Free online course - cancellation fees

Suejarvis

I have already emailed them & they’ve quoted the cancellation charge of £125 to me. 

unholyangel

bris said:

There doesn't seem to be any information on cancellation rights. Maybe this is because it's government funded and free to the client.
Not really sure about this one tbh, suggest OP emails them and tries to quote the 14day cancellation rights with them and see what they come back with.

More than likely they just aren't aware of their obligations as a service provider. Very few of them are, although I've noticed a few have updated their T&C's to reflect CCRs. 

Because if it was genuinely "free" (aka no consideration provided by the OP), there would be no binding contract. But allowing them to apply for funding is, in itself, consideration. After all, they wouldn't qualify for the funds if the OP hadn't signed up. Essentially no different to you placing an order for something but your spouse/partner paying for it. 

elsien

Suejarvis said:

I have already emailed them & they’ve quoted the cancellation charge of £125 to me. 

But what did you say when you emailed them? Did you quote the relevant legislation? 

Suejarvis

This is what I sent them...

It is the law in the UK for consumers to have a 14 day cooling off period on all contracts sold at a distance. 

 It is not company policy to decide when it applies.

 Paying for a service initially or not paying initially does not change the law.

 Entering into a contract sold at a distance in the UK – whatever that contract maybe – the consumer is protected with a 14 day cooling off period, giving them a legal right to change their mind.

 After that period expires, fees and charges can become due, should someone wish to cancel.

 The withdrawal fee that you mention cannot be charged within those 14 days.

 I am exercising my legal right to cancel within the law.

They replied to me...

However, due to us not having a cooling off period as this isn’t a service you initially pay for, this doesn’t happen. Once you have enrolled, you are required to pay the withdrawal fee if you wish to withdraw, which is in accordance to the declaration yiu signed when enrolling.

 To avoid paying the fee, I can offer you an extension onto your course. Please advise how you would like to proceed.

 

 

photome

Could you just not do the course, rather than cancel it

Suejarvis

No otherwise there wouldn’t be a question??!!

Manxman_in_exile

What happens if you don't cancel the course but don't complete it either?  Or fail it - if that's possible these days?  Does it have an impact on your employment or any other detrimental consequences for you?

Suejarvis

They still charge the £125 if you fail to complete the course. It wasn’t for work so doesn’t affect that. 

Aylesbury_Duck

Suejarvis said:

No otherwise there wouldn’t be a question??!!

Do you mean you can't do the course, or that you just don't want to?  I think what photome meant was that in the event you can't get out of the £125 charge, why not do the course so at least you derive some benefit from it and you don't get charged.  It seems daft to not do it on principle if it costs you £125 you don't want to pay.

Manxman_in_exile

Suejarvis said:

They still charge the £125 if you fail to complete the course. It wasn’t for work so doesn’t affect that. 

But what is the least amount of work you have to do to "complete" the course?   Do you have to do sufficient work in terms of quality or quantity to "pass" the course, or is it one of those sort of courses where the participation is "completion" and you don't have to demonstrate a certain level of knowledge or understanding?

As others have said, if you can't get out of the £125 cancellation fee, what is the problem with doing the absolute minimum required to complete the course satisfactorily?

(I've known plenty of people who've completed courses deliberately without doing one tenth of the work required to pass them... )