Consumer body orders nanny agency to pay Rs 40,000 after ‘no-show’ for infant

A Karnataka district consumer commission has directed a Kolkata-based agency to pay Rs 40,860 to a man who had hired their services for engaging a nanny who allegedly never turned up despite assurances from an agency.

A bench comprising Syed Anser Kaleem (president), Sharavathi (member)  and Jyothi (member) of the Bangalore I Additional District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission was hearing a complaint filed by a man who had hired the services of the agency for engaging a nanny for his baby; however, the nanny never came, and the agency neither provided the services promised nor the refunded the money spent by the man.

“The OP (agency) had not provided the service nor refunded the amount to the complainant and also lacking accountability and irresponsible; as such, the above circumstances show that OP has been irresponsible and also giving lame excuses and escaping responsibility; hence, the complainant has proved deficiency of service on the part of OP,” the 19 June ex-parte order read.

Nanny that never came

The man engaged the services of an agency for providing nanny placement services from Kolkata to Bengaluru for the child care of the man’s baby. To avail the service, the man paid an advance service charge of Rs.25,000 to the agency through bank transfer on October 14, 2025.

Towards the end of November 2025, the agency introduced the man to a prospective nanny and assured him that the nanny would travel by train and join him in Bengaluru. Based on these assurances, the man booked reserved AC train tickets for the nanny for 25 December 2025 and also arranged backup tickets for 31 December, 2025.

It was claimed that the nanny did not board the first scheduled train, and the agency failed to inform the man, and he discovered this only after directly contacting the nanny. Thereafter, between December 27 and 29, 2025, the agency repeatedly assured the man that the nanny would definitely travel by another train, even if a reserved ticket was not available.

The man then again provided the reserved backup tickets for December 31, 2025, since he didn’t want the nanny to travel unreserved, even if that meant a few more days of suffering on the professional and childcare front.

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Due to the actions of the agency, the man faced loss of the advance amount of Rs 25,000 and wastage of Rs 3,860/- on train tickets & cab travel, along with severe disruption to childcare arrangements. Further, despite asking for refunds on January 4, 2026, and subsequent reminders, the agency has failed to refund the amount or respond. Hence, the man was forced to file this complaint.

‘Lame excuses’

The commission observed that when the man reached to receive the nanny who was supposed to travel from Kolkata to Bangalore and never arrived, the man made several calls to the agency, which informed him that the nanny had boarded the train and made a false statement regarding boarding the train.

It was also noted by the commission that, as per the terms and conditions provided by the agency, it has failed to give proper service and made the man run from “pillar to post”. The agency had assured the man that they would provide a nanny as child care for the man’s baby, but neither did the agency provide the service nor did it refund the amount spent by the man.

The commission held that the agency lacked accountability and had been irresponsible. It was further stated that the agency had given lame excuses to escape responsibility. Hence, the commission held the agency liable for deficiency of service and ordered it to refund a sum of Rs 25,000 and, along with Rs 3,860 spent on train tickets, with interest at the rate of 6 per cent till the order was complied with.

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The agency was also directed to pay Rs 2,000 as litigation expenses.

Significance

The ruling establishes the obligation of companies to ensure proper service and grievance redressal of the consumers and that the concerns of the consumers must not be ignored, causing them unnecessary inconvenience.

Consumers must also pursue their complaints in before appropriate forums so that the companies and service providers at fault are held accountable for their actions. For consumer-related grievances, individuals may contact the consumer helpline in their respective states and union territories (Karnataka helpline:1800-425-9339) or call the National Consumer Helpline at 1915 for assistance.