Home Learning College

[LuLu1111]

Hi All.

I am new to the forum but am so impressed by the tips and advice given I though I might ask this question, even though it may not belong here.

I was tricked/pursuaded into signing up with Home Learning College in 2007. Just out of the 30 day cancellation time I realised this course supplied was not what I had bought, it was far to advanced and not the basic computer course I was expecting. Home Learning told me that I could not cancel. I continued to pay the amount which I have no paid in full totalling 1420 pounds! I now realise how stupid I have been, I have never completed the course, gained any qualifications or support from Home Learning College. I have emailed and spoken with them and they have loked into my complaint. They then advised that I would not receive a refund but could change the course for an extra administration fee to something more suitable. I dont want to! I am to busy now and dont really want to do it through them anyway. What Can I do? I have replied to their offer and told them it is not acceptable and that I want a full refund or I will take them to the small claim Court. Does anyone know what I should do? Should I just leave it and put it down to my own stupidity or should I fight them and take them to Court because what I received wasn't what I was expecting? It wasn't fit for the purpose I bought it for.

Help.

Any advice would be appreciated. :eek:

[Conniff]

Although you made a complaint at the time, you didn't follow it through and two years is a lot more than the 'reasonable' time usually given to ask for a refund.

Did you receive all the literature and coursework you were entitled to?

 

After your initial complaint to them, did you return all the material you received in accordance with their terms and conditions?

 

I wouldn't give you any chance of a refund let alone a complete refund.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Conniff

[LuLu1111]

Hi Conniff.

 

Yes I did receive everything. I know 2 years is a long time, and maybe unreasonable for me to think I should have a refund but I thought this was a one off, something that had happened to me, I accepted my mistake and paid the money. It wasnt until I saw all the comments on this and other forums that I realised that I had been done along with many others. Maybe I wont get a refund but I needed to complain because it is alot of money. Thanks

[Conniff]

Thanks for the advice conniff I had actually cancelled the direct debit at my bank and with home learning. And now its resulted in the bank charging me £50 in charges for a payment i cancelled with them and hlc. I'm so mad at them i just changed my card numbers and now there sending letters demanding payments i'm pretty sure if they want to call it a debt that i can transfer it to a debt management programme and they will have to accept payments that i can afford to make.

 

If you cancelled at the bank stacey, don't accept the charge, make a complaint. Once you have cancelled, that is it and no matter how many demands the payee makes, the bank is not allowed to pay it out or attempt to.

[debt4get]

first thing is I would send for a copy of my consumer credit agreement this is your right, the company have 12 + 2 days to comply otherwise they are in default and you do not have to offer them any money, if they send the agreement post it here with your details blanked out and someone will advise on its enforceability do not sign letter only print

 

here is letter

To Whom It May Concern:

 

Your Reference: Agreement Number:

I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY DEBT TO YOUR COMPANY

 

 

With reference to the above account, I request that you send me a true copy of this Credit Agreement before I will correspond further on this matter.

 

This is my right under the legislation contained within Section 77 (1) and Section 78 (1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, and I am entitled to receive a copy of my Credit Agreement on request.

 

Your obligation also extends to providing me with a statement of account. I enclose a £1 Postal Order, which represents payment of the statutory fee payable under the Consumer Credit Act. I understand that a copy of my Credit Agreement should be supplied within 12 working days from the date of this letter.

 

I also understand that under the Consumer Credit Act, creditors are unable to enforce an agreement if they fail to comply with a request for a copy of the Agreement under these sections of the Act.

 

Non-compliance with my request is a criminal offence under the above Act and will result in a report being submitted to the relevant statutory authorities.

 

In summary, I DO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS DEBT AND THEREFORE REQUIRE YOU TO SUBSTANTIATE THIS BY PROVIDING THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION BEFORE I CORRESPOND FURTHER :

 

 

1. True copy of original Credit Agreement

2. Statement of Account

3. Copy of the executed Deed Of Assignment from the Original Creditor and Thames Credit Limited.

4. Fair Processing Notice.

 

The time limits, which are laid down in the Consumer Credit (Prescribed Periods for Giving Information) Regulations 1983 are clear. You must supply an executed Credit Agreement within 12 + 2 working days of a proper Consumer Credit Agreement request.

