In Brief
A builder contracted to deliver a residential flat within 39 months plus a 180-day grace period but delivered the occupancy certificate nearly three years late. The purchaser sought refund and compensation citing deficiency in service. The Supreme Court upheld the refund, holding that inordinate delay amounts to deficiency of service under the Consumer Protection Act. The Court struck down one-sided contractual terms that heavily favoured the builder as unfair trade practices, and awarded interest at the statutory rate (10.7% p.a. under Haryana Real Estate Rules) reflecting the purchaser's actual financial loss, rather than contractual rates, from the date of each payment till refund.
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