Home Learning College

[my wee man]

hi

 

Hope someone can give me some advice?

 

Back in feb 08 I decided to take a course through Home Learning College signed the agreement payed dep and materials were to be sent within 7 days...7 days came and went ..so I decided to cancel the course via email and letter( have no proof of letter and HLC tell me they have no record of it )...anyway by late March started to receive telephone calls from HLC about arrears(still no materials)when enquired arears what for?

HLC told me materials had been sent throgh DHL and that they were signed for(which I know I never signed for anything) requested proof of signuatre from DHL...they have no record of this

 

Received letter from APEX Credit Ltd which HLC have handed payment over to them.

I have now received materials at end of June almost 4 months later

HLC will not take payment direct form me

I am perpared to make S/O ot HLC now for the materails

 

Would like to know How to go about gettting my name off this Apex list? will it blacklist my name?? Or has HLC ths right to done this??

Have threaten them about going to my Solictor and Watchdog about there services and additude.

[Brassed off]

Hi and welcome to CAG Love the username

 

Can you let us know how much the materials cost and what deposit you made? Just a rough amount will be fine.

 

Firstly, don't speak to HLC or Apex on the 'phone at all. If you have a copy of your e-mail to HLC cancelling the course, print it off as it will show the date you sent it. Also, contact DHL and ask them to put in writing the fact that they did not send the materials out in February and that they have nothing on their records to show this. Make a note of the person you speak to so that if you need to chase DHL up on this, you have a name to quote. You also need to request a copy of the proof of delivery you signed for when you received the materials in June.

 

When you have all the information to hand, write to HLC and head it "Formal Complaint" (if you need help with writing the letter, just post back on here and we'll help you). Detail all the problems you have had, enclose the e-mail you sent them, the proof of delivery you signed in June and the letter from DHL stating that they did not send out the materials in February and state that you are willing to pay HLC by monthly standing order. Don't forget to keep a copy of all the correspondence you send and make sure you send the complaint recorded delivery so that you can check that it has been received on the Royal Mail website.

 

As previously stated, if you are contacted by Apex or HLC on the 'phone, don't enter into any conversation with them at all, just ask them to put everything in writing.

 

One last thing, did you receive notification in writing from HLC that they had passed the debt to Apex?

 

Please let us know how you get on. If you need help with anything at all, please don't hesitate to post on your thread.

 

Good luck

 

Bo

[my wee man]

breech of contact??

the course cost £1300.00. when the lay from hlc visited my home and I signed the agreement, she informed me that I could sit the exams in my local college which is only 9 miles away( and I don't drive).

Now after investiagting with my local college they don't take in exterior students, When I spoke to the AAt board they told me that the only place in N-Ireland is in Belfast.... I rang the college in Belfast and they informed me that they had stopped taking in exterior students under AAT over a yaer ago.

Where do I go from here? will I still be liable to pay for this course under the agreement??? Any advise be grateful.

 

confused student

[eddie12]

Hey everyone,

 

Last week a HLC "salesperson" came to my house after I requested information online about a computer course. The guy managed to get me to enroll, for £100 deposit and £75 a month for 2 years.

 

After the guy left I googled Home Learning College and found a load of people unable to cancel their course and losing thousands of pounds! So I phoned up to cancel my application. I was told to send an email to [email protected] giving my name, address, student number and course code, which I did. I also sent a hard copy to the address on the contract. No reply. I phoned the next day and they claimed to have no record of the email I sent them. I sent the email again today, stating that the contract says that I "have the right to cancel up to the seventh day after receiving course Materials" and requesting written confirmation of this cancellation from them. As I haven't received course materials yet I assume that I am fully within my rights to cancel all Service and Credit agreements.

 

 

 

I'm really worried as I'm currently unemployed and I really don't need this hassle, so I'd really appreciate knowing whether and how your situations have been resolved.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Eddie

[my wee man]

Hi eddie

 

If you haven't received your materials yet I would send a recorded letter asap..and refuse your materials...making sure you get a copy of the courier's signuature that you have refused them..

 

Also if you happened to live in N-Ireland, no college will accept a outside body...which lead to my "breech of contract"

hope you get things sorted!

[eddie12]

thanks wee man

 

Update: I emailed them yesterday requesting written confirmation that my agreements have been cancelled. They replied back saying...

 

"Please be advised your course has been cancelled. Your deposit has been requested please allow 3-10 days to reach your account.

No further payments will be taken."