If you fail to comply with a legitimate request the account enters a default situation,

 

As you are aware, a Credit Agreement that is not properly documented and signed by the customer is totally unenforceable under the Consumer Credit Act and therefore is a complete defence to any court claim that is issued.

 

 

Take note at this stage, that any legal action you may contemplate will be both vigorously defended and contested.

 

 

I look forward to hearing from you within the statutory time limit.

 

Yours faithfully

[debt4get]

Hi All.

I am new to the forum but am so impressed by the tips and advice given I though I might ask this question, even though it may not belong here.

I was tricked/pursuaded into signing up with Home Learning College in 2007. Just out of the 30 day cancellation time I realised this course supplied was not what I had bought, it was far to advanced and not the basic computer course I was expecting. Home Learning told me that I could not cancel. I continued to pay the amount which I have no paid in full totalling 1420 pounds! I now realise how stupid I have been, I have never completed the course, gained any qualifications or support from Home Learning College. I have emailed and spoken with them and they have loked into my complaint. They then advised that I would not receive a refund but could change the course for an extra administration fee to something more suitable. I dont want to! I am to busy now and dont really want to do it through them anyway. What Can I do? I have replied to their offer and told them it is not acceptable and that I want a full refund or I will take them to the small claim Court. Does anyone know what I should do? Should I just leave it and put it down to my own stupidity or should I fight them and take them to Court because what I received wasn't what I was expecting? It wasn't fit for the purpose I bought it for.

Help.

Any advice would be appreciated. :eek:

I would ask the mods to move you to the legal forum that way someone can help you with the court papers

[MARTIN3030]

You would need to begin again the request for a refund since you cannot just begin County Court action after such a long gap between the original comms.

Anything less than 4 weeks is considered against pre action protocols,unless the other side have given a final response that they will not be entertaining any requests for a refund.

 

The Court would certainly question why there has been such a gap.

 

Firstly,you would need to show some cause of action,which means providing some evidence that you did not benefit from this service,and that it was not your own fault,or that you were not in any position to know at the time that what you paid could justify what you expected to get out of it.

It is a contractual issue.

Have you still got paperwork ie;the original contract/terms and conditions,and have you kept copies of comms you had with them,and their replies ?

[puma1998]

Hi, signed up yesterday after a rep visited me, have since done more research and am sending recorded delivery letter today to cancel. Rep said you have time to review books on receipt and then if you decide its not for you then you can cancel, this is obvs wrong as in the small print it says if seal on learning materials is broken you can't cancel. Also said unlimited tutor support, but again on reading it says 2years. Will try a local college or buy a book from Amazon I think is the best way forward.

regards

Angela

[smufball]

Hi,

I am thinking of starting a CIW site designer course with Home Learing college.

Basically, once i have finished this course i want to be able to build a web site from scratch.

 

Has anyone else done this course? if so how was it? does anyone know of any bad/good experinces with this course?

 

Thanks for your help

[all confused]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am in the same boat as you guys. I have joined AAT Certificate (- 2 years course with £62.25 /month and one time £50 payment) stage with Home Learning College in March-09. They are charging me £1544 for all course including AAT registration and exam fee. But when I compared it to BPP and considered other costs, it comes out to be very cheap.

 

I have their contract saying that if I have to cancel contract and quarter of term (which actually hasn't passed) has passed, I will have to pay £750 for every £1000 I owe them.

 

They have paid for my AAT registration fee and I have received the books which I can not return because I have marked on all the books.

 

Can anyone advice me that how can I come out of the contract and what approximately they will ask me to pay. I have already paid £62.25*3 + £50.

 

Please if anyone can advise me on this.

 

regards

 

 

hi,

 

i am also intrested in this course,(AAT Basic Bookkeeping) but am undecided if it is worth the money or not? ar ethe other providers that offer the same service/price?

 

would it be possible to buy a book myself and simply work through it before sitting an exam?

