Threats and bullying - do I actually owe anything? Advice please

Untrained

Hello everyone, thank you for reading.

I've got one heck of a problem at the moment, and any advice anyone can give will be most gratefully received.

About three years ago I decided to enrol on a training course with Advent Computer training. The finance was supplied by Barclays Partner Finance.

Shortly after this I went through some major personal upheavals and medical issues; I realised that there was no way I could do the training. I contacted Advent and they seemed OK with it.

Then they went into liquidation. Barclays Partner Finance are now threatening me on a near-constant basis, demanding £10,000 for a course I never attended.

Citizens' Advice told me to send them £1 per month, which I am doing - when I was working full time (before my health failed me), I was making payments of £90 per month, again, for training I never did.

Is there any way I can legally get them to stop demanding money that, in my mind, I didn't actually borrow? I never attended any lectures, examinations et cetera; the only evidence I ever actually enrolled was a couple of packs of information (the first lesson, if you will), of which I have since disposed.

Thank you again, and sorry for the long post.

talana

Shortly after this I went through some major personal upheavals and medical issues; I realised that there was no way I could do the training. I contacted Advent and they seemed OK with it.

So at that point in the story you'd already paid your £10K to Advent? They seemed OK with you pulling out, so what did they say then about refunding the money?

Is there any way I can legally get them to stop demanding money that, in my mind, I didn't actually borrow? I never attended any lectures, examinations et cetera; the only evidence I ever actually enrolled was a couple of packs of information (the first lesson, if you will), of which I have since disposed.

Let's knock that one on the head straight away, of course you've borrowed it. Whether you attended the course or not is of no concern to Barclays. They loaned you £10K and haven't seen it back, so naturally they will chase you for it.

Apples2

Agreed, you borrowed £10k from Barclays and gave it all to Advent in one go.

Barclays are £10k (plus interest) down on this so far so naturally want their money back.

It is Advent you need to chase for a refund (although it would be unlikely as you already started the course when you received the bumph you have binned).

I wonder what percentage of these people actually complete a whole course?
There are a few posts about Advent and Barclays on here, you could search those out and see what others have done.

Barclays usually offer an alternative course (Learn Direct or something) but not many people have any success in pulling out and getting a refund.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2235193

.

Untrained

Thank you both.

Apples2, I would chase Advent, but since they no longer exist I just don't know who to get my refund from.

And though Barclays have said they want me to go with CompuTeach, the fact remains that I'm just too sick to do any training.

Thanks again for reading and replying

Malky

Whilst unfortunate that Advent went down and you became ill, the long and short of it is that you owe Barclays £10K.
You need to do extensive searching into how to get your money back. I wouldn't be surprised if more people are in a similar situation to you.

Untrained

Thanks again for the replies. I think it will end up in court before too long. Citizens' Advice told Barclays to chase the money from Advent themselves; I haven't the first clue how to go about getting it. Of course Barclays didn't listen because they like to threaten and scream at people instead of engaging in constructive discourse. I think I will go to the FSA/financial ombudsman and ask how to go about chasing money from a liquidated company.