Noida: A home appliance manufacturer was directed to refund a Noida resident for an air conditioner (AC) that developed a snag within two months of purchase in June 2018. The complainant said the AC developed cooling problems immediately after installation and required repeated visits by the company’s engineers before becoming completely unserviceable by May 2024. He alleged that despite the AC failing to deliver adequate cooling, technicians repeatedly claimed the issue had been resolved without replacing the compressor, thermostat or any other component.On May 5 last year, Harsh Kumar, a resident of Sector 20, submitted a complaint with the district consumer disputes redressal commission seeking direction that Voltas Limited be directed to refund the cost of the one-tonne 5-star AC after the product’s five-year warranty expired in 2023.Kumar claimed that the services were not up to the mark right from the beginning and qualified to be declared deficient in service under the Consumer Protection Act.The commission began hearing the case in Sept 2025 after notices to Voltas went unanswered. It was found that the AC was still under warranty but was neither properly repaired nor replaced, amounting to a deficiency in service by the company.On Feb 5, consumer panel president Anil Kumar Pundir and member Anju Sharma directed Voltas Limited to return Rs 31,490, the cost of the AC, with a 6% per annum interest calculated from the date of filing the complaint. It also directed the company to pay the complainant Rs 5,000 towards litigation costs within 30 days of the order and take back the faulty AC.