Edited October 4, 2009 by all confused

[peter147]

hi all

i am new here wasn't sure where to go can anyone please help i started a pc repair and upgrade course with dca i have got epilespy i cancelled the course (which i was told by the person that i spoke to but i never got a name) that i could so i cancelled the course on health reasons because my fits were getting worse even though they have got it on record that i cancelled i have had phone calls from apex saying that i owe them the money, but when i spoke to the adviser they said that i would have to because it was cause of health reasons i have refused to pay them the money now they are saying that they are going to send someone to my door can anyone please help

Peter

[eyore71]

I signed up in 2008 for the AAT study with home learning. Have since been made redundant from the job where I was going to use it and have done none of the work at all from the books and literature sent to me. i've signed up to the forums online but haven't used these at all.

 

Had problems with my direct debit in March 2009 and missed one payment, when i discussed with their 'helpline' my thought of cancelling they said I wasn't able to cancel and would have to make all my payments.

 

I'm not using the literature, don't have time to as currently doing two jobs just to keep myself afloat and the debtors away from the door. How do I cancel this contract without affecting my credit rating and not making any further payments.

 

I'm currently paying £100 a month and I know it's been a horrid mistake, but I'm quite happy to bit the bullet and accept I'm not goig to get a refund but want to get out of the contract now. As i've said I'm not using any of the literature and haven't touched it once. could I possibly get some of my money back?

 

Should I cancel my direct debit and write to them as lots of people have suggested in the forum. What do i do when they threaten CCJ and court action.

[boston3603]

National Home Study Is Another Rip Off Org. Anyone Having Issues With Them As I Am About To Take Them To Court

[London Rose]

After doing some research over the internet about bookkeeping and Sage line 50 a sales rep from The Home Learning College called me and came round to my house and persuaded me into signing up the course against my better judgement, as I am not British and my English wasn’t very good at the time I signed the contract.

I asked him if the contract could be cancelled and he told me that I could cancel it anytime if the course wasn’t good for me.

I only had nights and weekends to study and when tried to phone the tutor that were supposed to support me with the assignments had the phone line always busy or the person wasn’t working (they didn’t work at weekends).

I did only one assignment and came to the conclusion that the course is not for me and that I wanted to cancel and returned all the materials via post

Shortly after that I lost my job and was unemployed for more then a year doing small jobs and couldn’t afford to pay for the course.

I'd cancelled in December 2007.

I have emailed and spoken with customer services at the time and they have looked into my complaint. They then advised that I would not receive a refund but could cancel the course.I have never completed the course, gained any qualifications or support from Home Learning College.

However I tried to apply for a Loan to have a debt conciliation and found out that I have Default sums which is affecting my credit rating.

I subscribed myself to Equifax and found out that the default sums are from HLC after that I received a letter from The Home Learning college chasing payment for £ 1,173.00.

I called the customer services at Home Learning but they couldn’t find my email cancellation, no surprise there (I forgot to take the name of the person I spoke over the phone, my mistake) .

Although I made a cancelation at the time, I didn't follow it through and two years later I found out that I cannot apply for anything due to that. They didn't try to contact me at the time regarding the cancellation.

In my understanding my contract was cancelled in 2007 as I had no further communication from Home Learning, until now after signing with Experian.

I signed the contract not knowing about the cancellation policy and now I cannot afford paying for that.

I was unemployed for a long time and that affected my finances badly .I need my credit report to be clean in order to be able to sort out my finances they put default sums on my credit report without contacting me and I don't know what to do to clear the default sums from Equifax. Can anyone help giving me some advise?

Edited November 2, 2009 by London Rose
some mistakes

[boston3603]

What address do you have for this company?

 

It wouldnt be 27 Old Gloucester Street London would it?

 

Or a postal code of WC1N 3XX?

[London Rose]

I don't know. I haven't got the contract anymore.

Why?

[boston3603]

Because National Homestudy are going under various names as they are under investigation by watchdog, trading standards, OFT ofqual etc. They were prosecuted in 2004 for issuing certificates which are not accredited and now are being investigated for fraud. They go under national home studies, college of learning, bcm, interfaculty, parapscychologists, you name it, they do it. So if the post code is the same as the one I gave you, it is them.

[London Rose]

Thanks for that.

Do you know what can I do to take these people of my back?

I don't know what to do.

[eyore71]

I have cancelled my direct debit with Home Learning college for my AAT which i signed up for in 2008 but not been able to do any work for it. I've signed up online to the forums but never used them and feel this whole college thing is a [problem].

