Thank you for creating such useful forum. If my case is won, yes I will make a donation to support you. I am determined to take legal action against the abusive situation which I have been involved with recently, at one of the local Pitman Centre. Yet if I can understand how to proceed and ways to proceed without involving court action, I will be happy to settle the dispute with Pitman Training Head Office. Yet I do not know how to contact them, nor whom to speak/ write to. can you help? I was unable to finish my course within the year as it is stipulated in their contract. I enrolled in Feb. 2012 on a P.A Executive course for which I had personally invested £4400; yet struggled over the months with a long list of personal obstacles ( a divorce, full-time caring for a teenager single-handedly, moving home twice in two years, having to travel between two country to care for a father suffering from Alzheimer, other trainings examinations ...) As the Centre for which I had enrolled was not the closest to my new home, I had even asked to change Centre location. But my request was rejected. As a result, I only managed to cover Excel half-way through by Feb. 2013. I went back to the Centre in November this year, to beg the Centre Manageress to take me back, explaining my long list of personal difficulties which by now also include running into debts, as my courses are not yet completed. She agreed to take me back for ONLY part of the course for which I had invested such hope AND huge sum of money: Word and Excel. Also she refused to put me on the latest version of Word. So she made me study Word 2007 despite my request to study the latest version for which I had paid for. Excel still needing to be finished, I also requested to receive training with Dreamweaver: declined. Why didn't I take action here and then? Anyway: I had booked a space for yesterday, telling that I would arrive by 10am. As I was delayed on my journey, I kindly called to let her know. When I arrived at the Centre, the manageress acted in a very angry fashion. She said that as I had booked the day before and managed to stay glued to my computer for only three hours, she had to change my hours to six; because the booking was for 9.30-4.30. I disputed this, and told her that I so did not; I had specifically stated the day before that I could only book an approximate arrival time and asked her to remain flexible about the leaving time, as I had other important matters to cover on that day too. I also told her that I found her attitude abusive, that I felt bullied and reminded her that I had paid for the course and yet still was awaiting the goods. Specially the latest version of the goods. Being French, I tend to express myself rather firmly when required, and by then I had started to raise my voice; I remained polite, nevertheless. The manageress still told me to get out, literally ending all forms of communication over the matter without even an ounce of compassion. Not only I had been robbed of £4400 but I was also being made to feel guilty about it. So I went to the police station who advised me to take legal action. I then walked in a legal aid centre. I am awaiting to hear their response. I am determined to get my money back, my legal fees paid by Pitman Training, and free other students from this specific Centre, from this manageress who many have experienced as a stubborn, controlling bully. I have heard complaints from other students, and even from other Pitman staffs who know of her (the staffs in the centre closer to my home; centre for which my request to change had been rejected) Worth adding: I have taken pictures of the manageress at her desk, of her diploma on the wall, of my computer at the Centre, of the Centre. I also have copies of my enrolment papers, and the hours achieved so far. I am determined to get my money back, and my legal fees covered by Pitman Training. Also I am determined to free other students in that centre from possibly suffering in silence whilst struggling financially to achieve some qualifications to seek further employment. No manager/manageress has the right to bully her students and staff for that matter (she has been reported to bully her last assistant) in that manner. This is abusing her position. And it doesn't help Pitman Training Reputation. The course itself is well structured; yet in this case, stifled by the wrong person in charge. Justice be done.

I must add: Thank you for creating such useful forum. If my case is won, yes I will make a donation to support you. I am determined to take legal action against the abusive situation which I have been involved with recently, at one of the local Pitman Centre., as explained above. Yet if I can understand how to proceed and ways to proceed without involving court action, I will be happy to settle the dispute with Pitman Training Head Office. Yet I do not know how to contact them, nor whom to speak/ write to. can you help? Reading the above comments have poured some light to some degree, yet I am still not clear about how to start.

Thank you for posting this here: very helpful. I am determined to take legal action against the abusive situation which I have been involved with recently, at one of my local Pitman Centre. Like you, I was not able to finish my course within the year. I enrolled in Feb. 2012 on a P.A Executive course for which I had personally invested £4400; due to a long list of personal obstacles ( a divorce, full-time caring for a teenager single-handedly, moving home twice in two years, having to travel between two country to care for a father suffering from Alzheimer, other trainings examinations ...) As the Centre for which I had enrolled was not the closest to my new home, I had asked to change Centre location, and was refused this request. Therefore I only managed to cover Excel half-way through by Feb. 2013. I went back to the Centre in November this year, to beg the Centre Manageress to take me back, explaining my long list of personal difficulties which by now also include running into debts, as my courses are not yet completed. She agreed to take me back for only a part of the course for which I had invested such huge sum of money: Word and Excel. Also she refused to put me on the latest version of Word. So she made me study Word 2007 despite my request to study the latest version for which I had paid for. Excel still needing to be finished. I also requested to receive training with Dreamweaver: declined. Why didn't I take action here and then? Anyway: I had booked a space for yesterday, telling that I would arrive by 10am. As I was delayed on my journey, I kindly called to let her know. When I arrived at the Centre, the manageress acted in a very angry fashion. She said that as I had booked the day before and managed to stay glued to my computer for only three hours, she had to change my hours to six; because the booking was for 9.30-4.30. I disputed this, and told her that I so did not; I had specifically stated the day before that I could only book an approximate arrival time and asked her to remain flexible about the leaving time, as I had other important matters to cover on that day too. I also told her that I found her attitude abusive, that I felt bullied and reminded her that I had paid for the course and yet still was awaiting the goods. Specially the latest version of the goods. Being French, I tend to express myself rather firmly when required, and by then I had started to raise my voice; I remained polite, nevertheless. The manageress still told me to get out, literally ending all forms of communication over the matter without even an ounce of compassion. Not only I had been robbed of £4400 but I was also being made to feel guilty about it. So I went to the police station who advised me to take legal action. I then walked in a legal aid centre. I am awaiting to hear their response. I am determined to get my money back, my legal fees paid by Pitman Training, and free other students from this specific Centre, from this manageress who many have experienced as a stubborn, controlling bully. I have heard complaints from other students, and even from other Pitman staffs who know of her (the staffs in the centre closer to my home; centre for which my request to change had been rejected) Worth adding: I have taken pictures of the manageress at her desk, of her diploma on the wall, of my computer at the Centre, of the Centre. I also have copies of my enrolment papers, and the hours achieved so far. I am determined to get my money back, and my legal fees covered by Pitman Training. Also I am determined to free other students in that centre from possibly suffering in silence whilst struggling financially to achieve some qualifications to seek further employment. No manager/manageress has the right to bully her students and staff for that matter (she has been reported to bully her last assistant) in that manner. This is abusing her position. And it doesn't help Pitman Training Reputation. The course itself is well structured; yet in this case, stifled by the wrong person in charge. Justice be done.