home learning college

hanstar

i signed up with the home learning college last year to do a course in web design costing £1800, i have really been struggling with the course and as my situation has changed i felt that changing to a different course would make more sense.
i would have liked to quit completely but was aware that they would still make me pay the full cost of the course even if i did not do it, so asked them if i could swap to another course, i then realised that the course i wanted to do only cost £419, they have said i am allowed to do 2 course in exchange for the web design course but would still have to pay in full
so 2 courses, means im paying £1800 for courses worth £838 so loosing £962. i am currently in serious financial hardship and struggling to make ends meet and this is just the icing on the cake!!
i have tried to negotiate a 3rd course but they will not allow me to do a 3rd course. this would only total £1303 meaning they would still be £497 in profit.

i have found them very unhelpful and i feel i am being completely ripped off. i feel i was conned into the web design coures in the first place, i had a home visit from a "sales man" after i requsted info on their courses, he presurised me into signing up and said dont worry you can cancel within 7 days from now if you change your mind, however the course material did not show up for over a week by which time i could not cancel.

has anyone else had bad experiences with the hlc? i feel so down about this and ive tried my hardest with the web design course but i just cant get on with it atall. :mad:

welshmoneylover

I've heard of similar stories and wouldn't touch them with a barge pole, they are just interested in the money.

You should have gone for the OU mate, now they are the experts in distance learning.

Good luck

hahally

Maybe its good somehow
While isn't fit for us

Oldernotwiser

hahally wrote: »

Maybe its good somehow
While isn't fit for us

welshmoneylover

hahally wrote: »

Maybe its good somehow
While isn't fit for us

huh, come again?

hanstar

sorry hahally i dont understand what you mean??
i wish i had never signed up with them, and i wish i had done my research on the company first. problem is i sent of for some info on their courses and from th ou, but the hlc sent a sales rep round to my house, i had just had my baby 3 months before so was exhausted and vunerable, he made it seem like the perfect course to do, probably because its the most expensive!! and i got sucked in. i am now stuck doing a course that i cant do and being ripped off. i really want to quit but they will still make me pay the rest of the £1800 so changing is my only option but the courses they say i can change to to get better value for money are all accounting or it courses and im not cut out for either. im so angry with myself!! and the hlc!

welshmoneylover

hanstar wrote: »

but the hlc sent a sales rep round to my house, i had just had my baby 3 months before so was exhausted and vunerable,

I've heard this before I think watch dog done a programme on them many moons ago. I believe they are quite persistent too!

I hope you manage to get it sorted.
If it were me, I think I'd finish paying the course but never study with them.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think their qualifications are worth much either on the job market where The OU is highly respected by employers and employees.

Chin up hun, we all make mistakes in life! x;)

hanstar

welshmoneylover wrote: »

I hope you manage to get it sorted.
If it were me, I think I'd finish paying the course but never study with them.


Chin up hun, we all make mistakes in life! x;)

thank you!

problem is my partner is out of work and we've had to go on benefits, plus we owe money to creditors/debts (which citizens advice are helping us with) so this an extra debt i could do without and if im not getting a qualification out of it i might as well flush £1800 down the drain. will ring citizens advice on monday and see if they can help.

welshmoneylover

Hope you get it sorted hanster, sounds as if life is dealing you a crappy card right now, x
It wont last forever I promise x

hanstar

icing on the cake!! just proves what money grabbers the hlc are.
i decided that as i cannot complete the course im on that i would swap for the 2 courses the offered. i am not happy about this as i will loose nearly £900 but at the end of the day i decided its in my intrest to do a subject that i want to do. so i sent them an email saying i wanted to transfer this is an email i had back

As a gesture of goodwill, Home Learning College are happy to arrange a transfer to the two courses of your choice free of charge. However, as the software is now of no use to us, you will be required to pay a fee of £150.00. Please advise.

i cant believe this, not only will they be making £900 of me from me changing to a lower value course but they also want paying for the software i had for the web design course. it is a student addition of dreamweaver and ive seen i can buy this for £89 (probably cheaper if i looked).

sorry rant over!! but just wanted to post this incase anyone is thinking about joining the hlc.......DONT
they are just after your money,

greencloud

hanstar wrote: »

icing on the cake!! just proves what money grabbers the hlc are.
i decided that as i cannot complete the course im on that i would swap for the 2 courses the offered. i am not happy about this as i will loose nearly £900 but at the end of the day i decided its in my intrest to do a subject that i want to do. so i sent them an email saying i wanted to transfer this is an email i had back

As a gesture of goodwill, Home Learning College are happy to arrange a transfer to the two courses of your choice free of charge. However, as the software is now of no use to us, you will be required to pay a fee of £150.00. Please advise.

i cant believe this, not only will they be making £900 of me from me changing to a lower value course but they also want paying for the software i had for the web design course. it is a student addition of dreamweaver and ive seen i can buy this for £89 (probably cheaper if i looked).

sorry rant over!! but just wanted to post this incase anyone is thinking about joining the hlc.......DONT
they are just after your money,

I've just signed up to hlc today! doing the same course, I thought i'd just come here to make sure i was doing the right thing.... sorry about what has happened to you and you have stopped me making the same mistake...