Home Learning College

[jessies girl]

I signed up with HLC in June 2009 - they allowed me to do this, knowing I was unemployed. I started the course, and was doing quite well until I found I was struggling with one of the assignments. I trawled through the forum to see if there was any help / advice and I found nothing. I was getting frustrated and in the end, really couldn't be bothered so I gave up, but obviously had to keep paying and did (£75 per month). After that, due to financial difficulty, I was able to reduce my monthly payments (which was help, and I am thankful for that)... only to get a letter threatening me with a default if I didnt pay x-amount before a certain date. My situation has got worse, (constant phone calls from them had me change my number, and contributed to my depression), but because I dont want them to win (ie me pay for it and get nothing out of it!) I recently enquired about changing my course. A lady explained that I could do this, but as I had signed up to one much more expensive and there was no possibility they could reduce the amount, she suggested I do 2 (though not at the same time) which I thought was a bit of a lifeline, I had found another course I was interested in doing; the lady then advised me to send an email in to Customer Support, explaining that I wanted to transfer my course, which I did. A few days later, I get a reply from someone in their Customer Support Department, saying I couldnt do it!! I have a mortgage and bills to pay, and a child to support, I do not see why I should have to pay for something I dont want, especially when I cant afford to! I have emailed her back, explaining that I was told I could change my course, and am looking forward to the reply. I have a lot going on in my life at the minute, and I could do without the hassle, but they arent going to win. Its one of the biggest mistakes I have made. I will pursue it and think that maybe a visit to the CAB is in order, but if theres any other advice anyone can give as to what I can do about this, I will be very grateful.

[katdotty]

Hi

 

I signed up to HLC in May, the woman that came round was very aggressive and as I was at home on my own with my toddler she really pressured me into signing up assuring me I could always cancel and get my money back and that the very next day the course fees were going up by another £300! I e-mailed to cancel twice, rang numerous times but couldn't get through on any numbers so I attempted to do the course. They are completely rubbish, rude, uncontactable and excredibly unprofessional. The course is complete rubbish and too expensive so I cancelled my direct debit. All of a sudden they are on the phone and e-mailing!! I forwarded on e-mails proving I had contacted them... apparently they had no record whatsoever and even insulted me by saying I must have "amended" the e-mail to make it look like I had tried to contact them!?

 

I've paid around £400 but there is no way I am paying another penny to them. I have all proof in e-mail and phone records to show I have contacted them and I am currently in discussions over e-mail about whether they will allow me to cancel. I have asked them for a copy of the agreement I signed and I will update with any progress I have made.

 

Do not speak to them on the phone, always write (which I should have done!) or e-mail and always have proof that you've contacted them.

 

The whole company just seems to be a [problem] pressuring people into signing up and then ignoring them. If anyone reading this is considering signing up to a course, I would urge you not to do it. Go to your local college where you know it's reputable.

[SteveH89]

So basically if you've got a Problem with the HLC you really need to keep copies and send letters by recorded delivery. That pretty much has screwed me over completely.

[katdotty]

So basically if you've got a Problem with the HLC you really need to keep copies and send letters by recorded delivery. That pretty much has screwed me over completely.

 

How have you been contacting them? I contacted them by e-mail and phone. They had no records of me e-mailing about cancelling/complaints at all or any record of any calls! But I have my e-mails (no surprise they only had records of me e-mailing about the course work itself) and I have my phone bills (which they don't want to see as proof that I've actually spoken to them). They might not be enough for HLC but they are plenty of evidence if I wanted to take them to a small claims court.

[Broox159]

In August this year, i signed up to a Home Learning College course for what i thought was Internet Web Desing. I arranged with them for my repayments to be monthly starting from the end of September 2010.

It took me almost a week after i initially signed my contract to recieve my course materials. After reading the material and having a little look on the website i decided the course wasnt for me. To start with, i was under the impression that if i did this course i would be able to go on to get a job straight away in Internet Web Design after i had recieved my qualification. It wasnt until after looking on their web forum that i learnt that this was not the case and that i would need to do another course (possibly more than one!) in order to do the job i wanted.

