Charging Parking Fees in Shopping Malls Constitutes an Unfair Trade Practice

The Consumer Court in Chennai held that charging parking fees at shopping malls is an unfair trade practice.

The case arose when V. Arun Kumar filed a complaint against V.R. Mall for charging ₹80 to park his two-wheeler for two hours. Kumar argued that malls must provide free parking as per civic guidelines. 

The Mall argued that the Tamil Nadu Building Rules, 2019, do not specify that parking should be free of charge.

The Court dismissed the mall’s argument and ordered the mall to cease parking charges and awarded ₹12,000 to Kumar for mental distress and litigation costs.