 

However the course materials arrived this morning whilst I was out (my housemate signed for the parcel) along with a letter containing a copy of my credit agreement with a section to sign and post back if I wanted to cancel the credit agreement. I sent this back via recorded delivery (although the post office said that the address was for a different company... "Assets Reunited Ltd"... Hopefully its just a different company in the same building?)

 

The form on the credit agreement says that if I cancel the agreement HLC will arrange to collect the course materials from me, so I haven't sent the parcel back yet... is this wise?

 

Thanks

 

Eddie

[samatha]

Hello can anyone help

 

 

I have signed up with home learning college

after rougly 3 months in am not happy with the service and want to stop payments

 

ive had the materials

i payed roughly £400

 

 

Is there anything i can do ?

 

please help

[Lula]

you all need to write to them and send letters recorded delivery,

8. Cancellation

8.1 Under the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 you have a right to cancel this Service Agreement and/or Credit Agreement. You may do so at any time up to the end of the seventh working day after you received the Materials. If you want to cancel then you must write to us at Home Learning College, 1st Floor County House, 221 - 241 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4UF.

8.2 If you cancel then you must return the Materials to us and must take good care of them until you do so. If we have to collect the Materials from you then we may charge you our reasonable costs for doing so.

9. Complaints Procedure

Home Learning College Limited holds a standard Consumer Credit License issued by the Office of Fair Trading. The Financial Ombudsman Service covers any dispute that you may have with our organisation. Should your complaint not be concluded to your satisfaction following our internal complaints procedure, you may refer the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months of our final response by writing to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9SR or emailing: [email protected], telephone: 0845 080 1800.

10. General

“Home Learning College” means Home Learning College LIMITED trading as Home Learning College. Registered in England with number 06177616. Registered office address: Home Learning College, Brettenham House, Lancaster Place, London, EC2E 7EN. Telephone: 0208 676 6025 ; email: [email protected]. VAT registration number: 918560018.

[samatha]

can I still cancel after 3 months of recieveing the course materials and attempting to compelte tho course ?

 

thanks sammy

[w1ll1am]

samantha i too am in the sme boat as you have you had any luck cancelling the contract? could you let me know how you cancelled the contract

[needtosimmer]

hi do i have any rights at all?

 

i have been with home learning college since oct07 but then recieved a letter in jun08 to be told my payments hadnt been made...this was then just an error that had occured on there systems.i was sent another agreement out and sighnd only after i was told by a member of staff that i had no rights to cancel.After being very unhappy with the course i tried to cancel a few weeks later and was told that if i wanted to cancel i should have done it befpre the i sighned the new contract!( was already told i had no rights) also other things that have happened are

 

The course materials i was sent were falling apart ( so i had to send off for new ones and that delayed my studying another week)

 

i had work marked incorrect but when i resubmitted it making no corrections as i couldnt see the the mistakes it was graded B but nobody can explain why!

 

i have had no support from home learning college what so ever ,all the "customer support" are very rude and dont listen to what you have to say and repeat over and over again to read the terms and conditions

 

home learning college changed there telephone numbers and i didnt find out untill i tried to contact them

 

they said they have been sending me letters but i have not recieved them it is basically my word against theres....as i have no proof of the conversations that took place and everytime i say something they dissagree.

 

what can i do as they are threatening court action i wasnt working when i was signed up for this course and i am not working now due to multiple pregnancy i have not touched this course since jun 08 how can the demand money for a course i am not doing!

 

please please help i dont know what to do!!!!

[Brassed off]

Hi

 

You really need to complain in writing as per Lula's advice in post #8.

 

Make sure you keep all correspondence in writing only and send letters recorded delivery so that you are able to obtain proof of delivery.

[Denaufers]

Hello

 

I also undertook a course with the Home Learning College.

 

The Home Learning College chap who came round to my house, sold the course to me against my better judgement.

 

However, after doing some assingments I came to the understanding that the course is not for me and that I wanted to cancel.

 

Therefore, I spoke to HLC, who informed me that I would be liable for the course cost, if I cancel.

 

So, after speaking to Barclays Partner Finance. I was informed by them to go to my local citizen advice bureau and obtain a income/expenditure form.

 

I filled this form in, with a covering letter and posted the letter and income/expenditure form to Barclays Partner Finance.

 

Moreover, next week, once the payment goes out of my account. I will cancel the direct debit and speak to Barclays Partner Finance about restructuring the debt I owe them into affordable monthly payments.

[didka1232]

hi everyone!

i was visited by HLC salesman today trying to sign me up for an AAT course. can anyone tell me anything good about them?

