Training company taking the money and running

[BurnsieUK]

hi all.

Didn't know this forum exsiste until today.

This is very much “after the horse has bolted”, and I do not expect to get anything from this apart from maybe closure.

So, in March 2015 I signed up for a course, that was mainly delivered online (a training qualification).

Prior to choosing a company I checked that it was accredited with a examination body (it was) and communication from the company was initially good.

I didn’t really do much with the course for a good few months. This was due to a new job (the reason I needed to go on the course in the first place).

When I started completing the course again, there was a gradual reduction in communication from them, to the point where it was silent.

I followed their complaints procedure…nothing.

In the end, I sent a recorded letter taking about legal action (Dec 2015) …A few weeks later I got my coursework marked from them.

I was invited down for a session at their HQ (which was different to the address they said they were). This was now around March 2017. This place was a dump. Think 1970’s brown, with boxes everywhere. I did some “top-up recording” and assured my qualification was all but complete.

Then…..nothing….

In Nov and Dec 2016 I wrote x2 recorded letters again, stating I want a full refund, highlighting when the payments were made etc (unfortunately, I didn’t pay them by credit card, or if I did, I couldn’t find the records).

Nothing…… I submitted small claims courts paper work.

Nothing…. I “won” in absence of a defence being submitted to court (around June 2017).

Of course, no money was paid back, and “instructing magistrates to collect” didn’t return anything either (just left me more out of pocket).

The only way students had of communicating with each other was a forum (until I was unable to access the forum after posting about getting evidence of court etc).

From there I managed to chat via email to someone else who also went through the same process above (although I believe this person spoke to a legal professional as well), but I believe attended court. Again, they didn’t show.

Here is the link for the company. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/06735023 Looks very much a family “business”.

The person I communicated with was “Brian” who apparently wasn’t a director when I was speaking to him.

So, what more could I have done? Or is it a case as these companies can just set up, take your money, and leg it and the courts cannot do anything.

[des8]

Hi and welcome

It seems you spoke to Brian Kanengoni who is noted as Resigned.
The company is currently under notice of compulsory strike off (having been in this position back in Oct 2017)
Their accounts are overdue
Last accounts filed showed only liabilities

I think you know the answer.

The civil courts can't do much (if a person/company has no money the court can't make them pay what they don't have)
If you could prove criminal intent, it still wouldn't recover your money, even if they were gaoled

[Amethyst]

How did you pay if not by credit card ? Bank transfer / debit card ( visa? ) ? I see they also took Paypal and Google payments...


This just amused me from their website ( it's on wayback archive https://web.archive.org/web/20150501...s.co.uk/terms/ )

xxxxxxxxx Training understands that our learners are also customers. We respect Consumer Rights and will refund or compensate where our service have fallen short. You will however need to follow any of procedures such as grievances ,extenuating circumstances, complaints and appeals which are highlighted in the learner handbook.

We sometimes provide a discretionary refund. A discretionary refund is not an entitlement. It can take up to six months for us to decide whether to provide a discretionary refund or not. Where we have given a discretionary refund, you understand that you are not entitled to know how we have decided on the amount given. You have no right of knowing what we pay to our staff or contractors? Discretionary refunds are given by the company as goodwill and should not be a basis of any complaint or litigation!

Also ( considering the fee for a SAR was statutory £10 in 2015 )

You have the right to access any personal data that is being kept about you. To access your information you need to make a written request along with a payment of £15. This fee is chargeable on each occasion that access is requested

Utter fly by nights.

accredited with a examination body

any complaint/redress available through them?
Can you carry any credits/work done over to another provider? ( seems a shame to have done the work but not got the qualification )

[BurnsieUK]

Thabsk for the repoire bith.

I paid by standing order on most occasions (oops).

The good news was that I approached another training company who certificated me for "only" £300 (much chrspec then having to do it again, so was more than happy with that!).

Of course, I understand that the company can't pay me back.... But I kind of got the feeling that they were taking money and putting it striaghs in their back pockets rather than the company itself

[BurnsieUK]

Ps beofre I start another thread. On my mymoneyclaim page it states "final return (result) for you warrant was received on....".

But there is no further information. If I cast my mind back, I may have been sent something through the post, but it seems strange nothing has been uploaded on to this site given my claim was made onoino.

Any ideas?