Hotels, restaurants can't force consumers to pay service charge, know details

In a bid to prevent unfair trade practices and violation of consumer rights with regard to levying of service charge in hotels and restaurants, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued fresh guidelines.

As per the CCPA guidelines, hotels or restaurant shall not add service charge automatically or by default in the food bill of customers. No collection of service charge shall be done by any other name. Similarly, no hotel or restaurant shall force a consumer to pay service charge and shall clearly inform the consumer that service charge is voluntary, optional and at consumer’s discretion, read a PIB release.

No restriction on entry or provision of services based on collection of service charge shall be imposed on consumers. Service charge shall not be collected by adding it along with the food bill and levying GST on the total amount.

Know Your Right:

If any consumer finds that a hotel or restaurant is levying service charge in violation to the guidelines, a consumer may make a request to the concerned hotel or restaurant to remove service charge from the bill amount.

The consumer may lodge a complaint on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), an alternate dispute redressal mechanism at the pre-litigation level by calling 1915 or through the NCH mobile app.

A complaint against unfair trade practice can be filed with the Consumer Commission. The Complaint can also be filed electronically through e-daakhil portal www.e-daakhil.nic.in for its speedy and effective redressal.

The consumer may submit a complaint to the District Collector of the concerned district for investigation and subsequent proceeding by the CCP.