"Kitchen Air Conditioner Differs from Notice"... Collective Dispute Mediation Initiated for Sincheon Station Epith Apartment

Consumer Dispute Settlement Commission Initiates Mediation
Consumers With Similar Damages May Participate Until October 14

The Consumer Dispute Settlement Commission of the Korea Consumer Agency announced on September 25 that it had decided to initiate a collective dispute mediation procedure on September 18 regarding the installation of kitchen system air conditioners at the Sincheon Station Epith Apartment complex in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province.

The parties involved in the dispute are Dawoo Development, the project developer, and HL D&I Halla, the construction company. The apartment complex is scheduled for occupancy on September 30. The case began when consumers who had purchased or acquired through resale contracts the 111-square-meter units at Sincheon Station Epith Apartment raised complaints that the installation location and air outlet direction of the kitchen system air conditioner differed from the information provided during the contract process.

The consumers, citing damages such as reduced cooling performance due to the construction changes, requested either reconstruction or compensation for damages and applied for collective dispute mediation with the commission in July. After deliberation, the commission explained that it had decided to initiate the collective dispute mediation procedure, noting that the number of consumers affected by construction that differed from the contract exceeded 50, and that the key issues of the case were common both in fact and law, thus meeting the requirements for collective dispute mediation.

The announcement of the initiation will be posted on the Korea Consumer Agency website and in daily newspapers until October 14. Consumers who have experienced similar damages may participate in the collective dispute mediation during the announcement period.

After the announcement, the commission plans to reach a mediation decision within the period stipulated in Article 68, Paragraph 7 of the Framework Act on Consumers (within 30 days from the end of the announcement period, with the possibility of two extensions of up to 30 days each for justifiable reasons).

Han Yongho, Chairperson of the Consumer Dispute Settlement Commission, stated, "Since this dispute has arisen at an apartment complex just before occupancy, we will strive to proceed with the procedure swiftly and to develop a reasonable mediation plan."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.