Newbie needing help on potential refund

pauldbaker95

Hi all,

I am new here so apologies in advance if I am annoying anyone!

In late February, I decided to enrol on a barbering course with an academy. This was for a proposed flexible and unconfirmed starting date in March 2025. This date has not been advertised on their website yet, only closer dates this year. I paid £3200 for this on a credit card.

Since then, my circumstances changed where I came into financial difficulty in early March but a few days after their "14-day cooling off period". I let them know but they were not willing to return my money and have instead just referred to the period that has now passed. 

While I understand there are contracts in place for a reason and that my financial concerns are my own burden, I feel that this unforeseen and that the business is being completely unreasonable in holding my money for a date over 12 months away for which they have no associated damages to recoup from my cancellation. I am worried I have no rights at all, is this the case? I have offered off my own back as a gesture to let them keep £200 as an admin fee.

For a business to be able to keep £3000 of my money still seems highly unfair as I am giving them 12 months notice for a course not even yet advertised to others for. Is there nothing I can do at all? Thanks for any help you can offer me in advance, I really appreciate it and I am kicking myself for paying so far in advance now!

Nasqueron

It's a difficult one as you agree to the course payment and are outside the cooling off period. The only likely thing would be for you to take part in the course or, if the course vanishes, try a S75 claim with your provider. Note any attempt to chargeback will be disputed by the provider

Devongardener

Have you checked whether they are actually running any courses currently or even in the past? Are there any reviews?
It seems highly suspect that you were required to pay for course on an unspecified date a year away.  

pauldbaker95

Devongardener said:

Have you checked whether they are actually running any courses currently or even in the past? Are there any reviews?
It seems highly suspect that you were required to pay for course on an unspecified date a year away.  

They have run them in the past, I requested their latest date which they initially offered as later this year but said they would push it to March next year when originally paying. My point is that their date is not being advertised online so they have no justification in keeping £3200 and saying they will not give it back as they have not made any arrangements for this course as of yet and I am not preventing another person from taking their place as no one else is being shown the date yet. I would understand if I was cancelling on them last minute as they have to be protected but I feel they are being unreasonable and greedy for no reason when I have given over 12 months notice.

Devongardener

Is this a company or college offering a local course or a residential elsewhere?   You don’t say how you contracted them to cancel, but maybe send a formal letter stating the facts and ask for refund.   I’d say that as they have no set date for the course or confirmation that it will happen at all, you have a good case but might need to ask a solicitor to check the legalities.   What do the Ts&Cs say about cancellation by either party?   It sounds like they don’t actually arrange a course until they know they are going to fill it, meanwhile keeping your money.     Have you checked your local college for courses, they are likely to be a lot cheaper.

pauldbaker95

Devongardener said:

Is this a company or college offering a local course or a residential elsewhere?   You don’t say how you contracted them to cancel, but maybe send a formal letter stating the facts and ask for refund.   I’d say that as they have no set date for the course or confirmation that it will happen at all, you have a good case but might need to ask a solicitor to check the legalities.   What do the Ts&Cs say about cancellation by either party?   It sounds like they don’t actually arrange a course until they know they are going to fill it, meanwhile keeping your money.     Have you checked your local college for courses, they are likely to be a lot cheaper.

Hi, it is a barber shop academy rather than a college. I have emailed them already requesting my money back as I no longer feel comfortable with committing my money that far ahead. I will send a formal letter to them asking for a refund. All of the T&Cs are skewed in the favour of the company with no benefit to the consumer. I feel i have been fair offering £200 for them to keep but for them to just keep £3000 of my money for a course not advertised or planned for seems completely wrong regardless of the cooling off period. I will check going forward but I am not in a position financially at all at this point to commit to anything.