Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

[JTolmie88]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

How did you go about this? I've been going round in circles between brighthouse and careers 4 finance. I offered to pay careers for finance 1000 and they rejected it and that was in July/august of last year

[OriginalMoz]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hey all. This is a long read but bear with it. So, it seems this thread has been quite busy. I too have been fleeced by CF4TS and Trades Gateway! Although it seems they might have learned a little (very little) in that their paperwork seems a little more concise.
I signed up at the end of June 15, at the time I had a job that left me a lot of time to do the training, and the sales rep came round and sold it to my wife an I that a new 60k plus future was just a maximum of 12 months away. The future sounded so bright, we talked about it and decided it would be stupid not to.
FOOLS!!!
I signed up for the renewables/ plumbing NVQ. I have a close friend that teaches the same qualifications at a real college, he said the programme of learning wasn't like anything he'd ever taught, and hadn't heard of the issuing body. Alarm bells kinda started ringing but I didn't listen to them. I did about 4 of the TMAs.
My job then changed, leaving me with NO time to do the TMAs, my wife's job soon changed after that, leaving us with less money. I tried contacting them saying I no longer had the time to do it, or the money to cover it, to be told there was nothing I could do as it was a loan and id have to pay it back. The rep didn't say it was a loan and even though it says so on pretty much all the paperwork, we were so caught up in the prospects of a new future it didn't really sink in at the time. So for the last 7 odd months I've been paying the £160 quid a month but not doing any of the course as after a 12/ 13 hour shift I don't feel like studying, and all my retention seems to have gone and I cant remember any of the stuff I have learnt so far. Its so bad I have read this thread from the start and I couldn't tell you much past the last page or so LOL.
I am going to write a letter with the cancellation form stating the misrepresentation of the course, lack of affordability checks, the fact the loan doesn't show on my credit report, the fact the standing order was set up without my signing a mandate, I wasn't given clear information about the loan, the rep didn't have a license to arrange regulated loans (bit of a shot in the dark this one but couldn't find his name on the list I saw (if I had the right list)).
I will also include the fact I will be following up with the FSA, the FO, Trading Standards, and fraud police, in the hope this scares them enough to cancel the repayments. At this point I'm not even bothered about a full refund, my wife blames me for this and it is the catalyst for many an argument. I've paid around 3200 I'm guessing, there's no way of checking without going back through bank statements.

[connorm]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi there,
I've been with Trades gateway doing the full scope electrical course. After a year of not being able to do the course and only having 16months left to complete the course, with little time to do it and monetary problems. I've paid probably about £3150 for this course and don't want to waste any more money on a course i cannot physically complete. I feel i've been massively mis-sold this as now i've just found out there are 8 weeks of practical i must do (would never get the time off to do it as opposed to 2 weeks the salesman stated). I've got my credit agreement signed by the salesmen on behalf of the finance company. I just want this mess to be cancelled so i can get on and try use what money i have left to some form of actual qualification. I wanted to wait on advice on someone before i go and cancel this. What process should i go through, im so far into the course that i don't know if they'll just straight up cancel it. The finance is with Carnegie Consumers, doing loans for all these types of courses, so go figures i've obviously been fleece.. What can i do to cancel this course and try to salvage anything to stop wasting another 3 grand on a course i can't do. What route can i go down to do that without paying more back?

[DEXTER77]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi there,
I've been with Trades gateway doing the full scope electrical course. After a year of not being able to do the course and only having 16months left to complete the course, with little time to do it and monetary problems. I've paid probably about £3150 for this course and don't want to waste any more money on a course i cannot physically complete. I feel i've been massively mis-sold this as now i've just found out there are 8 weeks of practical i must do (would never get the time off to do it as opposed to 2 weeks the salesman stated). I've got my credit agreement signed by the salesmen on behalf of the finance company. I just want this mess to be cancelled so i can get on and try use what money i have left to some form of actual qualification. I wanted to wait on advice on someone before i go and cancel this. What process should i go through, im so far into the course that i don't know if they'll just straight up cancel it. The finance is with Carnegie Consumers, doing loans for all these types of courses, so go figures i've obviously been fleece.. What can i do to cancel this course and try to salvage anything to stop wasting another 3 grand on a course i can't do. What route can i go down to do that without paying more back?

Hello,
I'm in same situation. I cancelled the course 3 weeks ago for mis-selling. They started to send me letters and e-mails telling that i don't have proves of that....And yes i have....i still have the sms of the agent who sold me this sh...t with all his lies.
Also a debt collector agency started to send me emails too and i told them that is a harrasment. (the finance company has to notice me in write about this...they didnt.)
So , i don't know. I will wait to see whats happening. But i will not pay anymore. Even i'm thinking to claim back my wated money(around 2400)
Good Luck

[omarinbox]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi all.