I contacted the HLC to inform them i was not happy and that my circumstances had changed and that i was no longer able to afford the monthly payments. The advisor i spoke to said that i was out of my 7 day cooling off period and that i couldnt cancel and he advised me to seek financial advice. Stupidly, as i couldnt afford the payment i cancelled my direct debit and i now have the HLC contacting me all the time about money that i am in arrears with.

Basically, what i want to know is where i stand with getting out of my contract as i feel they mis-sold me my course and that i am no longer able to afford to pay. The course material has barely even been touched and i have not used the website since i initially contacted them saying that i wanted to cancel, so it isnt as if i have been using their services and not paying. I am quite willing to just send all of the course materials back to them and lose out on my deposit. I just want them to stop hassling me and i dont want to pay for a course that i no longer have interest in doing as it isnt what i thought i was signing up to do!

I stupidly allowed my boyfriend to contact them saying that i had lost my job so could no longer continue to pay, but this didnt make any difference. They still said i cant cancel! This whole situation is making me ill! I cant bear the thought of paying £60 a month for the next two years for something i dont even want!!

[mikeod]

Ditto....

 

I signed up in nov 2010, i thinking it could lead to a new start. How wrong was I! I have been in contact with the consumer dircet, who have given me this letter to send to the which i hope is going to get my cancelation.

 

These sick ppl need to be put in jail!! they have made my live a mess. I shell let you know how I get on.

[cazbarr]

Well I hate to say guys, Two years on and HLC are still no better.

 

I had a course advisor come to see me regarding a dreamweaver + flash course. Long story short, I signed the contract only to find out two weeks later that everything he told me had been a lie. I mean everything. The length of the course, the disabled discount, when I could pay my deposit...Everything.

 

I took my complaint to HLC, who made it plainly clear that they were not interested in what I had to say and under no circumstances were they going to release me from my contract. They explained how the cancellation time had passed...(Another lie by my advisor) but a full investigation would take place place.

 

As I knew, I heard nothing for nearly two months, until I contacted HLC again regarding more info I found to have been lied about and told HLC I was not happy and this was now a case of Fraudulent Misrepresentation and I would be taking my case to the financial Ombudsman, it was only then, did I receive a reply from HLC. I received a copy of a statement by my advisor to HLC. This statement had more holes in it then a colander. Which HLC have obviously turned a blind eye to.

 

I sent my case to the F.O. I received my reply from the Financial Ombudsman which included the information that HLC are now in liquidation.

 

I now have to see a solicitor to see if I can be released from my contract. I have been told by a friend that because HLC are in liquidation, that automatically voids any contract I have with them. But would like to have this confirmed legally.

 

I also found out on the Companies House website that this company is on their third company name since 2007, make of this what you will.

 

So anyone thinking of taking a course with this company.............Don't touch them with a barge pole.

[daniel.creanga]

Guys I have same problem with Home Learning College based in Kent.It has been two years and paid them 2000 pounds for a course.The salesman came at my door in 2009 and misslead me with a web designing course ,after a while because the support from the college it doesn't exist I got stuck and asked them that I am not able to get any support and the courrse itself was far to expensive checking what others offer was the same thing for 300 pounds.Havinf said that I ask them then to refund my money back because I am not satisfied with the course,they said that is not possible then I asked them to swap it for MCSE and they send me MCSA claiming that in order to do MCSE I have to do MCSA first.I had to pay as well for the swap another 80 pounds.I started first assignment then I realised that this is not MCSE like I did require.Support from the tutor doesnt't exist.IF THAT IS THE CASE can I recover my 2000 pounds because I am not happy with them?If yes what is the best thing to do?I do have some emails as a proof where I told them things about it but I had telephone conversations with them too about the cancelattion and money matter.How shall I tackle this problem in this case?I need to get my 2000 pounds back.Many thanks

[cazbarr]

Hi Daniel,

 

Do what I'm doing, take your case to the Financial Ombudsman, they may be able to help you. Hope this helps.

[cazbarr]

Their address is:

 

Financial Ombudsman Service

South Quay Plaza

183 Marsh Wall

London

E14 9SR

[daniel.creanga]

Do you have a telephone number for them and for yourself where I can chat with you about it.

Many thanks

[cazbarr]

Their number is: 0300 1239 123

 

It's not allowing me to post my email address here. So not sure how else to communicate. Sorry

[daniel.creanga]

what about if I live my mobile number is that ok?or send me a private message with your email and telephone number and we can talk there .WHAT I need now is a way to take action agains HLC based in Kent not sure which Home Learning College are the other guys talking about ?I have seen someone said the one from London or they have multiple addressesses?