Thank you!

[Gardening-Girl]

When the Home Visit Rep was discovered tohave lied to me, I cancelled my Direct Debit immediately at the Bank (First Direct let you do this,others too, I think RBS is one) and I told them I stll had the course materials safe and unopened, however, I also complained to HLC directly, and to Stow College who had contradicted the Rep. Ive received nothing whatsoever in explanation from either party so I have not yet returned their materials to them. HOW is anyone supposed to organise self-financed study when the Reps are lying through their teeth to you? I will publicly admit here and now that in the past, I have told a lie to prevent myself from suffering what I felt was a massively disproportionate punishment, especially eg. if a parking ticket had itself provably been issued illegally in the first place!? But this is telling lies for no reason. I was still going to sign up for the course regardless of whether or not the ILA funding was awarded. What I couldnt possibly do was go ahead when the people in charge of your assessments are working hand in hand with fraudulent deceitful crooks.

 

If ANYONE can explain to me why it is even remotely intelligent, or fair, to penalise someone for early settlement of a ZERO INTEREST LOAN, when doing so benefits the lender(!?) - I'd love to hear from you. They're mad.

 

One final thing; I believe if you sign up to receive goods / services paid for by Direct Debit, *I think you have a statutory 2weeks in which to cancel, not 1 week. It doesnt matter what HLC say, they cannot change the Law to suit themselves. My advice- kick them into touch.

[Gardening-Girl]

Hi

 

You really need to complain in writing as per Lula's advice in post #8.

 

Make sure you keep all correspondence in writing only and send letters recorded delivery so that you are able to obtain proof of delivery.

 

 

Good advice, esp when we have a postal delivery service which now thinks nothing of NOT ringing the bell OR knocking on your door, and think they can sign for Recorded Delivery goods themselves and dump them hanging out of the letterbox as I experienced last week.

[donnie_c]

I am very suspicious about this whole organisation and I wouldn't be surprised if the recent change of name had something to do with it.

 

I expressed a small amount of interest in the course through a suggestion on Reed.co.uk. I then promptly received a phone call, from who I can only presume was a sales rep. trying to come round my house?!

 

Then when I requested information about costs etc. he scooted around the question, not really answering me and tried to arrange a time to visit. I pretty much had to hang up, saying JUST E MAIL ME THE DETAILS AND I'LL CONSIDERATE IN MY OWN TIME!!

 

Funily enough I didn't hear anything again as I wasn't playing ball, until I received an e mail from someone completely different at 10:00 this evening saying they couldn't get through by phone. This really doesn't seem right and judging by the reactions of people on this forum i'm glad I never let anyone talk me into something I wasn't comfortable with.

 

I feel for the people who did pay and haven't received the service they wished for. This is surposed to be a project to help excel peoples learning skills and I cant help feeling like The home learning College is praying on people and treating it like more of a business opportunity, which I understand it is, but there is very much a RIGHT and WRONG way to go about things..

 

I'm not sure how reputable Reed.co.uk are as an organisation, but judging by the inability to contact anyone directly, by phone/email/carrier pigeon! and their association with organisations such as The home learning College, I'm definately withdrawing my application for seeking employment.

 

Times are hard, but not that hard!!!!

[Sleeping_Apocalypse]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am in the same boat as you guys. I have joined AAT Certificate (- 2 years course with £62.25 /month and one time £50 payment) stage with Home Learning College in March-09. They are charging me £1544 for all course including AAT registration and exam fee. But when I compared it to BPP and considered other costs, it comes out to be very cheap.

 

I have their contract saying that if I have to cancel contract and quarter of term (which actually hasn't passed) has passed, I will have to pay £750 for every £1000 I owe them.

 

They have paid for my AAT registration fee and I have received the books which I can not return because I have marked on all the books.

 

Can anyone advice me that how can I come out of the contract and what approximately they will ask me to pay. I have already paid £62.25*3 + £50.

 

Please if anyone can advise me on this.

 

regards

[jobseeker]

Hi somebody help me please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have justed passed a BTEC in Travel and Tourism Level 3 but still cant get a job! Every Travel shop I have sent my CV to wont take me on because I have no Travel shop experence, however I cant get experence without working in a shop. I payed over £400 for the course I feel that i have wasted my money. Any advice anyone its driving me mad !