I've just sent an email to both CF4TS and Trades Gateway requesting canellation of my course due to change of circumstance. I'm working much longer hours than I was last year and theres no way I can do this course. I'm in a supervisory position in my workplace since last summer and there are many more responsibilities for me. And that means hours more at work that I can't put towards the course.

Signed up for the Domestic Renewables course last January. Have paid over £2000.

Need to get out!

[Peterk]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi my names peter,
I was past the point of cancelation so assumed I had no leg to stand on,

I looked at all these messages and basically felt trapped like a rabbit in a snare.

At the time I took the course on I was emotionally vonerable,
My girlfriend had broken up with me and met a guy that had stability and something to offer!

Out of desperation I took on this course, I want to get out of it but assumed I couldn't

I got rid of most of the paperwork as it just served to remind me of what a gulable foul I have been! tried contacting them just get a voice mail also emailed them waiting for a reply,

Looked into them and they just seem like Cowboys how can a company like this operate legally in the UK?

[Blakey77]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi my names peter,
I was past the point of cancelation so assumed I had no leg to stand on,

I looked at all these messages and basically felt trapped like a rabbit in a snare.

At the time I took the course on I was emotionally vonerable,
My girlfriend had broken up with me and met a guy that had stability and something to offer!

Out of desperation I took on this course, I want to get out of it but assumed I couldn't

I got rid of most of the paperwork as it just served to remind me of what a gullible foul I have been! tried contacting them just get a voice mail also emailed them waiting for a reply,

Looked into them and they just seem like Cowboys how can a company like this operate legally in the UK?

Hi Peter, A friend of mine was cold called last summer by these scammers. He endured three days of bullshit, flattery, false promises and hard sell techniques. The salesman broke about every rule in the book to get a naive young man to sign a piece of paper and that had been the goal all along. That piece of paper turned out to be loan agreement. The salesman promised the earth and provided a mobile number in case there was anything he needed. When my friend asked what I thought I said it sounded very stran

[Blakey77]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi Peter, A friend of mine was cold called last summer by these scammers. He endured three days of bullshit, flattery, false promises and hard sell techniques. The salesman broke about every rule in the book to get a naive young man to sign a piece of paper and that had been the goal all along. That piece of paper turned out to be loan agreement. The salesman promised the earth and provided a mobile number in case there was anything he needed. When my friend asked what I thought I said it sounded very strange and was probably a scam. When he tried to contact the college to cancel the course he couldn't get through and the salesman’s mobile number was disconnected. When he did eventually get someone to answer the phone they said his course had been cancelled because he missed the first payment but still had to repay the loan. He has not paid one instalment of this alleged loan.

From my research I am convinced that this is a long term sophisticated scam. I have shared my thoughts with the Financial Conduct Authority who were very interested.

This is how I think it works.

Victims are identified most likely from searches they make on the internet. They are all a mixture of young, vulnerable, ambitious, naive and poor. They all want a better life. A slick salesman cold calls them and invites him or herself to their home.
They arrive and flatter and praise the victim, they then blame them for being poorly paid or unemployed. They make the victim feel bad for not providing a good standard of living for their family.
They then wave the opportunity to earn a guaranteed £40 - £60,000 pa. All they need to do is to decide if they want to be a plumber, electrician or welder and secure a much sought after place on the course at the college they represent, with a guaranteed job and high salary at the end. There is then a sales spiel about how easy and flexible the studying is.

The salesperson carries out a fake knowledge and ability test which the victim always passes. He then makes pretend phone calls to the “college” to secure a place for the victim. After lots of pretend arguing and articulated mobile phone calls he suddenly declares “ I’ve got you a place but we must act quickly before someone else takes it”.
Now to sort out the finance, more pretend phone calls and suddenly this ‘superman’ has found a source of money to pay the college fees. A form is filled out, the cost is £135 month for three years and you can cancel the course at any time if it’s not for you. The form is now offered for signature and the victim in their head is spending their £60.000 salary and will sign anything that is put in front of them. The sales person takes their £50 cash fee and is off.
What the victim isn’t told is that the salesperson, the credit intermediary, the credit company and the college are all the same people. The only money to change hands is from the victim to the scammers.
The victim is now excited at how their life has changed unbelievable in a few days and look forward to starting their course.
Those who get cold feet and try to cancel find they cannot get through to anyone and when they do they are told they have missed the cooling off period and are trapped with a debt. Course or no course they have to pay.
Those that don’t realise they have been ‘had’ pay their monthly fees and start their pretend course at the on line pretend college.
The ‘course’ is designed to string victims along and keep them paying until they run out of time, get fed up and give up or pay off their ‘loan’. As far as I can ascertain nobody has ever qualified as a £60,000 anything, ever
The victims of this scam are the ones that can’t afford a legal fight or risk being credit blacklisted so they keep on paying with the threat of debt collectors and bailiffs knocking on their door.
Those that do stop paying have their ‘debt’ sold to a debt recovery agency. it’s a win win situation for the scammers. They get money if you pay and they get money if you don’t.
My advice to anyone in this situation is to stop paying, this is a scam, you are a victim.
The Consumer Credit Act 1974, The Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Office of Fair Trading Guidelines on Responsible Lending 2010 control the activities of those who sell credit to prevent people being drawn into agreements they do not need, want or can’t afford.
These documents are all on line, please look them up and see if they were breached by your salesperson.

