Complaint Details

Status	:	Closed
Complaint No	:	0051999/2015
Category	:	Hospitality
Date	:	11-06-2015
Subject Line	:	Signature Crest: Fraud company- want refund
Complainant	:	Sharad Singh
Address	:	Flat no 702, Bldg no 35, Sanskruti CHS ltd, 90 Feet Road, Thakur Complex, Kandivali east Mumbai
Complainee	:	The Signature Crest
Address	:	Plot No -01,Sonawala Lane, Near Samrat Motor Training School, Goregaon east

Complaint Details
Dear Sir,
I have taken the membership of “Signature Crest” a Hospitality company which provides Service apartments to its members, on 23rd January 2014, by paying the 12500/- from my SBI credit card.
Before taking the membership lots of things were promised to us (me & my wife) like-
1. We will get 3*- 4* star facility at their / tied up (affiliated) property throughout the year.
2. Booking is very easily available by just giving maximum 21 days’ notice.
3. There is no peak or lean period.
4. All the properties are very well connected by public transport and situated nearby markets.
5. Etc. etc…..

After listening to their points I have taken the package of 03 night+ 04 days with 02 gift vouchers of 2 night +03 days valid for 02 years ( 01 year+ 01 year extension) for leisure purpose.
After taking the membership I have requested for booking my holiday 03 times by giving sufficient notice but I couldn’t get confirmation any of the occasions.
When I have requested them to refund my money they denied saying that as per agreement “the membership is not refundable”.
My point is that when I am not getting service from them and as till the time I have not used any of the service, I should get back my money.
Agreement copy and date wise mail conversation is attached for your reference.
Chronology of conversation is -
1. 14/02/14 – Requested for booking on 15/03/14 to 17/03/14 with 03 locations option
(01 month advance request)

2. 17/02/14 – (1) Reminder sent, as there is no response
(2) Got reply that no rooms available.

3. 21/02/14- (1) Requested to withdraw my membership
(2) Got reply that membership is non refundable
(3) I replied with my point that I have given 01 month advance request instead of 21 days, as per procedure and I am not getting confirmation then why should I continue my membership.
(4) Got reply that 21 days are minimum notice period required and maximum booking open 60 days prior to date of travel.


4. 24/05/14 - Requested for booking on 21/06/14 to 23/06/14 either at Khandala or Mahabaleshwar.

5. 26/05/14- Reminder, as there is no response.

6. 28/05/14 - (1). No response, second reminder sent.
(2). Got reply that Khandala is sold out, request is been forwarded for mahableshwar, will revert for the availability of rooms on Monday (02/06/14).

7. 29/05/14- I expressed my disappointment for late response.

8. 03/06/14- Reminder, as there is no response.

9. 04/06/14- Got reply that still availability is not confirmed.

10. 09/06/14 I had telephonic discussion with Signature crest representative “ Nithya” came to that still booking is not confirmed as they have some license issue then I wrote a mail regarding the discussion and
Requested for booking on the other dates 15-17 August’ 14 (65 days advance notice) also.

11. 16/06/14 – Got mail that mahableshwar property contracting has been done and kindly share the date of traveling.

12. 17/06/14- I replied that I have requested for 21/06/14 to 23/06/14 and reminded for the booking on 15/08/14 to 17/08/14.

13. 20/06/14- Reminder, as again there is no response.

14. 20/06/14- Got reply that no rooms available for any weekend in June- July – August.
Means my both the request has not confirmed.

After that I have visited to Goa on my personal account in between 04/07/14 to 06/07/14. I thought to check the Signature crest property at Goa. I called signature crest office to share me the address and contact detail of Goa property, they denied. Somehow with great difficulty I reached to Goa property mentioned in their website (there is no signboard of signature crest anywhere in that area), it is inside the forest with no nearby market no easy connectivity with public transport. And as per watchmen it’s not a property of Signature crest, there is only 01 villa with signature crest that too is on rent.
I have visited the” www. mouthshut.com” website also and found similar experience by other also.
Due to above mentioned points and with reference to my past experience and poor response from signature crest team every time I decided to withdraw my membership with signature crest.

15. 21/07/14- Requested to discontinue my membership and refund procedure.
16. 22/07/14 - (1) Received irrelevant reply.
(2) Again I cleared my request for refund.
17. 24/07/14 (1) Reminder, as again there is no response.
(2). Got reply that this membership is not refundable and share the revised booking dates.
(3). I have cleared my intension that I don’t want to continue. Tell me refund procedure or I have no choice left but to go to consumer court.
(4). Got the reply that as per agreement membership is nonrefundable and list of weekends available in Aug and September in Mhableshwar and Khandala.
(5). I expressed my disappointment and warned them to go to consumer court.
(6). Got the reply with reference to agreement that rooms are subjected to availability and membership is nonrefundable.
(7). I concluded that as they are not ready to give refund, I can go to consumer court.
18. 26/07/14 Registered complaint with CORE centre with complaint No-100478.3.2014.
I am doing follow-ups with Core team but as per them, complaint is waitlisted

Now I am writing to your good self that Kindly help to get my refund with the claim of mental agony what I have suffered and make some regulations for these Holidays booking companies to save the consumers.

Regards,
Sharad Singh
09867729182

Replies