I have taken the Gold Crown Premium Life Membership in Country Club [6 clubs] two years back and am asked to pay an annual maintenance charges of Rs.2, 320/-. My friend has taken Life membership in a single club [Sarjapur] and he is not due to pay any annual maintenance charges. How is that? I am getting calls daily from Country Club executives to pay the Annual maintenance charges of Rs.2, 320/-. I told them I would personally visit them and I didn’t want any sales executive calling on me and I went to their Indiranagar office.
I met Mr.Srinivas Naidu there and asked him why I had to pay Annual maintenance charges. When I joined the club in November 2006, I was told by the Marketing Executive that no annual charges would have to be paid. I paid Rs.30, 000/- and took membership. I offered to pay the Annual Luxury Tax which is payable to the government. Mr.Naidu told me that I had to pay 1, 800/- as maintenance charges and the balance amount of 520 would go towards the Luxury Tax Statutory Payment. I told him that I am not interested in paying any maintenance charges. He said, in that case, they would not accept any Luxury Tax payments also. My Review about the club is unsatisfactory. With the membership also, I am not able to use the Gym facilities and have to pay additional 50, 000 annually for that. Other than that, there is no worth I will get by paying 2, 320 annually.
I would like to hear from other readers whether I can pay the Luxury Tax at any other source? Or else, I risk ending up with my Membership Cancelled due to non payment of Luxury Tax. Is there any way out other than by making yearly payments to these crooks or do I stand to lose my membership?