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Tuesday, March 06, 2007

"Hotels can charge extra for bottled water, says HC"

As I've said earlier, hotels are allowed to charge extra for bottled water, etc since they are charging consumers for establishment costs and the ambiance. There's a difference between service and retail sale. There is not a thing you can do about it, and it is legal.

Yesterday, the Delhi HC said the same thing in so many words. Read this article: Hotels can charge extra for bottled water, says HC.

5 comments:

Retail Coupons said...

That sucks.. but its understandable.. What about those shops at railways and bus depots?

I was once overcharged for a bottle of water, by a shop inside the KSTRC bus depot at Majestic. I protested but all he said was "Inside the bus stand, this is the price". I don't think this was legal, was it?

Unknown said...

That definitely is not. He's not offering a service and the ambiance at the railway station/bus depot sucks like hell ;) He is a trader/retailer. Next time note down all details and try following up with the Dept of Legal Metrology...

Ravi said...

How about the shops inside the multiplexes and malls?
-- Ravi

Unknown said...

Ask the court ;)

I'm sure it cannot be called a service by any stretch of imagination. The court said "The nature of transaction and the intention of the parties when a hotelier receives a guest in his hotel is one essentially of service in the satisfaction of a human need or desire - ministry to a bodily want." If the mall/multiplex can prove that you are a "guest" and they are performing a "service", then nothing can be done about it. Still, this is worth taking up.

Anonymous said...

Well written article.