[kkevin]

hi all home learning sufferers i to am in the same boat with HLC took a course on computer networking to improve my chances of getting a decent job but after i thought about it canceled on the grounds that i am 50 and no firm is gonna take me on because even if i pass the course i would have had no previous experience.I did this by email in hind sight i was stuoid not do it by recorded delivery. now HLC says its not had any cancellation and wont accept that i cancelld.they sent me a letter telling me get in touch with chiltern, a debt management company and if i dont come up with some kind of payment plan they will pass my debt on to a debt collection agency but chiltern said since i have only this debt they counldnt help me not that i want it.having just come out of bankruptcy and previously been hounded and harrassed for over a year debt collection agency includind up to 20 phone calls a day before having to go bankrupt and lose everything i had worked for for over 30 years this time i am adamant i am not paying a penny i have a low income live in rented accomdation so not much they can take from me so anybody got any advice or has anybody actually won against HLC thank

[staceyl]

I wish I had seen these complaints before i signed up!!! It seems that even the people at the hlc call centre are unfamiliar with there own practises for example I called up to change my (A+ computer tech) course to one of a lesser value as was struggling to meet the payments and the person i spoke to (regret not getting his name) told me I could change to The care skills course and the payments i already made would go on the new course leaving me just a small remainder to pay which left me ecstatic that I wouldn’t be stumped with anymore high payments each month. After the phone call i cancelled the direct debit for the £72 and waited for the £35.50 to be set up but at the end of the month they still took out the £72 I called up to see what was going on and the number seemed to have changed I got through to customer support and they told me even with the change in courses I will still have to pay the full amount of the first course. I called up again and demanded to speak to someone else about this and was put through to Emma who had been replying to my e-mails and trying to set me up with yet another course to get me to pay more money!! I spoke to her and she said i would have to pay the full amount of the course i wanted to cancel no matter what i was told by the guy i had spoke to before and she then said i should replace that course if I wasn’t happy with it for a different one i decided to choose the social care course she told me to pick 2 courses in the social care category as they are cheaper courses and so to get my moneys worth when i asked how much less the courses were to my original course she said slightly less. “I replied with how much is slightly?” she then said “you want to know exact figures?” then continued to put me on hold. It turned out it would be about £400 less then my original course so that would mean me paying £400 extra for 2 courses not even worth that!!!!!! Sorry for this long rant just so annoyed at being given false information and the way hlc conduct themselves.

[Conniff]

Who did you you cancel the direct debit with? If it was with the bank, then ask the bank to call back any payments they made after the cancellation.

 

You really shouldn't be talking on a telephone to them, make all your correspondence in a letter. That way you tend to get more sensible replies and also a record of what was said.

[kkevin]

yep i wish i seen these posts too had another try at telling them (HLC) that I'd canceled in December they still cant find my email no surprise there.i was told to by customer support to contact Chiltern a debt management company they told me i didn't owe enough money to warrant there services back to HLC customer support told me they couldn't deal with it refused to discuss it any further told to contact arrears dept they told me my account was closed yippee thought i at last some progress not so the account was passed back to HLC customer support because it was in arrears yes it was at this point i got confused an arrears dept that didn't deal with arrears so back to HLC customer support after a explanation that confused me more i was put in touch with a account supervisor who told me in know uncertain term that whatever i do i was still libel for the course fee she is sending me an income form to ascertain my how much i can give them per month then i make an offer how much i can afford if they accept this i can continue with the course which of is of no use to me very nice of them was this an exercise in futility or not the offer i make no doubt will be refused then we will go into negotiations and end up with something i cant afford then well be back to the arrears dept so on and so forth. i think they don't give a dam as long as they get there money as a former bankrupt i know what it like to deal with debt collection agency's its not fun, maybe i can string this out a bit till i cane decide a way of sorting it . has anybody actually got anywhere with these legal highwaymen at all? sorry for the rant all this makes me so mad how i managed to keep calm whilst talking to these people i don't know.

[staceyl]

Thanks for the advice conniff I had actually cancelled the direct debit at my bank and with home learning. And now its resulted in the bank charging me £50 in charges for a payment i cancelled with them and hlc. I'm so mad at them i just changed my card numbers and now there sending letters demanding payments i'm pretty sure if they want to call it a debt that i can transfer it to a debt management programme and they will have to accept payments that i can afford to make.

[Conniff]

They have no option to accept your offer if that is all you can afford. Send them a letter telling them the maximum which should be affordable and not one you are likely to default on and send a cheque or postal order with that letter and then just keep paying them.

 

They use debt collectors as they know that should they take you to court, the judge will not allow a payment that you cannot afford and will make an order so even if it's £5 per month.