Yet another home learning college thread :(

[m.b764]

So, im in a bit of a situation !

I signed up to this "home learning college" course, about 12 - 13 months ago ish, for an MCDST course costing about 1,700 altogetehr, payable over 2 years or so , at 70 pound a month.

The material which i'm working through is worded really .. well weird, and its too hard to grasp imo

 

I have lost my job since christmas, have not been bothering with the coures at all, so have cancelled the direct debit through the bank, and informed the college.

 

Upon researching the company, i found this from the guardian.. although the article is fairly old..

 

 

 

 

 

"Learning a valuable lesson about consumer credit

 

I am a 27-year-old woman wanting to return to work after producing two children - and needing to upgrade my skills. I saw an article in another newspaper suggesting The Learning Library could help me. It said it was one of the biggest firms in distance learning.

 

I signed up for a computer course which cost nearly £1,200. And as I did not have much money, I agreed to an interest-free credit deal with Empress Finance recommended by the Library.

 

But since then, I have been very disappointed both by the course material and by the responses to my problems with it. I really don't want to spend any more on this but Empress threatens if I stop, it will take me to court. Can you help me?

RS, Coventry

 

· Empress will not be able to take you to court as the credit arrangement it has is not legally enforceable. Under the Consumer Credit Act, The Learning Library, whose controversial activities have featured here twice in recent weeks, should have a consumer credit licence to introduce business to Empress.

 

It does not have one, so agreements will not stand up in court or be otherwise enforceable against the debtor without an Order granted by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). This is unlikely. While The Learning Library has made a recent application for a licence, the OFT has issued a "minded to refuse notice."

 

Empress, which is not a limited UK company, holds licence 378218 in the name of Olivia Susan Webb as a sole trader. Companies House records show 80 of 100 issued shares in The Learning Library belonging to Robert Edward Webb, now 55. A further 10 have been issued to Moira Simpson, 48.

 

In May 1999, Webb and Simpson were found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court of "common law cheat, conspiracy to cheat and false accounting". They had formed a complex plan using the government's Vocation Training Relief Scheme to defraud the Inland Revenue of £1.9m through The Learning Library. In November 2000, Webb was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment.

 

The OFT has issued a "minded to revoke notice" for Empress's licence, although that is subject to appeal. Credit agreements with Empress would still be valid providing the introduction had come from a licensed broker and not the unlicensed The Learning Library."

 

 

The company have changed there name numerous times - Home learning college, home learning direct, learning library, oakhouse college, etc. And the finance company is part of the same group by the looks of it.

 

I was just how the best way to go about this is ?

They've already tried to phone me numerous times today, but I haven't answered.

 

Thanks in advance for your replied

[blueda]

I dont have experience on this subject, someone should have, anyway this bumps your thread back to top.

[jollybean21]

Hiya, I ripped up my contract and threw it away. But if this Empress thing is now the Home Learning College then it says in that letter you pasted that it CANNOT go to court then this sounds like a scare tactic. Pay up or you'll be punished, because alot of people quail at the idea of being taken to court and this is good way to get money off them, especially if they have rubbish software. I didnt install mine because due to circumstances had to leave my flat

 

My guess? They're trying to scare you into paying up by pulling the 'you can't cancel' card. Like they're trying to scare me. I will not pay up with money I dont have simply because I refuse to be pushed around. I am surprised they have been allowed to get away with it this long. If they dont have that sort of license then they can't take you to court.

 

Ignore the calls and use my advice in my thread - tell them you lost the cancellation slip and was unable to cancel. Then ignore the calls. I'm glad you cancelled the direct debit as well, that's what I did. I had no choice

 

I will be here most days if you need any help