Mis-sold Home Learning College Course??

Carole67

Hi

I'm in a similar position to alot of you. I feel I was mis sold a course, and still have a balance outstanding which they are now threatening to take me to court over. I purchased an AAT course in March 2009 when some one came to my house. I was able to go in at a higher entry level by proving my previous knowledge. I asked about the software and was told it wasn't include in my course because it was normally provided on the lower level course. The guy who signed me up said I could buy for the software for about £50 from the usual high street retailers. I made by deposit, and started paying by DD. My books came and I looked for references to what software i needed to buy, but there were none. I searched on the HLC site for info, there were none. I emailed my tutor to ask which version of Sage I needed to buy, no response. I then had an email saying that there was an online test to do. Although I hadn't started studying (due to lack of the software) I intended taking the test just to see what my knowledge was like. I couldn't negotiate my way around the site and actually find out how to complete the test. I then emailed my tutor for help again. No repsonse. At that point I cancelled my DD, having paid £421.25 including my deposit. They were then in touch with me pretty quickly. I explained my dispute but they weren't very helpful. At one point I did speak to someone who sounded they like wanted to resolve it amicably and she said I'd been booked on the wrong course. She was happy to put me on the 'correct' course but that would cost me over £200+. I'd still not been told what software to purchase and wasn't prepared to spend anymore. I believe the course was mis-sold to me. Their credit control has been very sporadic. I go for 6 months and hear nothing at which point I think they're written off the £1400 balance, and then out of nowhere I get another reminder. They are now threatening me with court. I could find the money to pay them if I needed to, but I don't feel I should have to. I tried to reason with them amicably but I don't feel they've heard of customer service. If I'd got some prompt responses in the first place, and been given the basic information I'd asked for I would have continued paying and would have taken the course. I've written to the Financial Services Obmudsman for help, and will go to Trading Standards if I need to. At this point it's bad enough being out of pocket by £400+ without being forced to pay another £1400 for nothing.

I'd be interested to hear how you get on Wendy?

Carole

junior0000

if you ring and register for the course and they took 47.50 depoisit and then take the other 47.50 2 weeks later.but after the first depoisit was took they let me in and look around the course so i did and i started after numerous emails for a liitle help i got none so i rang and cancelled and it was four day after they took the depoisit and said i had 14 days to cancel due to distance selling laws but two months later no refund so what do i do any ideals please. but the exams cannot be took in northern ireland anywhere and compit ta exam grade is not even vailid in ni and why not tell me this on the phone.i checked and it is breaking the law what they are doing who do i report them to.

DalePie

AJ83 wrote: »

I was looking into the Web Design which at the end would make me an Adobe Certified Associate and able to work in Web Design.

Anyone in the Computer Science world will look at this statement and let out a slight snigger .

Save your money! It WILL NOT get you a job.

"Web Designers" are two a penny these days. Just run a search on Google in your local area and you will find guys who can throw together a cheap looking WordPress theme for a few hundred. There is no great skill in this and certainly nothing you have to even go to Technical College for. Most of these people are self taught off the web too.

If you want to earn money and develop a career in computers then you either need to learn on your own, build a portfolio and sell yourself that way or go to university and do comp sci or perhaps web dev.

Anyone who tells you they can put you on a less than degree standard course which will magically produce a quality job at the end is talking complete nonsense. Even comp sci or web dev students have a portfolio of research projects, actual physical works such as a pet program or quite common a mobile phone app they wrote or perhaps a useful website plus some work experience by the end of year 3.

I have some experience of dealing with students fresh out of HLC and other similar companies. The level of knowledge they have is complete pants and at the level of a good A Level student perhaps. Totally insufficient to do anything other than type letters and I'm sure there are far better secretarial / PA courses if that's your career choice!

luv_or_h8_me

I wouldn't bother with the HLC again! I'm doing two courses with them, the support seems to be limited, I got sent the wrong version of the text and then got told to download it off the website! I argued my case and had my tuition extended....

I've heard very good things about Kaplan and BPP depending what course you want to do... but nothing beats going into a college, face to face contact and interaction!

sandie.sandie

Hi everyone
Hi Wendy


If you need me to join you fighting against those heartless people I am next on the list, right behind you.
Paid them all my savings £2400 and have nothing to show for it been trying to transfer to other course they asked to pay more, spent a fortune for the phone calls.
I'm fed up...Anyone from London wanting to find no win no fee solicitors.
My patience has finished months ago.......
Don't bother to contact citizens advice bureau, financial ombudsman complaint department, all useless, tried it all with no luck :mad:

sandie.sandie

junior0000 wrote: »

if you ring and register for the course and they took 47.50 depoisit and then take the other 47.50 2 weeks later.but after the first depoisit was took they let me in and look around the course so i did and i started after numerous emails for a liitle help i got none so i rang and cancelled and it was four day after they took the depoisit and said i had 14 days to cancel due to distance selling laws but two months later no refund so what do i do any ideals please. but the exams cannot be took in northern ireland anywhere and compit ta exam grade is not even vailid in ni and why not tell me this on the phone.i checked and it is breaking the law what they are doing who do i report them to.

