Loan taken out for a mis-sold plumbing course that has gone bust!

xrachelssx

hi there people, just need a bit of advice really...
My husband signed up to a plumbing course about 6 years ago and was informed that he had as long as he needed in order to complete the course (as it involved travelling down to Leeds and block week training courses). When he tried to book a place on one of the courses he discovered that the company had gone bust, despite still owing a further 1000 of the 4,000 loan he took out to pay for the course....
Having no choice but to continue with the repayments we have now paid off the loan but my husband is left without a scrap of qualifications and a massive big 4k dent in our bank balance!!!
When we tried to claim for the money to be repaid back we were told that because he didn't complete the course within 4 years we were not eligible to apply for any refund...
However when the course was sold to him it was clearly stated that he had as long as he wanted to complete the course and that there were no time limitations on the completion time!
Is there anyone out there that can help us as really dont know what our rights are regarding this!
Thank you!

Tixy

Hi

Do you have it in writing that there was no time limit to the course and he 'had as long as he wanted'?

When he tried to book a place on one of the courses he discovered that the company had gone bust, despite still owing a further 1000 of the 4,000 loan he took out to pay for the course....

When was this? had he already undertaken some of the course at that point.

When we tried to claim for the money to be repaid back we were told that because he didn't complete the course within 4 years we were not eligible to apply for any refund...

Who did you try to claim from? who told you that you were not eligible to apply for any refund?

xrachelssx

Let me find all the answers to your questions from him when I speak to him at dinnertime and shall get back to you! much appreciated thank you!x

Buzby

Your first hurdle is the time frame. Irrespective of what the firm offered, YOU only have 6 years in which to seek a refund from the firm. Assuming this was a Limited company, then when it was liquidated, all claims would have been rolled up and assets handed out to the preferential creditors, any training guarantees would expire, as they would require the firm to be trading.

The only person still standing appears to be the finance company, but given the circumstances I do not believe they could be held liable formally - but it certainly doesn't hurt to ask as a goodwill gesture might be forthcoming.

The battle of the suggested 4 years compared to the advised 'as long as needed' would be of little use, as anyone paying lots of money for a course clearly needs to take it, and at 4 years it would appear that the student was not giving the course serious consideration. The distance the student had to take would not be a material concern, unless they promised a local venue that did not materialise.

KingElvis

These training loans are nitorious on here and many poor saps seem to have been suckered into a dream life of driving instruction, unblocking toilets or dog polishing only to have those dreams dashed when they "can no longer finish the course"

I wish you luck but I bet you don't get pound zero back on this one.