Skills Train/Barcleys Finance Help Needed

markbrown83

I would like to know if anyone has been onvolved with Skills Train before?

I started in March 2009 a Comptia Training course at £75 per month for 3 years and was promised a valid qualification at the end of this. The first assignment came and was something a 3 year old could have done, so the bar was set.
I continued every month to recieve a code to unlock the next assignment which I would complete within the next few days and return. My code for the next assignment was returned 6 weeks later every time. In February 2010 I saw on there website ( I wasn;t informed) that the course material was changing. After a month of not recieving the new text book I called and asked what was happening. I was told it was coming out and to carry on as normal as all work in new book can be carried on from old. I ercieved this book in August 2010 (6 months later) and in this book all course work was all changed. I called again only to be told I needed to do everything else I had already done again. I then tried to make a complaint only to be told email a course tutor, who then emailed back to say I had to call in.

At this point I sought outside help, and visited my local citizens advice beurea. The informed me to seek action with Barcleys as I would be better cancelling the course and taking up with them as the loan/finance I was given was protected and they would investigate this for me.

I called Barcleys who told me yes this was correct if I was in any problem I was protected and they would challenge skills train for me.

At there advice I reduced my payments as I in there words "don't need to pay for a full service untill I start reciving a full service". I did this and was told it would not affect my credit rating. This went on for 2 motns when I finally got a letter from barcleys saying Skills train were in there rights to do this and I needed to carry on with the course. I then got a letter from a debt collection agency saying I was in arrears, I called barcleys who informed me because I was on reduced payments it was normal precedure to be passed over after 3 months. I was not explained any of this. I Have called them today to put me payments above the initiall £75 to £100 to bring me back up to date as soon as I can but they are asking for my normal monthly payment plus the outstanding ballance divided by the remaing 5 months making it £159 a month. I cannot afford this.
And to top it all off I was also told because I havent stayed with the initialll dropped arrangement I will be affected on my credit score for 6 years.

I feel totally helpless and just wondered if anyone else has had dealings with these companies.

wantsajob

Many of these companies offer qualifications that aren't worth the paper their written on. Google skillstrain scam and seems there's people in a similar position.

http://www.collativelearning.com/SKILLSTRAIN%20SCAM%20&%20REFUND.html