college course refund issue

borgax

Hello all,
Thanks for your responses.
The college in question is Kilmarnock college, and it's a City and Guilds course. It's via distance learning and courses are run at set times regardless of uptake.
I have kind of explained my reasons behind deferring it a few times due to my mother's suicide amongst other things but they are unwavering.
They failed to tell me there was a time limit on taking exam even though i asked them and now they say i do it or they cancel me off the list. When i was in a position to do the course i was told it wasn't runnng that month and then found out it was and i wasn't notified.
I have requested the T&C's as sign up was fairly vague, also requested to view their 'financial regulations' and i await their response.

Sambucus_Nigra

You should have had terms and conditions before you signed up - and I can't find any distance learning offer on their website so can't check them at all.

marybelle01

If I am reading this right and I think I am, then the OP doesn't have a leg to stand on. He isn't trying to cancel the course before it starts, he is trying to return a "used item" because he "hasn't used it"!

I am reading this that the OP signed up for a distance learning course. The OP started the course, if not in reality, in relation to the course rules and was sent the materials etc. The OP didn't complete the work required for a variety of reasons and now wants his money back because he hasn't done sufficient work to complete the examination for the course and the college can't / won't defer the examination for him because it has to be completed within a certain period. I don't think that's unreasonable. Whatever the OP's good reasons for not completing, this is tantamount to starting a "sit down in the classroom" course, not turning up for it all so not being able to get the exam, and expecting the college to either carry on teaching you for free the next year (and the one after that, etc etc) or give you your money back.

dizzyrascal

This does look like we are getting a different story from the original post. Is it the case that the op has effectively enrolled on and started the course, not completed any work, is not ready to do the exam but now wants their money back?
I can understand your reasons for deferring. If you have deferred then why are they saying you have run out of time? Is there a limit to the amount of times you can defer?
I can understand you wanting a refund if you have not actually started the course but it sounds like you have and just not completed the necessary work.
When you sign up to courses they usually do point out the level of work required and your commitment to complete the course.
You can usually take a leave of absence too but this assumes that you will be rejoining the course when you're able.

agrinnall

OP, if you post on the Student board you may find someone with specialist knowledge of funding (such as Taiko) will be able to offer additional advice. And if you do that, make sure you give the full story rather than leaving people to ask questions as has happened in this thread.

DVardysShadow

borgax wrote: »

When i was in a position to do the course i was told it wasn't runnng that month and then found out it was and i wasn't notified.

This is your best hope. Do you have written evidence of having asked and of being told it was not running?

If you do, you should be claiming on the basis of them preventing you taking the course rather than you not taking it up.

borgax

Thanks for your views everyone.

I am still awaiting a response on my request for a copy of the T&C's, and have received nothing from the College since i asked.
I also e-mailed their student finance section just asking what their view was, and received no response.

I was unaware of any time limit, be that my own fault or not i'll find out when i receive the T&C's. But i asked them about whether there was a maximum amount of times i could put it off and wasn't told there was, so i was somewhat surprised when they were telling me i was to be taken off the list.

I explained my reasons for deferrals but that was stupidly hoping for someone not thinking purely along business lines.

Undoubtedly i shall lose the money but it would be nice of hem to provide proof rather than just telling me how it is.

Sambucus_Nigra

Are you not emailing every day to get this? Emailing once they will ignore you. Emailing every day with a few calls to them asking them why they haven't responded or sent the T&C back to you might get a response. Or call and say you are hoping to start a course with them so could they send over some info to you and when you get it, ask as well for the terms and conditions to be sent. Then you either get them, or are proving that they refuse to send them.

Set up an additional email account of course, for this purpose.

borgax

Yeah thanks, i have forwarded my last sent e-mail a couple of times (mindful that the Easter hols were recently) pointing out it wasn't answered and re-asking for the info.

Still as yet no response from either student finance or the person i was dealing with on this.

borgax

Still nothing, they are responding but have not provided anything regarding their regulations or T&C's.

They did however say "No contracts are signed by students for enrolment on to courses."

If there is no contract and they did not send out T&C's informing there is a 2 year time limit to take the exam surely they can't then enforce that?