Unfair penalty charge?

halibut2209

They really need to seek legal advice! Those T&Cs are a load of nonsense

wealdroam

fatality88 wrote: »

Wow! Just so happens they updated their T&C today....

can't post proper links here yet but here is a screen-grab from their website..
you can obviously see the changes they have made...

postimg.org/image/wyqxhz103/

new T&C on the left - looks like i got away lightly!
i have the original T&C in PDF format that they emailed me a couple of weeks ago also...

Ah yes, I saw the Firebrand T&Cs but obviously the figures didn't fit with your earlier quote.

I agree with what others have said... they cannot arbitrarily charge £250 just like that.

With regards to vat...
Paragraph 3.4 from their T&Cs says:

3.4 All charges quoted to the Student for the provision of the Course are exclusive of any Value Added Tax, for which the Student shall be additionally liable at the applicable rate from time to time.

Maybe that covers cancellation fees too.

Make sure you keep your copy of their t&cs safe.
They are the ones applicable to your situation, not the new ones.

wealdroam

Just for the record, here is a google cache version of their T&Cs as they were on 8 May 2013:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.firebrandtraining.co.uk%2Fterms-and-conditions

halibut2209

I wouldn't say to them that they've changed their T&Cs. Act like you've never noticed and see if they try and use the new ones against you

fatality88

halibut2209 wrote: »

I wouldn't say to them that they've changed their T&Cs. Act like you've never noticed and see if they try and use the new ones against you

Thanks, I wasn't planning to...;)
Still yet to heard back from them since midday... Perhaps they are still chewing things over....
Will see what Tuesday brings...

halibut2209

I would definitely be asking for a detailed breakdown of the costs "admin fees" simply isn't acceptable. It has to be actual losses. So for example, staff fees for people who would be paid regardless wouldn't count.

fatality88

halibut2209 wrote: »

staff fees for people who would be paid regardless wouldn't count.

Was curious about this, and if they can consider that as an 'administration cost'...
That's the only argument (as quoted in post #17) they have come up with so far...
Oh, and the odd phone call and email...

halibut2209

That's not a loss due to your breach. That would be an expenditure regardless of anything you've done. Same goes for rent, utilities etc. They can only claim for the losses you've caused.