[Resolved]  Oyo Rooms — Sub standard, dingy and unhygienic room supplied against booking no. (Qnyj8745)

Address:

gurgaon

On 10th june 2017, i contacted toll free number of oyo rooms at around 10:00 pm, while i was in dharmshala. Because of network issues, i was having problem accessing the internet.

Over phone, i had specifically informed the representative of oyo rooms that i am traveling with my family including my father who is 87 years old.in that perspective, i would need three rooms to accommodate my family consisting of elderly persons and kids.in total there were 6 adults and two kids. Since i was traveling for vacations, i would except clean and hygienic rooms with comfortable beds and clean linen including proper bath and toilet.

The representative of oyo rooms extended the promise that oyo follows a minimum standard expectation policy, where the rooms are of a particular standard, with comfortable beds (Spring mattresses), clean linen and the hotel partner would be of a good quality and location. The assurance was that the family would enjoy the stay and my father would not have any problem with the facilities provided by the partner hotel. While conversation, i was suggested to book premium rooms and to raise by budget. I was informed that the premium room (Inclusive of break fast) would cost me rs. 5621/- per room per night. The total amount for three rooms for two nights was rs. 33726/-. When i requested for discount as the same was getting out of my budget, i was induced by offering a discount of rs. 8769/-. The total amount for three rooms for two nights between 12.06.2017 (Check in) to 14.06.2017 (Check out) for six adults and two kids was informed to be rs. 24957/-.

Since i was in dharmshala and there was internet constraint, i informed that the payment through net banking or debit card may not be possible and i can pay at the partner hotel. To this suggestion the representative again reassured that i need not worry about the quality and the standard of the rooms to be supplied by oyo as before entering into partnership, prior verification and quality check is done. I was also advised to make payment within 12 hours to confirm or the booking would be canceled.

I was sent a text message with booking id qnyj8745 at 10:15 pm informing me that my booking is for oyo rooms 032 gandhi chowk, hotel royal regency 032, baloon cantt. Road, dalhousie. The details of charges were also set out in the said attachment.in that attachment the terms did not show that the booking would be non refundable.

Induced by the representations i made payment of rs. 24957/- at around 10:30 pm. The booking made by me was confirmed by a text message.

On 12.06.2017, when i reached the partner hotel of oyo, named hotel royal regency, i was completely taken aback that the hotel was under construction and renovation and had no reception. The staircase was broken and had no railing which would facilitate my elderly parents and my kids to take the stairs. One person introducing himself as lovely walia, and kshitij walia were the owners of the property asked me to produce the oyo confirmation receipt.in the meanwhile they were attending other people, informing that the room rates were rs. 1650/- per night. The said customers were trying to negotiate that the room being offered are wet and the room sizes were also small and therefore seeking discount.

Realising that we were still standing, they instructed the boy to show the rooms. I was informed that we have been allotted 306, 307 & 308. When i informed them about my parents, they offered to accommodate my family in the first floor and suggested that we may take room no. 101, 102 & 103.

When i went to check out the rooms, i was completely surprised to see that the rooms were dinjy, without any space. The walls were wet and smelling. The linen quality was extremely bad. The bathroom size was very small (4x4 feet). One of the walls was nailed with plastic sheets and the mattress was of extremely low quality. The mattress of all the rooms were wet and the carpet was also wet.in totality the rooms were unhygienic and were of substandard quality.

The representations made by oyo turned out to be false. I spoke to the two people, who claimed to be the owners and expressed that these are the rooms i. E. Available and because payment has been made to oyo, i should sort out the issue with oyo.

I had spoken to the various representatives of oyo and they also spoke to the assumed owners and promised me to sort out the inconvenience. I had clearly informed oyo that i would not check in into royal regency, when i was told that the booking is non refundable. I informed the manager that the non refundable issue would arise when the guest has failed to check in.in this case there is a refusal to check in because of the substandard quality of rooms being offered for the money paid on the representations made by oyo, which on physical verification has turned out to be false. This would tantamount to cheating, apart from unfair trade practice.