Let's do something about it, a good slicitor is my last hope, the more ppl the better!

sandie.sandie

wendy9119 wrote: »

Hi my name is Wendy. i guess we all have been there coz of HLC. i am getting prepared to face court soon. Firstly i would like to tell you more bout problem I am personally struggling with. Past year i applied for a SAGE course in HLC, but because of my personal reasons i had to leave UK. Before my books arrived i phone and cancelled the course. I send a cancellation e-mail as well. The books were send back straight away. But HLC had a huge surprise for me. 3rd January i received a letter from Clarity that i am fully charged for course. Amount of 1,529.84 pounds. If I am not gonna pay a full amount immediately i will receive a letter for court case. I had no idea what to do. I looked for lawyers advice, Birmingham Citizen Advice Center, I basically tried everything. Seem like no one can help me. So I've send a letter to HLC. I got no response. That made me look deeper into case. I found a number of people complaining that they have been mis sold. All of them are paying huge money and each one was in similar situation to mine.

Right now i have send a really long letter with same cases examples to BBC NEWS. PLEASE IF ANY OF YOU ARE WILLING TO DO SAME THING. we can warn others. if we cant win we can at least try and fight. everyone. we are stronger together.

I am trying to get as much attantion at this case as i can in my name and all of you. I am not willing to pay home learning college and i want my case to be recorded by media. people have to see! i will try to get out of this mess but i ll make this public.this kind of schools cannot be tolerated in our community. not in england. not anywhere. we are here to study and all of us are ending up with financial problems and no education. if you can at least write to bbc and tell them your own story. do it for yourself and everyone whos signing their agreement every new day. we have to destroy those dirty liars. Thanks and wish you best luck. Dont be afraid to stand up!

Hi Wendy

I thought of doing exactly the same thing, there must be a good solicitor out there.
There must be someone able to help us!

Joshd1982

I wanted to do an entry-level accounting course, something to test the waters. I decided on the AAT level 1 course and after at my options Home Learning College appeared to offer the most suitable format.

The problems started immediately. After checking some details with HLC and AAT, I was told that I would be able to book my exam as soon as I finished my course work. I am due to join the armed forces in september, so I confirmed with several advisors that I would have no problems in getting the work done and taking the exam.

After phoning up to purchase the course, I was told my designated advisor was busy and would phone back ASAP to process the transaction. Part of his pitch was the fact that I’d be able to start immediately! He didn’t. I had to chase him up and eventually one of the women who directed calls did it for me.

HLC later that day began calling my place of work, a number I had called them off but had NOT provided for contact. They called several times and caused me problems at work.

Once they had taken my initial payment, I was told I’d be able to start immediately. I couldn’t. Not only could I not access the online materials, but when I finally could log in five days later, there were no online materials for my course! Apparently AAT hadn’t made it available yet –something I wasn’t told at point of sale.

My printed course turned up – I paid £460 for my course. The entire materials consisted of one book that retails at £18.99 on the AAT website.

I made a complaint about this, asked for a refund but was told it was just teething problems. The course advisor guaranteed me there would be no other issues. Ha!

A few days later I requested the payment code for my AAT membership. Nearly two weeks past and I had heard nothing, so I chased it up with my advisor. Email ignored. I sent another email and was told I’d receive the code that day. I didn’t. I sent another email the following day and finally got my code some hours later.

I was then contacted by one of their ‘financial team’ to say I was late with my second instalment. This caused confusion as it was supposed to be taken automatically. The lady told me this was not possible as they could not store my card details. This affected my credit rating. Fast forward a month and HLC are magically able to charge my card, sending me overdrawn (I intended to pay with a different card, as discussed with the woman who called). When I made a complaint about this, they fobbed me off saying the payment had been declined. Strange , as I had just been paid, I myself paid using the same card a day later and my bank had no record of any rejected payments!

When I enquired about booking my final exam, my ‘tutor’ told me had achieved a good mark in my assignment and would be able to book the exam - I had not completed any assignments at this stage.

I requested an exam date and heard nothing for a week. I then received a nonsensical email, with no dates or reference to my particular course. I waited another week then sent an email of complaint. No response. I then after a month of no response, made a formal complaint, as it is now too late for me to be able to complete the course.

After reviewing my complaint, HLC decided they had caused some inconvenience but ultimately had provided the service advertised. Apparently I was offered an extra months ‘tuition’ and….. a free NUS card!

I was told that thecourses have a two month turnaround for booking exams – something I was specifically lied to about when they sold me the course.

The advisor even messed up my complaint – emailing me a response to anther dissatisfied student.

After escalating my complaint, whatever that meant, they offered me a £70 gesture of goodwill.

I had problems with literally every stage of my course. The onlything they did efficiently was collect my money.

Joshd1982

leon_stfc_82 wrote: »

I'm worried, why am I quite happy with it so far!!??! :eek:

Because you are clearly an employee of HLC.

honey10

I've not had any experience with this company, but I have used the OU, and it seems that there are similar, if not the same qualifications available there. I would highly recommend them, as it can work out free, or very cheap, dependant on income. Don't pay through the nose for education when you can have it for free (or much, much cheaper)