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Dispute with college - Please Help
kalps
Posts: 184 Forumite
Hi,
I am very grateful to this website where people can get real help from highly supportive and helpful community. So let me explain the details of my issue.
We are around 65 international students taken up MBA course from one of the business school of London. Most of the students are either part qualified or fully-qualified ACCA and CIMA students. The course was marketed as one year full time course and that is how it was advised during the initial inquiry and induction stage. It was promised to be completed in one year time. Majority of us have taken this course on the basis of finishing this in one year time. Now the college says it might extend it to 18 months instead of 12. The delay have very serious consequence on each students. Some of us who got study leave from our employer might lose the job. Some of us who are planning to apply for 2 year post study worker visa will be delayed as we require degree in hand to submit to home office. Also some student have send the extension application on the basis of letter provided by college which says it will finish in 12 months time. So they have to again apply for student visa extension which cost around 500 pounds.
We have given enough time and opportunity to college to rectify their mistake and complete the course in 12 months. They came back to us saying that they cannot do it because university will not flex their standard. The college has never checked with university and assumed everything putting us in this kind of mess.
We have got all the evidence like prospectus, enrollment letter and magazine which says that course is of one year. Now college want to breach this contract as we all have paid our fees and seems powerless. The attitude of management of the college is like do whatever you want to do we dont care.
Now we are thinking of taking legal action against such wrong doing and using deceitful and dishonest tactics to attract the students. But most of us are international student who cannot afford the legal fees. I would appreciate if someone can guide us to right path.
Thanks in Advance.
I am very grateful to this website where people can get real help from highly supportive and helpful community. So let me explain the details of my issue.
We are around 65 international students taken up MBA course from one of the business school of London. Most of the students are either part qualified or fully-qualified ACCA and CIMA students. The course was marketed as one year full time course and that is how it was advised during the initial inquiry and induction stage. It was promised to be completed in one year time. Majority of us have taken this course on the basis of finishing this in one year time. Now the college says it might extend it to 18 months instead of 12. The delay have very serious consequence on each students. Some of us who got study leave from our employer might lose the job. Some of us who are planning to apply for 2 year post study worker visa will be delayed as we require degree in hand to submit to home office. Also some student have send the extension application on the basis of letter provided by college which says it will finish in 12 months time. So they have to again apply for student visa extension which cost around 500 pounds.
We have given enough time and opportunity to college to rectify their mistake and complete the course in 12 months. They came back to us saying that they cannot do it because university will not flex their standard. The college has never checked with university and assumed everything putting us in this kind of mess.
We have got all the evidence like prospectus, enrollment letter and magazine which says that course is of one year. Now college want to breach this contract as we all have paid our fees and seems powerless. The attitude of management of the college is like do whatever you want to do we dont care.
Now we are thinking of taking legal action against such wrong doing and using deceitful and dishonest tactics to attract the students. But most of us are international student who cannot afford the legal fees. I would appreciate if someone can guide us to right path.
Thanks in Advance.
I have a problem for your solution
0
Comments
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Can't say I have much sympathy.
The last thing the UK needs is 65 university graduates given the mass unemployment at the moment in many industries0 -
LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »Can't say I have much sympathy.
The last thing the UK needs is 65 university graduates given the mass unemployment at the moment in many industries
The main issue here is wrong doing and exploiting the students knowing that there is little they can do.I have a problem for your solution0 -
LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »Can't say I have much sympathy.
The last thing the UK needs is 65 university graduates given the mass unemployment at the moment in many industries
Don't agree with you at all here ... these students will have paid a lot of money to this course in a year .... they are not university grads, they are beyond that .... most of them will go back home to work .... foreign students are a good source of income for UK universities ...
To OP ...
Have you tried contacting the london college direct, see what they say?
Otherwise lawyer is the next step .... they will see you for 30 minutes for free ... or citerzn advice
MarkWe’ve had to remove your signature. Please check the Forum Rules if you’re unsure why it’s been removed and, if still unsure, email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com0 -
LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »Can't say I have much sympathy.