During conversation with the representative of oyo, shri lovely walia informed oyo representative that the complaints may be correct and is below expectation of the customer but it is for oyo to sort out the issue because they can offer what they have and they are governed by their own contract with oyo. He also apprised that one of the guest of oyo who had checked in at 02:00 am (Night) of 12.06.2017, having booking for three days, preferred to check out at 11:00 am on the same day. Why he checked out is known to oyo and he cannot insist the guests to stay.

When there was no resolution to the complaints and my family was waiting in the parking for two hours, i informed that the booking be canceled and refund be made. At 04:00 pm i checked in to the adjacent hotel at bear valley resort at baloon cant road, dalhousie. The tariff offered was rs. 4000/- per room per night. I booked three rooms for my family.

At around 06:30 pm, one mr. Sanjeev kumar, claiming himself to be team manager for customer satisfaction contacted me to verify as to whether i have checked in at another hotel. After confirmation, i informed him that the resolution can only be by refund or by accommodating me for two days in some other partner hotel where the facility is of standard quality. He promised me to get back after half an hour. He called at around 07:30 pm on 12.06.2017, informing that if i raise my budget slightly more, i would be given accommodation for two nights with check in on 13.06.2017 and check out on 15.06.2017. This offer was not acceptable to me as i was not ready to make any further payments for oyo booking. He then suggested a issuance of credit note for the amount paid, which can be availed in future but money would not be refunded. I told him to confirm booking, to which he promised to call back by 08:00 pm. However, no call was received till 11:30 am of 13.06.2017.

On 13.06.2017, one ms radhika malik, claiming to be guest experience manager after extending apologies for the inconvenience, informed that she is trying to resolve the issue of refund. I had clearly informed that in case i don’t get any resolution by 12:00 noon, i cannot accept any other offer but refund of the total amount. I also informed her about the harassment occasioned to me and the offer made by her team mate shri sanjeev kumar the previous day.
At around 05:00 pm, ms radhika malik called to inform that the policy of the company does not permit any refund as the booking receipt after payment made, which has been mailed clearly reflect that the booking is non refundable. I requested her to send a email communication setting the grounds and the policy terms and the refusal by the company to make any refund. I apprised her that the booking has already been canceled at 02:00 pm and a message has been sent to me already.in these circumstances, she promised that she will discuss further with her team.
At around 07:00 pm, when i tried to contact because of an email communication informing that oyo has possibly failed to connect over telephone, i did not receive any response. As such i sent an email communication in brief setting out the reasons for my refusal to avail the booking requesting for refund.

On 14.06.2017, i travel to amritsar. There was no communication from oyo.
On 15.06.2017, somebody from oyo called up to resolve the issue and again trying to suggest that since the booking is non refundable as per company policy, no refund is possible. When i told them that the refund was imminent because the present case is not of failure to avail the booking but is a case of refusal to avail, and the facility provided was contrary to representations, this would amount to a clear case of cheating because oyo induced me to part with money on the basis of misrepresentation and have caused wrongful loss to me and has made wrongful gain for itself. The directors and the managing officials would be liable for punishment for cheating. Again no mail was sent and over telephone it was informed that the representative of oyo would get back to me after discussing it internally.

On 19.06.2017, one manager, who did not divulge his name, offered over telephone to refund 50% of the amount and put an end to the issue. I clearly told them that the refund has to be 100% as oyo cannot cheat customers and guests by making false promises and delivering substandard quality and make profits for itself by taking shield of business policy. Oyo cannot deliver a wooden bar on the promise of delivering a gold bar and also charging for the gold bar. Some accountability and fairness in business is expected although the end motive can be profiteering.
I am posting this complaint with responsibility so that other customers are not cheated in the manner as occasioned to me subject to oyo resolving the issue and making the refund of the entire amount paid by me by making a reverse entry of the amount paid by me. Any other guest or customer of oyo having faced similar situation can join a class action before the competition commission of india for such unfair trade practice. I intend to initiate criminal prosecution of the managing officials and directors in the event of failure of any resolution relating to complete refund by oyo.

Regards

Rana s biswas advocate