Filter problem left a new Rs 11,490 purifier unusable within 4 months, Eureka Forbes denied warranty saying it was not covered, ordered to pay Rs 19,490

A Thiruvananthapuram consumer commission has ordered Eureka Forbes to pay Rs 19,490 to a customer whose water purifier stopped working just four months after purchase. The company had refused to repair the Rs 11,490 purifier for free, saying the faulty filter was not covered under its one year warranty.

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Thiruvananthapuram, found this amounted to deficiency in service. The commission directed Eureka Forbes to refund the full purchase price, pay compensation for mental agony, and cover the cost of the case.

What happened in the case?


The customer bought the water purifier from Eureka Forbes on 24 April 2025 for Rs 11,490. The purifier came with a one year warranty. Four months later, the purifier stopped working. A company technician checked the purifier and found the filter had gone faulty and needed replacement.

What did Eureka Forbes say?

The company told the customer the filter was not part of the warranty cover. It asked for Rs 2,500 extra to get the purifier serviced. The customer did not pay the extra amount, and the purifier was never repaired after that. When the complaint reached the consumer commission, Eureka Forbes did not respond to the notice sent to it. The company was set ex parte in June 2026 after it failed to appear, and the case went ahead on the customer's evidence alone.

What did the consumer commission decide?

The commission checked the purchase invoice and confirmed the purifier was still within warranty when it broke down. Under the terms of a warranty, a company is bound to repair a product free of cost during this period. Eureka Forbes did not do this, and the commission said this failure counted as deficiency in service.

With no one from the company present to counter the claim, the commission relied entirely on the customer's deposition and documents. It said there was nothing on record to challenge his account, and ruled fully in his favour.

The final order asks Eureka Forbes to refund Rs 11,490, the full price paid for the purifier, and collect the faulty unit back from the customer. On top of this, the company must pay Rs 5,000 as compensation for the mental agony caused and Rs 3,000 towards the cost of the proceedings. That brings the total payout to Rs 19,490.

Did the customer get the refund?

Not immediately. The order gives Eureka Forbes one month from the date it receives the ruling to pay the full amount. If the company misses this deadline, the refund and compensation portion will start drawing 9 percent annual interest from the date of the order until the money is actually paid. The cost amount does not carry this interest.