The last thing the UK needs is 65 university graduates given the mass unemployment at the moment in many industries
This is bordering on - perhaps even crossing the border - of racism.0 -
Don't agree with you at all here ... these students will have paid a lot of money to this course in a year .... they are not university grads, they are beyond that .... most of them will go back home to work .... foreign students are a good source of income for UK universities ...
To OP ...
Have you tried contacting the london college direct, see what they say?
Otherwise lawyer is the next step .... they will see you for 30 minutes for free ... or citerzn advice
Mark
No Solicitors see people for 30 minutes unless they have agreed that in advance.
And to be honest the sort of solicitors that do are probably inappropriate for this sort of case.
OP - there is a clear breach of contract / misrepresentation claim here which you are not bound to 'put up with'.
This needs to be nipped in the bud - i.e. provide the Uni with the option to rectify their potential breach. The obvious way is to write on behalf of all of you pointing out the breach and requiring its rectification (or at least a plan to rectify) within 14 days.
If they refuse then you can take action for an 'anticipatory breach of contract' - you do not need to wait for the course to overrun.
To take things further, you WILL need specialist advice. Do NOT just pop into your high street solicitors.
It is possible that this can be funded on a conditional fee agreement - particular as it is shaping up to be a class action. This means no win, no fee. Again, only certain solicitors offer this.
The choice of firm here is key. Good advice is not cheap but is essential in this case.0 -
Not it's not, it's Xenophobic, as well as being pathetic. No doubt Linas found that in the Daily Wail.
Its funny. We have tolerated Linas poor - sometimes ridiculous - "advice". However, the issue in question relates to a breach of contract. It does not matter whether it relates to UK students or overseas students.0 -
Don't agree with you at all here ... these students will have paid a lot of money to this course in a year .... they are not university grads, they are beyond that .... most of them will go back home to work .... foreign students are a good source of income for UK universities ...
Just to confirm, totally agree with this bit!0 -
Yes you are quite right. We have paid huge sum for the course. I have tried contacting few solicitor but they are all asking for initial consultation fee in range of 300 to 500 regardless of taking the matter further or not. We have been chasing the college from last 3 months now and gone through all the routine complaints and necessary meeting but they simply doesnt seems to bother. We had a meeting just before couple of weeks with course director and other management staff and they promised to come back to us within a week. To my horror when I called up college to find out after one week I was told both the member are on holiday for three weeks. The essence was to start the 2nd semester in mid july to complete the course in 12 months but it seems rather unlikely now.Don't agree with you at all here ... these students will have paid a lot of money to this course in a year .... they are not university grads, they are beyond that .... most of them will go back home to work .... foreign students are a good source of income for UK universities ...
To OP ...
Have you tried contacting the london college direct, see what they say?
Otherwise lawyer is the next step .... they will see you for 30 minutes for free ... or citerzn advice
MarkI have a problem for your solution0 -
No Solicitors see people for 30 minutes unless they have agreed that in advance.
And to be honest the sort of solicitors that do are probably inappropriate for this sort of case.
OP - there is a clear breach of contract / misrepresentation claim here which you are not bound to 'put up with'.
This needs to be nipped in the bud - i.e. provide the Uni with the option to rectify their potential breach. The obvious way is to write on behalf of all of you pointing out the breach and requiring its rectification (or at least a plan to rectify) within 14 days.
If they refuse then you can take action for an 'anticipatory breach of contract' - you do not need to wait for the course to overrun.
To take things further, you WILL need specialist advice. Do NOT just pop into your high street solicitors.
It is possible that this can be funded on a conditional fee agreement - particular as it is shaping up to be a class action. This means no win, no fee. Again, only certain solicitors offer this.
The choice of firm here is key. Good advice is not cheap but is essential in this case.
We have provided them enough opportunity and numerous option to resolve the issue in the best interest of student but in vain. Like I said earlier we have been chasing and complaining from last 3 months. I course was in mess right from the first day as the time changed 5 times in first month. They have huge internal operation problem which failed to improve. For instance, some students are still awaiting ID cards and we have already completed 1st semester. The student cannot access university library without ID card. The list is very long but I want to keep the matter simple. All we are asking them is to finish the course in 12 month thats it.I have a problem for your solution0
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