I booked CeFa / Cemap Course with a company called Beacon Financial Training Ltd. and

raskitty

I booked CeFa / Cemap Course with a company called Beacon Financial Training Ltd. and the director called Brendan O'Neill was the one who dealt with my enquiries by emails.

Brendan refused to refund my £500 deposit; the total cost for search cemap/cefa Brendan was charging is £1,000 with the hope to pay another installment of £500 in January 2010 before starting the course late this month.

I make an enquiry online about Cefa/Cemap course and Brendan contacted me directly by emails and phone calls, the impression I was given about those courses was that it includes exams by Brendan and I asked time after time about the exams, and resits. However I was told I will need to pay for the resits by myself in a situation if I fail the exams. And assures me no problem if I changed my mind about the courses that I just need to let him know in advance.

2days before Christmas I called Brendan and texted too; to find out about the exam's location as the course were to take place in a hotel and I don’t no the exam's timetable and I decided to call Brendan as this doesn’t makes sense and he spring it on me that the course doesn’t include the exam that he was sorry he didn’t mentioned it earlier.

Brendan said:
“I should have informed you about the exams saying that the cost is only for the course and you will have to book the exam with your local Pearson where people sit the exam for driving test; that sorry to be springing the exam information on now”.
And if I didn't texted Brendan or called him trying to find out if the exam will take place at the hotel this won’t have been brought to my attentions which I have the record of the txt. The exams will cost me over £800 separate from the course.

Which I explained clearly to Brendan that I won’t be able to do the course as the cost has let me down and if he had informed me about this I won’t be in a position to do the course that I will wait to hear from companies whom I have applied for jobs and they might sponsor the course which all this is stated in my previous emails. During this time Brendan suggested to think about it and perhaps I should just do one of the courses if I can’t afford the total cost also to think about it and let him know, which I replied to him; I will email first week in January 2010 of my decisions.

I emailed Brendan today and somehow he can’t recollect all our conversations or emails and refusing to refund the money back and I should refer back to terms and conditions on Beacon's website while he has been dealing me in person for weeks and failed to understand he has to return my money: not once during my enquires I was refer to the website as I asked for the member or Beacon Financial Ltd to deal with my enquiry in order to avoid and complications which is not even more complicated more than I bargain for.

All this time I thought I was getting a good service but it a scam and just feeding rubbish just for me to cough up money and money in Brendan's pocket now and he is trying to make an attempt where he doesn’t give back the money

£500 is a lot of money for someone who is un employed just deeply hurt right now and confused. What happens to providing right information’s and making honest living?

dunstonh

What happens to providing right information’s and making honest living?

Can you provide evidence that you were told the exams were included. If its in the contract then you have a good case. If it states its not then you dont.

Are you also aware that CEFA will no longer be sufficient for financial advice for new entrants from 2010. You will need the Diploma/level 4 qualification. Thats another 4 exams to a higher level and higher cost with study time on those of at least 100 hours each as well as further exam costs.

I have heard that many of the firms that tend to take on new recruits,without experience, have stopped recruiting because of the RDR.

raskitty

I have emails confirming about my enquires with the company and also asking about the exams and resits and a txt asking where the exam will be taking place Brendan has denied all this. He email cemap 1 note and said the £500 will cover some of the cost. the agreement was:

£750 for Cefa instensive coures = 13days
£570 for Cemap intesive course = 8days

however since cefa1/cemap1 is the same thing to add another £250 which makes cefa/cemap course for £1,000 which I have paid £500. The course material itself on ebay is under £50 or less while is trying to sit on my £500 is just wrong

raskitty

No I wasnt aware to the new about cefa is nothing this days

Aegis

raskitty wrote: »

I have emails confirming about my enquires with the company and also asking about the exams and resits and a txt asking where the exam will be taking place Brendan has denied all this. He email cemap 1 note and said the £500 will cover some of the cost. the agreement was:

£750 for Cefa instensive coures = 13days
£570 for Cemap intesive course = 8days

however since cefa1/cemap1 is the same thing to add another £250 which makes cefa/cemap course for £1,000 which I have paid £500. The course material itself on ebay is under £50 or less while is trying to sit on my £500 is just wrong

Whether you buy the material second hand or not, the exams are still £135 each (or the were when I sat them). The material is included with your exam entry, so there's really no point in picking up anything second hand.

adam91_2

So the CeFa will no longer be any good?

What should i look at taking then?

Adam

dunstonh

CEFA is fine for getting the initial qualification that will allow you to work as a trainee adviser. However, you then have a period to pass the level 4 examinations before you can become a full adviser. If you dont pass the level 4 within that period, your licence is revoked.

jam2002

dunstonh wrote: »

CEFA is fine for getting the initial qualification that will allow you to work as a trainee adviser. However, you then have a period to pass the level 4 examinations before you can become a full adviser. If you dont pass the level 4 within that period, your licence is revoked.

So is studying for CEFA in the next teo years be useful or not? I heard after 2012 a new qualification will come into place and CEFA will be useless?

dunstonh

So is studying for CEFA in the next teo years be useful or not?

Only if you are going for the RDR compliant exams (if CEFA have issued any).

I heard after 2012 a new qualification will come into place and CEFA will be useless?

Not useless but no longer sufficient. However, that date is only for existing competent advisers. Those now starting the training process have to get the new qualifications immediately (within the trainee period). So, in that respect, they are useless for a trainee. The CII version seems to be the most popular.

magpiecottage

If you want to be a mortgage adviser, CeMAP will still be sufficient.

For financial advice, though, you will need either the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) or IFS School of Finance diploma. The IFS one is arguably slightly more straightforward for new starters and cheaper at £595 but ideally you would want CeFA as a foundation first.

The CII diploma is in two forms. The "old" version is really more suited to existing advisers who have already taken exams for particular activities and are looking to gap fill.

The new one involves a series of exams on different aspects of financial services and you have to get them all.