In the case I looked into, the person selling the credit did not have a license from the Financial Conduct Authority to sell credit away from business premises. My friend’s friend’s living room was not business premises. That alone makes the ‘debt’ unenforceable.
No credit checks were carried out and no affordability assessment made as are required by law. My friend had no job, no income whatsoever (not even benefits) and no savings. When this was pointed out to the salesman his response was “go and get a job then” My friend had virtually no qualifications and no permanent fixed address. They didn’t even ask for his date of birth.
He was patronised, flattered, told he would be stupid not to take this opportunity and put under emotional and psychological pressure over three days to sign. He was told there were a limited number of places he was competing for and rushed to sign what turned out to be a fixed term loan agreement. He was not given the opportunity to read anything before signing the form and no cancellation rights were explained.
All this is illegal.
Within three months, having made no payments and received no correspondence with either the ‘college’ or the credit company, contact was made by a debt recovery agency to settle his ‘account’ with them for just under £5000.
They were told where to get off.
Two months later a different debt recovery agency wrote asking him to settle his ‘account ‘ with them for the same amount. They were sent a strongly worded recorded delivery letter and were not heard from again.
Just before Christmas 2016 the credit supplier wrote threatening to have my friend blacklisted as a bad debtor if the full amount wasn’t paid in two weeks. That was ignored as threats like that are illegal. Nothing happened.
A couple of months ago the credit supplier wrote again saying that all future payments and correspondence must be handled by a debt collection agency and supplied details of the same agency that had been in touch the previous summer.
That agency also wrote a couple of days later asking for payment on my friends ‘account’ with them. Because of the wording of that letter I suspect they are in cahoots with the original scammers. Their details are with the Financial Conduct Authority.

[swright150783]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi been on a course with trades gateway for around 14 months never missed payment but not getting the course I signed up for no help or direction just books and tests, online VR training does not work, my documents were not signed by myself or there salesman including card payment details, and no papers were sent afterwards confirming direct debits or credit agreement, would like to know if this is mis sold credit and if I am entitled to cancel and possibly be refunded what I have already paid?

[Blakey77]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

It's a scam, stop paying. doubt you will get your money back but stop throwing good money after bad.

[swright150783]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

It's a scam, stop paying. doubt you will get your money back but stop throwing good money after bad.

did your friend get any kind of repercussions from not paying other than threatening letters such as bad credit ccjs court summons or anything and what is happening with the issue he had now, emailed trades gateway and also career finance 4 trade skills they sent emails with information about where I'd do my practical work, not good reviews on this place either err training is there name been into administration as 3 other companies before hand and started up again, I will do the same as you and report to financial services authority, Trades Gateway messaged back career finance 4 trade skills have not and seem uninterested in my coplaint.

[Blakey77]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

none so far

[Amethyst]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

[MENTION=103187]swright150783[/MENTION]

Can you post a copy of the email re the practical training.

Were the centres in accessible locations for you and as promised at the outset when you started the course originally?

[Amethyst]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

Hi been on a course with trades gateway for around 14 months never missed payment but not getting the course I signed up for no help or direction just books and tests, online VR training does not work, my documents were not signed by myself or there salesman including card payment details, and no papers were sent afterwards confirming direct debits or credit agreement, would like to know if this is mis sold credit and if I am entitled to cancel and possibly be refunded what I have already paid?

This is rubbish service and you should make a complaint along those lines, that the course is not fit for purpose or as described and you expect a refund. Were you told there would be support ? - have you had a tutor assigned and have you ever tried to contact them to discuss the course? Have you complained about the VR not working ?

Which documents were not signed by yourself ? How is the payment taken each month ?

I'd also send a CCA request to CF4TS if that's who you pay for the course.

[swright150783]

Re: Trades Gateway cancellation Help Please

The training centre is within traveling distance, the strange thing about all this is that trades gateway now no longer have any licence to sign off on finance, I don't believe the person that signed me up was allowed to do it in my home, he made promises of work on site experience which I don't believe they can provide and is essential to the passing of city and Guilds, nvq qualifications, the finance does not show on my credit report anywhere and the qualifications I'm attempting to obtain have now changed to something different, this is on top of the VR training not working, plus I simply don't believe a credit check was done because I would not have got a 6000 loan from anywhere, can I ask what a CCA Is?