Eureka Forbes, Banglore, India - purchased Aquaguard water purifier and the Euroclean - upset with service received

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on December 29, 2002:

From:

RE: Eureka Forbes, Banglore, India - purchased Aquaguard water purifier and the Euroclean - upset with service received 27, December 02 C. Vijay Kumar

B 301, Indian Oil Housing Complex,

Opposite Phanjra Pole,

Ghod Dhod Road

Surat- 394 518 To: Service Manager

Service Head Quarters

No.143, C 4, Bommasandra Industrial Area,

Off Hosur Road, Bangalore- 562158 Tel: 08110 34440/ 41/ 42

Fax: 0811034902 Sir, Sub: Monopoly and Restrictive Trade Practice I am customer of your company. I have bought Aquagaurd water purifier (bought in 1997) as well as the Euroclean. For Aquagaurd I had the AMC till October 2002 after which I have forgotten to renew it. Now the aquagaurd has stopped working. I had called your service representative M/s JD service, Surat. The service man has said that the circuit he replaced in August 2002 has become defective again and he will charge Rs.500/= for the circuit and Rs.100/= for the service. He has said that additionally Rs.650/= will be charged for renewal of the service contract. Please explain how a part replaced in August 2002 can become defective so fast. Is there no concept of guarantee / warrantee for the part replaced? I have to pay Rs.500/= for replacing this defective electronic card for which I have no choice of an alternative vendor and you can dictate your prices and conditions. You are using this monopoly to exploit the customer and force the AMC on them which works out to YEARLY 10% of the cost. This is a restrictive trade practise, which is not expected of your company. This is a yearly penalty for the mistake of purchasing your water purifier. This practise of AMC is not customer friendly. It means that if a person buys your Aquagaurd, he will have to pay Rs.650.00 per year for years. This policy is more dealer oriented at the cost of customers. After sales service is required but it should not be a restrictive trade practise based on monopoly: the customer has nowhere to go but your service agent. You can change your slogan to ‘AMC slaves for life’. Please solve the problem. Otherwise, I am going to take up this issue with the Consumers Forum as well as MRTP commission. C. Vijay Kumar