Free Legal Advice on Credit Cards: Are you liable to pay for your bank's mistake?

If you use credit cards for your transactions, this free legal advice may be useful to you.  Recently, a young IT professional came to me with a query regarding credit cards. He was issued a credit card by Bank X and a sum of Rs 8,000 was wrongly debited against the said card. Immediately, he informed the bank and the bank promised to reverse the debit. Following this mix up, he stopped using the card. So far, the story runs smooth. 

Here comes the glitch. Two years down the lane, he receives a credit card statement for Rs.32,000! He sought the bank's assistance to get the full credit card statement to understand how this happened, given that he hadn't used the credit card since the mix-up he had reported officially to the bank. 

Free Legal Advice for using Credit Cards

What's the way forward? Keep these simple legal tips in mind while using credit cards:

1.  If a wrong debit has been reversed as per the Bank's communication to the customer, the bank should have reversed the interest as well as other charges that was levied on the first amount. 

2. The important thing is that the customer should have conducted an immediate follow up to get a detailed statement of the reversal of charges. 

3. Simply not using the credit card was not enough - that didn't help, did it? Besides, where's the legal closure that one needs to show in terms of proof of communication and subsequent action from the bank?

Free Legal Advice: How to leverage Code of Bank's Commitment to the Customer 

 As a customer who feels wronged, the first point of contact is the bank's nodal officer whereby one can explain what happened and request the mistake to be rectified. If required, you have to go through the provisions of  The Code of Bank's Commitment to the Customer. This Code specifically states that it will provide a credit card statement to the card holder every month free of cost at the mailing address as per the bank's records. It also states that in the event of non-receipt of information, the bank will resend the details when a request is received from the card holder. 

Free Legal Advice: How to send copy of communication to RBI Customer Service Dept

In writing, bring this to the notice of the bank and send a copy of your communication with the timeline and details to the customer service department of the Reserve Bank of India. If you receive no reply or follow up, you can directly file a complaint with the Banking Ombudsman in your state. 

Places to shop in Kochi: Nucleus Mall in Maradu

My son and I like to spend time in Nucleus Mall, which is in Maradu, Kochi. The mall is very clean, attracts a decent crowd of college going students, families and kids. You can find some good retail shops like Max here and the surprise factor is this: the clothes range for men and kids is far better than the Max shop in Delhi. If you are looking to buy gifts for your family members, this is a good place to check out. 

Other attractions of Nucleus Mall include the well- managed Food Court with a free play zone area for kids, a DC books showroom that is a must-visit space for those of you who enjoy reading good quality books be it fiction or non fiction and last but perhaps the most important one, don't miss the 6 D movie center that plays 3 to 12 minute short movies. The overall effect and feel of these movies are fantastic. You are sure to enjoy the unexpected surprises that come your way as you watch the films.

Which is your favorite place in the city where you like to chill out with your family and simply have a good time? Write in:)

Eating out in Fort Kochi: Good times are back!

OK, so we are waiting for our food to be placed on the table. 

Once upon a time, having food on the table meant everything. It was a sign of abundance, of having survived and triumphed against the odds. But now, that has changed. More than water or food, we are dependent on gadgets such as our cell phones, tablets, etc for our survival and children are no exception. 

Fact of life as you can see below: In fact, ask any parent. Kids are the new generation experts on gadgets!