Zoom Cars fined Rs 15,228 for failing to deliver car on time

HYDERABAD: Zoom Cars India private ltd, a car rental service that promises door delivery of self-drive cars, was fined Rs 15,228, by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Hyderabad on July 19, 2023, for failing to deliver a car to a customer in Vijayawada on time.

Rajender Khanna a resident of Shalibanda, Hyderabad, who is an advocate by profession, filed a case against Zoom Cars on August 11, 2022, complaining that the rental car service provider not only failed to provide him with the car of his choice but also delayed the service, thereby forcing him to face embarrassing moments at the Andhra Pradesh High Court in Amaravati and caused him mental agony.

The complainant, using the mobile application, booked Hyundai i-10 car and the booking, was confirmed by Zoom Cars through SMS. The delivery was to be taken in Vijayawada on April 8, 2022, at 10 am and to return the car by 7 pm on the same day. Rajender Khanna made online payment for Rs 1,609. He reached Vijayawada from Hyderabad at 4 am on that day. and stayed in a hotel.

At 9.04 am Zoom Cars informed Rajender Khanna that the car booked was unavailable, giving an option of an Alto car and the same was accepted by the complainant. As per the SMS confirmation of the the company, the car was supposed to be delivered at 9.33 am at Vijayawada railway station.

Since the car was not found at the railway station at the scheduled time, he contacted Zoom Car customer care and after repeatedly calling customer care, the car was actually delivered at 11.20 am and not at 10.30 am. as claimed by the rental car company.

The customer was supposed to reach the High Court at Amaravati for the purpose for which he had gone to Vijayawada but finally reached Court at 12 noon and was shocked to see that his case was called at 11.30 am, due to non-representation it was adjourned to April 13, 2022.

Due to laxity and unprofessional approach shown by the rental car company, Rajender Khanna suffered huge embarrassment from his client and also suffered monetary loss. He pleaded that Zoom Cars arbitrarily changed the timing of delivery of the Alto car (on the mobile application) from 10 am to 10.30 am and even in the invoice, the timing was altered and manipulated illegally by showing the time of delivery of the car at 10.20 and returning of the car at 20.01 pm.

The Commission felt that the complainant was not intimated about the non-availability of the car within a reasonable time prior to the scheduled booking delivery time of the rental car, hence, the company was not only deficient in rendering proper service but also indulged in unfair trade practice.

The Commission directed Zoom Car to restore the account with immediate effect, refund the amount of late return charges of Rs 228, levied by Zoom Cars as the Alto car was not delivered at 10.30 am, pay an amount of Rs 10,000 towards compensation for the mental agony caused to the complainant and an amount of Rs 5,000 towards costs within 45 days from the date of receipt of the order.