The Ernakulam District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled in favor of the complainant in a case where the manufacturer allegedly refused to replace a defective compressor of an air conditioning (AC) unit that was under warranty.
Sudarshanan CR, a native of Vallarpadam, approached the company with a complaint in March 2024 after the cooling went down despite a seven-year warranty on the Godrej split air conditioner compressor he bought in 2018.
Although the technician confirmed after inspection that the compressor was completely defective, the manufacturer refused warranty service, citing the unavailability of the compressor for this model. On escalating the complaint, the complainant was informed that a new AC could be provided on payment of ₹15,000; otherwise, the compressor would not have been replaced according to the complaint.
The committee comprising DB Binu, President and members V. Ramachandran and Sreevidhia TN stated that the manufacturer’s practice of combining warranty fulfillment with the purchase of a new product cannot be legally justified.
The commission said it found “a clear lack of service and unfair business practices on the part of the first counterparty”. She ordered the replacement of the defective compressor and ordered that the air conditioner be restored to full working order free of charge within 30 days of receiving the order. The replaced compressor is covered by a warranty of 12 months from the date of replacement. The opposing parties were determined ex parte because they did not submit their version within the stipulated time. The jury dismissed the complaint against the seller, saying there was no material to show a deficiency in service or an unfair business practice.
Published – 22 November 2025 22:00 IST