Anyway what I want now after paying them 2000 pounds to recover all my money back.

How can I take action agains them?Calling ombusman ?Do you know other way as well?

Many thank

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Be careful giving your home phone number or email to user you do not know well. I am not suggesting in this case this is what is happening but it has not been unheard for a complained about organisation to set up account and try to get details who the posters are. Just a warning xx If you need to talk do it on the forum itself or via pm, but still be wary especially with new users in giving personal info xx

[daniel.creanga]

Good idea, if that is going to work I agree and I am available for a fight to go down there.Please keep us up to date about it.

Many thanks

[daniel.creanga]

Be careful giving your home phone number or email to user you do not know well. I am not suggesting in this case this is what is happening but it has not been unheard for a complained about organisation to set up account and try to get details who the posters are. Just a warning xx If you need to talk do it on the forum itself or via pm, but still be wary especially with new users in giving personal info xx

I don't need his personal details just to talk on a mobile how this Cooege can be tackled and get my money back.I am aware about how crazy is the internet and regarding my personal details I am very careful no giving them out.A mobile phone dn't think can harm anybody don't you hink that?

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Surely you can post on hear so that others can learn or possibly join with you as joint complaint. Personally going to the head quaters would risk them calling the police and you being poss arrested. Better to go official as mentioned by op.

 

I say again it is not unheard of a company being complained about to want to try and contact a complainer to stop a thread or whatever, it is best never giving a phone number out to someone you do not know.

[cazbarr]

To be honest Daniel, if it was two years ago you signed up, you may not have much of a case. But of course I don't know the full story.

 

In saying that, your best route at the moment is to take your case to the financial ombudsman. They are dealing with my case at the present. The lady dealing with my case is Lindsey Abbott.

 

Put your case in writing to her and I am sure she will be able to advice you the best way forward. According to the literature I got, they can tell Home Learning College to give you your money back, IF they decide this is the conclusion to your case.

 

My case is about Fraudulent Misrepresentation. I was given a lot of false information when the course advisor came to see me, which I did not know until a few weeks into the course and found out more information to be false along the way. I signed up for the course only last December, so my case is quite recent.

 

I'm now awaiting a reply to my case.

 

Cass

[cazbarr]

Also, as Watching said, to go in person will only make the situation worse and most certainly NOT help any case you wish to bring against HLC.

[cazbarr]

Your other avenue of course is to see a solicitor, but that could end up being very expensive. Also, if you find that you don't win, or don't have a case against HLC. You have only spent more money.

[daniel.creanga]

I have contacted Ombudsman , they cannot help.They told me HLC was liquidated in 2009 November.How come they didn't told me anything about it and refund me my money ?How come they can still sign on people even today?Is anyoane here to give legal advice within this matter?How can we go legal agains them?

[cazbarr]

Daniel, contact the Financial Ombudsman again, explain that I am dealing with them regarding HLC and the company number they need to check is as follows: 04804669

 

There is some confusion where HLC is concerned as they have many company names and company numbers. The financial ombudsman told me the same info about HLC being liquidated. But they were using a different company number which is for one of the other many company names HLC have.

 

If you give them the company company that I have given above, this shows HLC as NOT being in liquidation. As I said before, ring the F.O again, they may well halp you once you give them this company number..

[daniel.creanga]

I spoke to them about HLC based in Kent which they say is the only College with that address.Not sure what are you talking about?What is tha number for?

[daniel.creanga]

So they are saying this is the one here is the address

Home Learning College

1st Floor County House

221 - 241 Beckenham Road

Beckenham

Kent

BR3 4UF

Ombusdman said they are the ones which I am on about as well.Is this the same company which you are talking too?

[daniel.creanga]

Spoke to Companies House here are the details not sure from where you have that number.

 

Name & Registered Office:

HOME LEARNING COLLEGE LIMITED

1ST FLOOR COUNTY HOUSE

221-241 BECKENHAN ROAD

BECKENHAM

KENT

BR3 4UF

Company No. 06177616

 

 

So the Ombudsman didn't know what was he talking about.10 min wasting of time basically on the phone.