 

It's not useful and i want out of it, can't afford further payments for another year and really don't want to be paying fees to get out of it. Currently paying £100 per month until Sept 2010 but have cancelled that DD. That makes £1200 owing, what are my penalties and how much should I offer them.

[ostadion]

Hi,

I WISH i had read this forum a week ago!..Last week i was fooled into a service and credit agreement with HLC and now regretting it. I only enquired about courses after seeing them featured on reed.co.uk. They used the same tactics as mentioned, salesman phoned..came round and persuaded me to enrol as it would be the best thing for career change. Kept the bit about cost till last and when i said i'll need to think about it, told me of the 'amazin' interest free credit and that i need to sign up straight away to take the offer and i could always cancel if i didn't like it..

 

Well..after doing some research found that they were charging too much and the service and material did not reflect the cost. Also there has been a change in my personal circumstances which means it would be hard for me to keep up with monthly payments.

 

Toady i received the course material, haven't opened it yet.. still in its delivery packaging. I am now witting a notice of cancellation and will be sending it off (it is 1st day of the 7 day cancelling period as stated under their terms). I will be sending it special delivery.

 

Any advise would be appreciated on what to do next.. should i return the material or wait for instructions from them. Any advise on how i should word the cancellation letter so that they take it seriously.??

[consumere]

hello. early this year i signed up to home learning college for a course and paying 62.25 a month. i realised that the course wasnt for me and wanted to cancel but they denied me from doing so and that i have to complete the contract even so. the course materials are all clean. whats the point of paying them throughout if i wont benefit from the course. can anyone help me what to do? thanks.

[ostadion]

Hi, well i managed to cancel the agreements i signed, notifying them within the 7 day cooling off period. First i sent letter by recorded post then emailed them a copy as well..i didn't want to wait for any introductory email or letters instructing me on how to cancel if i wished to do so as i knew they would not send me within 7 days. I got an email from customer support after 1 week 'Home Learning - IMPORTANT INFORMATION' with a cut out cancellation slip at the bottom of the email, however it was all distorted (bit strange, led me thinking was it intentional to make it harder to cancel ?? i wonder)..anywayz i managed to copy/paste it and sent that as well. I got a call back from one of their support people and was asked why i wanted to cancel and do i want to change subjects, bla bla.. I still wanted to cancel so they told me the contract will be cancelled and they sent me an email with instructions on how to have the course materials collected. I am still waiting for the £50 refund and its been over a month.

 

In your case the 7 day cancellation period has expired, so not sure where you stand legally but try writing to them explaining your situation but they will probably only cancel at their discretion. Stopping payments would not do much good as they will pass the debt on to a debt collection agency and may result adverse effects on your credit rating. someone with more legal knowledge about the rights to cancel contracts may be able to help you. good luck.

[tracie3277]

Hi,

 

I signed up last june for a book keeping course through the Home Learning College after a very pushy sales rep advised me it would be a GREAT career opportunity, that i would be able to get a job in Accountancy as a Finance/Accounts Assistant, Purchase/Sales Ledger clerk.

 

I have finished the course this june and received my certificates, though it was very difficult getting a tutor to give you any help and i pretty much muddled through on my own, but what i am more annoyed at is all the jobs i have since applied for have turned me down on the basis that they do not recognise my ICB qualification from them, that they require the AAT certificate to persue my career. I am still paying for the course which will in total cost me over £1000 and is no good to me......any help/advice would be much appreciated.......Tracie

[bub1]

Hi Tracie

 

I think what you need to do is get confirmation from a relevant body that the course you have done is not recognised. You need this in writing.

 

Then the next step is to get in touch with the HLC email their customer complaints dept. Explain to them the course that you did etc., and hit them with well the course qualifications are not recognised in the industry that I wish to go in.

 

I am pretty sure they are breaking the law with the fact they are doing courses in which the qualifications are not recognised.

I also think it is a breach of contract as they have given you a course that amounts to nothing.

 

I would also get in touch with Trading Standards and air your concerns.

 

If you pressure the HLC they will buckle.

 

My son and I did and we got a refund of any monies he had paid. In fact we went to their office as it is not far from us.

 

Please let me know how you get on.

 

Bub1

[tracie3277]

Thanx for the advice, i will definately be getting intouch with a couple of the companies i have applied to and get them to confirm this in writing.