Forced to pay service charge? Here's how you can lodge a complaint

To prevent unfair trade practices, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Monday issued guidelines barring hotels and restaurants from levying service charge automatically or by default in food bills and allowed customers to file complaints in case of violation.

Generally, restaurants and hotels levy a service charge of 10 per cent on the food bill. The CCPA said that no hotel or restaurant can force a consumer to pay service charge. They have to clearly inform the consumer that service charge is voluntary, optional, and at consumer's discretion.

If a restaurant is forcing customers to pay extra money in the name of service charges, customers can lodge a complaint with the CCPA. 

How can a consumer register a complaint with CCPA?

If a consumer sees a restaurant levying service charge, there are various options at different levels of escalation as follows: 

1. The customer can request the officials at the hotel or restaurant to remove the service charge. 
2. The customer can complaint on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), by calling on their number 1915. NCH works at the pre-litigation level as a redressel mechanism for consumers. 
3. The consumer can complain to the Consumer Commission, or online through the edaakhil portal, at edaakhil.nic.in. The customer can also register a complaint on the NCH mobile app. This is the third level of escalation.
4. At fourth level of escalation, the consumer can complaint to the District Collector of the respective district for investigation and subsequent proceedings by the CCPA. He/she/they can also submit a complaint via email, at com-ccpa@nic.in.