The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Ludhiana, has directed OYO Hotels and a Delhi-based hotel to refund Rs 176 and pay Rs 10,000 in costs to a man after he was denied a booked room and allegedly forced to spend the night in his car despite holding a confirmed reservation.

A bench of president Sanjeev Batra and member Monika Bhagat remarked that the act of the opposite parties not only amounted to the adoption of an unfair trade practice but also ran counter to the Indian tradition/belief of “Atithi Devo Bhava”.

“The act and conduct of the OPs not only amounts to adoption of unfair trade practice and rendering of deficiency in service, but also against the Indian tradition/belief of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava‘ (The Guest is GOD) which represents the core philosophy of hospitality and equivalent to respect deeply rooted in Indian Culture,” the bench observed in its order dated May 27.

According to the complaint, the man had booked a room at Yatari Palace, a hotel listed on OYO’s platform, for a stay between January 17 and 18, 2023. The complainant stated that OYO provided him with a booking ID, which was confirmed and partly paid for.

However, when the complainant and his companions reached the hotel at around 1.30 am on January 18, they were unable to check in.

He alleged that the hotel’s WhatsApp number was non-functional and that, after contacting another number provided by OYO’s customer care, the hotel denied having accepted the booking through OYO.

The complainant stated that, with no accommodation available at that hour, he and his companions had to spend the remainder of the night in their car before eventually receiving temporary shelter from a nearby hotel. He claimed that repeated representations, including a legal notice and an email complaint, elicited no response from the service providers.

OYO contested the complaint, arguing that it merely operates a technology platform connecting guests with hotels.

The company maintained that its records showed a valid booking and denied receiving any formal complaint regarding check-in difficulties. It further contended that the complainant had failed to produce evidence supporting allegations of deficiency in service.

OYO submitted that if the complainant had reached their executive, he would have been duly assisted and his grievance would have been redressed.

The ruling emphasises that online hotel booking platforms and their partner hotels cannot evade responsibility when a confirmed reservation is not honoured. The commission reinforced that consumers are entitled to the accommodation they have booked, and service providers must have effective mechanisms to assist customers when bookings fail.

For consumer-related grievances, individuals may contact consumer helpline in their respective states (Chandigarh helpline: 0172-2700183) or call the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.