Hi All, I was wondering if someone would be able to help me in this situation. I am having issues with the Pitman Training Course that I’m currently enrolled on. I enrolled on my Advanced ECDL/Executive PA Course in September 2014. So you can Imagine how shocked I was when in February 2015 the Pitman finance department in Croydon contacted me to say my account was in default. They stated that it had been so for 6 WHOLE MONTHS! When asked why they had not contacted me earlier to bring the matter to my attention. The response I recieved was “we had a backlog…we were poorly and unwell” etc. I felt very angry and upset as a result of this I left the centre and went home. I kept trying to call the accounts department as I thought of some suggestions on how I can resolve the account and continue my studies but it goes straight to Voicemail, I have left emails, called the office and when asking Head Quarters about the next procedures they simply distanced themselves from the situation going on to state Pitman Accounts in Croydon were a separate company and just advised me to keep trying. I emailed Patricia Porter at Croydon and had left my details, but no attempt whatsoever had been made to contact me. After attempting to call Pitman again today I was placed on hold to wait for someone in the accounts department. I was then informed “Sorry they’re all in meetings”. Then very coincidently the financial controller Patricia Porter at the Pitman Croydon Centre messages me less than a minute after the call with the one line email response below: “Dear Alesha I am away from the office today. Regards Patricia Porter” Immediately I messaged Patricia back and asked “Who can I speak to regarding my account in your absence?” I received no response at all. Exactly how do you treat a student with an attitude like that? I’m so disappointed by this lack professionalism and can’t believe I have to resort to an online post to try and reach out for advice. It is so off putting when you have an organisation with an attitude of “We won’t accept or return your calls when there is a problem…But we will be glad to accept your money anytime!” I have made every effort to reach out to them to no avail and I would really like to get further advice on what I can do about this situation as I find the accounts department in the Pitman Croydon very uncooperative,unreasonable and utterly irresponsible! Regards, Alesha

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.