Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

[scoffy69]

Hi
I have a problem. My son who was 21 at the time; signed up to do a course with Trades Gateway in October last year. The man came to the house gave some information and left saying he would return the next day. On returning he played a DVD and gave us some more information and also said that they don't usually accept students under the age of 25 but would make an exception for my son. My son paid him £50.00 up front for the books he left with him.
My son works for an agency and is not guaranteed regular work. He is currently having financial difficulties and is unable to continue with the course. He started the course and completed 2 modules.
My son has contacted trades gateway to cancel the course and also contacted Caledonian finance to try and cancel the agreement. They have said that because we are outside the cooling off period this agreement cannot be cancelled as they have paid trades gateway £4000 up front.
Is there any way he can get out of this. He has also cancelled his direct debit because there is no money in his bank to cover it and he didn,t want to incur charges from
the bank for unpaid direct debits. We are in no position to help as we are currently in a financial arrangement.
Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Thomas145]

Re: Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

We're having the same problem, there's another thread on here about this same company.. What has happened after cancelling direct debit?

[Balboa8]

Re: Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

Hi Scoffy69

My brother also signed up to this exact same course back in January of this year, course is not all that it was made out to be. He's made an initial £50 payment and 2 further monthly payments of £145, it's seems their is no way out of the financial agreement with Career Finance 4 Trade Skills Ltd. I'm curious as to the name of the person who visited your house and who that person worked for?. Was it ERR ltd??

[teaboy2]

Re: Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

Not really and employment issue - Thread should be moved to Money and Debt forum.

[Balboa8]

Re: Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

its relevant to the Trades Gateway conversation.

[teaboy2]

Re: Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

I don't see how a dispute with trades gateway is relevant to employment law?!

Whilst i sympathize with the issues your having with them, its not an employment issue, as they are a service provider much in the same way as a provider of an IT training course you would attend weekly is, where you pay a weekly/monthly fee for the service. Its a consumer law issue to be honest.

Employment issues are between employers and employees, and Trades Gateway, in the context of this discussion are not an employer of anyone here or anyone that anyone here is representing. Yes having such trade qualifications and skills at the end of the courses provided by trade gateway would open the gate to employment in such trade orientated industries, but that's the only connection this thread has in regards to employment par se.

You would more likely get the help you need if this thread was in the Money and Debt forum where similar threads are regarding consumer law and sales of goods act and the supply of goods and services act, as those are the likely legislation you need advice on, not employment rights act, working time regulations or other employment legislation.

[Blakey77]

Re: Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

Hi
I am currently helping my grandson with his brush with TradesGateway.
My advice is look up the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and its amendments that cover what a lender can and cannot do, what details they have to give you, the checks they have to carry out to show the credit is affordable in your circumstances. Also look at the OFT (Office Fair Trading) guidance of irresponsible lending http://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...20140402142426. In our case there were multiple breaches.
It appears from my knowledge that the college representative is also the credit intermediary, it may well be that the college and the credit company are one and the same. The person arranging the credit should not target borrowers with credit products that are clearly unsuitable for them, subjected to high pressure selling, aggressive or oppressive behaviour or inappropriate coercion, or conduct which is deceitful, oppressive, unfair or improper, whether unlawful or not.(direct lift from OFT) The representative of the college cannot make predictions for the qualifications or potential earnings that are unrealistic or downright lies
If they have breached the CCA or the OFT guidelines then the contract is illegal and unenforceable. That is the line we are going down, fortunately we have only paid a deposit and no monthly payments. After two missed payments the college cancelled the course because of nonpayment. What has it got to do with them as they had allegedly received nearly £5000 in tuition fees. If you have been treated the way my grandson was, i suggest you stop the payments, complain to the Financial Conduct Authority and if they harass you see a solicitor.

[EXC]

Re: Trades Gateway Plumbing Course

Hi
I am currently helping my grandson with his brush with TradesGateway.
My advice is look up the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and its amendments that cover what a lender can and cannot do, what details they have to give you, the checks they have to carry out to show the credit is affordable in your circumstances. Also look at the OFT (Office Fair Trading) guidance of irresponsible lending http://webarchive.nationalarchives.g...20140402142426. In our case there were multiple breaches.
It appears from my knowledge that the college representative is also the credit intermediary, it may well be that the college and the credit company are one and the same. The person arranging the credit should not target borrowers with credit products that are clearly unsuitable for them, subjected to high pressure selling, aggressive or oppressive behaviour or inappropriate coercion, or conduct which is deceitful, oppressive, unfair or improper, whether unlawful or not.(direct lift from OFT) The representative of the college cannot make predictions for the qualifications or potential earnings that are unrealistic or downright lies
If they have breached the CCA or the OFT guidelines then the contract is illegal and unenforceable. That is the line we are going down, fortunately we have only paid a deposit and no monthly payments. After two missed payments the college cancelled the course because of nonpayment. What has it got to do with them as they had allegedly received nearly £5000 in tuition fees. If you have been treated the way my grandson was, i suggest you stop the payments, complain to the Financial Conduct Authority and if they harass you see a solicitor.

I think that's pretty much spot on. Although the college and the credit company are seperate legal entities technically I believe they may share some directors but I'm sure [MENTION=6]Amethyst[/MENTION] will know.

We don't always think it's a good idea to stop the payments, only if they're causing hardship. But yes, ABSOLUTELY report to the Financial Conduct Authority.