Renting a Flat Doesn’t Strip Homebuyers of Consumer Rights: SC
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ruled that simply renting or leasing out a residential apartment does not automatically remove the buyer’s status as a “consumer” eligible for rights under consumer protection laws. A bench composed of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N V Anjaria stated that the responsibility lies with the property builder to demonstrate that the primary reason for purchasing the apartment was for “commercial purposes” to exclude the buyer from being classified as a “consumer.” The bench noted that section 2(1)(d) of the Consumer Protection Act defines a “consumer” as anyone who purchases goods or services for…
