payment a discount will be provided & finally agreed with 1, 65, 000/- +50000 registration charges.
The account manager also stated that he will convert the onetime payment into EMI option. He said he will send credit card company member to our house & get a credit card for us. Once we receive the credit card. He will swipe the credit card & return the amount that we pay. We need to pay in EMI’s to the credit card company.
I enquired about the bonds/documents/ land survey numbers etc. He said upon payment we will receive everything & they will provide all proper documents before leaving.
We paid 1, 00, 000 via debit card & 40000 cash. Gave a cheque for 25000.
They offered a complimentary gift also, 3 gms gold coin + 3000 rupees meal vouchers.
I was supposed to receive a verification call. Once I received the call. Rabbani asked me to hand over the phone call to an executive to complete membership formalities.
Later they hurried us to sign the documents & said whatever is promised is there in the documents. We both signed & later the initial gifts for which we were called there were handed over to us.
I enquired about membership cards/ travel related terms & conditions which they promised etc. They said we will receive everything to our house address including the complimentary gift vouchers.
We went home & to our surprise find all discrepancies. What they stated never matched with what was there in the documents.
What we got:
1. Gymkhana membership instead of gold card membership
2. 3 nights/ 2 days stay in studio apartment instead of 7 nights/ 6 days stay in 3 star or 5 star accommodation.
3. Compulsory payment of AMC charges even if we do not utilise the 1 week vacation per year.
4. No mention about the carry forwards/ transfers which they stated.
5. No mention about any other promises
6. 90 days of time to make plot registration after payment of registration charges.
7. One thing was mentioned that Country club is not responsible for the false promises made by sales executives or staff
All in all which means it’s a planned plot to trap innocents & take money & make filthy promises.
They are doing this since past few years. I spoke with victims who were duped by them 5 years ago & as well as 5 days ago in similar fashion.
There’s nothing like lucky draw or so, everyone is called & trapped. They just made a way to sell their plots.
Now I demand cancellation of my membership & immediate refund of all the money which I paid.