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Ola must provide consumers with the option to choose between refunding money directly to their bank account or receiving a coupon.
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Ola must issue bills or receipts for all rides, ensuring consumers have a record of their transactions.
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Ola must display contact information for grievance and nodal officers, clearly show cancellation policies and fees, and provide detailed fare breakdowns.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has instructed Ola to implement changes to its refund policy and enhance transparency in its services. Previously, Ola’s no-question-asked refund policy only offered coupon codes, which consumers could use for their next ride. The CCPA deemed this practice unfair, as it incentivized consumers to take another ride instead of providing a genuine refund option ¹.
Additionally, the CCPA observed that Ola’s failure to provide invoices for rides constituted an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. To address this, Ola will now display the contact information of grievance and nodal officers, clearly show cancellation policies and fees, and provide detailed fare breakdowns ¹.
These changes come after the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) received 2,061 complaints against Ola between January 1, 2024, and October 9, 2024. The top complaints included higher fares charged than displayed, non-refund of amounts, drivers asking for extra cash, and drivers failing to reach or dropping passengers at incorrect locations ¹.