Advent Computer Training (Barclays Partner Finance)Info and discussion thread

[MARTIN3030]

martin 3030 your posts are most interesting and you state above Most contracts will be legally binding and enforceable as soon as they are made. The supplier must deliver the goods or services mentioned in the contract and the customer must pay the purchase price. advent have not kept thier part of the bargain so therefore contract broken we should be entitled to money back under s75.

 

 

Yes section 75 applies in certain circumstances but not in all.

It depends on how payment was made.

[MARTIN3030]

I enquired on the Hitachi thread about what they did that got them to refund apparantly Hitachi said they were accepting their obligations under the cca 1974 and were offering refunds.

That makes me think that BPF are also obligated under the cca1974 just they think that providing Computeach is doing that. It's the arrogance of them that they can just foist this on us and think we'll just go along with it.

Your right Mantaxi the goods and services are not being provided we've got nothing we should be refunded not forced to do what they say I'm sure they can't have that right to dictate

 

Have you got this in writing ?

[MARTIN3030]

Bluedo I have sent you a pm.

I am very much aware that Barclays are monitoring these threads.

Lets not give them any upper hand.

[Bluedo]

Does s75 apply to us Martin

[MARTIN3030]

Here is some examples from the FOS;

 

issue 62 - insurance case studies

 

 

but the basic criteria is;

 

 

For Section 75 to apply, in the first instance the following four conditions must all be satisfied:

 

• The cash price of the goods or services bought by the consumer must be over £100 and not more than £30,000.
  
• The amount of credit provided to the consumer towards the purchase must not exceed £25,000, and must have been provided to an 'individual' (which includes sole traders, small partnerships and unincorporated businesses, as well as ordinary consumers).
  
• The provider of credit must be in the business of lending money, and the credit agreement must have been made in the course of that business.
  
• The credit must have been provided to the consumer under pre-existing arrangements between the provider of credit and the supplier of the goods and services.
  

So all looks ok there.

[Mustard2243]

I don't see being mis-sold as a flimsy argument, credit is all to easy to come buy. The pressure and techniques used by the salesmen really do not give you a chance to think about it too much. I signed up on fear of not being able to get a place on the course. In addition to this allot of people have only just now discovered this website and are now more aware of their rights, and as such albeit belatedly can exercise their rights.

[MARTIN3030]

You are right Mustard2243.

But the onus is on you to prove mis-selling this is the crux.

[Savarok]

The only route to a refund is that we DID NOT CHOOSE Computeach and therefore should get our money back, however I don't think any judge will give a full refund to someone who has been enrolled on a distance learning course for 12 + months and hasnt even sat an exam yet.....

 

I have been working progressively through my course and I 'was' on track for completing within 3 years, my problem was Advent won me through with the recruitment division they use.

 

I liased regular with them and they did contact me almost weekly with jobs in my area so I do believe this did work. Clearly I knew they would never guarantee me a position but if you keep knocking eventually I would get a job.

[Boosh]

I have had post this morning, but nothing from bpf.

 

You would think they would have sent them last friday and not waste anymore time

[Mustard2243]

Longer the better IMO, although there is an off chance they could actually be responding to complaints now.

[Savarok]

I have had post this morning, but nothing from bpf.

 

You would think they would have sent them last friday and not waste anymore time

 

I got mine on Saturday. Quite surprising really considering they keep addressing my letters to Liverpool when I live in Leeds.

[Boosh]

I hope your right, how can they make us sign anything if they have not dealt with our complaints

[Boosh]

I got mine on Saturday. Quite surprising really considering they keep addressing my letters to Liverpool when I live in Leeds.

Really!!!, i must have missed your post saying that, apart from the obvious of computeach being the new provider..... What else does it say. Sorry if you've already answered this on Saturday

[Savarok]

In a nutshell - your new provider is computeach, go speak to them about your course because we are washing our hands of you.

 

Nothing about my S75 complaint yet though.

[cjclegg]

Really!!!, i must have missed your post saying that, apart from the obvious of computeach being the new provider..... What else does it say. Sorry if you've already answered this on Saturday

 

They are asking us contact Computeach directly and to carry on paying as per our agreement.....

 

Computeach will be able to answer all questions we may have apparently....

[Maleficus]

I have the same 'Sod off, you're computeach's problem now. Just keep paying us or we'll send the boys round', pretty much.

 

So, 1 question: Are Computeach any good?

[JuiceyBuns]

Surely you can use a reasonable time (8 weeks) to confirm if the new provider is a like-for-like or better provider, before acceptance? I would also expect that a new contract between us and the new provider would need to be signed. I certainly won't be paying anything more until I have at least both of those.

 

I would in your position write to BPF and advise that you are doing some analysis of the new provider on a like for like basis (including any distance to the local workshops) and will be in touch by x date (4 weeks). If you haven't been able to complete your analysis by then, just extend by another x weeks in the same manor we have been dealt with. Make sure you keep all copies of your letter and their responses for legal grounds.

[SajstarHero]

I don't computeach is any good from what I've read about them. Just another advent, that will take a four month course and turn it to a one year + course. Advent could extend the course period for a additional 2 years as per the terms of the enrolement form if you contacted them. With computeach I don't know and think they will want you to pay after 2 years for further material and support. But I'm not going to call them. Why should I? They all have my damn money! They should call me firstly and secondly as seen as this is our money they should be treating us like real customers and run to serve us. I only want a refund for part of the money I paid I don't want it all back. Thats fair right?

[Boosh]

Surely you can use a reasonable time (8 weeks) to confirm if the new provider is a like-for-like or better provider, before acceptance? I would also expect that a new contract between us and the new provider would need to be signed. I certainly won't be paying anything more until I have at least both of those.

 

I would in your position write to BPF and advise that you are doing some analysis of the new provider on a like for like basis (including any distance to the local workshops) and will be in touch by x date (4 weeks). If you haven't been able to complete your analysis by then, just extend by another x weeks in the same manor we have been dealt with. Make sure you keep all copies of your letter and their responses for legal grounds.

 

 

that sounds like a really good idea, at least this will buy us some more time

[10pack]

My letter has just arrived

 

Further to our recent letter concerning advent consulting ltd ceasing to trade.I can confirm that we have now secured a suitable alterantive provider to enable you to complete your training.

I am pleased to confirm the new training provider is computeach international ltd and they will ensure that the training supplied to you is of equivalent or better standard. please contact computeach as soon as possible on 0845 2180252 so they can arrange the continuation of your training.

 

we realise you will have many questions and computeach will be able to assit you with these.

As an active student you will need to continue your studies to bring your training to a satisfactory conclusion and you are obliged under your credit agreement to continue your repayments as outlined in the terms & condistions.

 

Thank you for your patience in this matter and we wish every success in your studies.

 

meanwhile if you have a query on your finance account, please contact our customer sevices department.

 

------------------------------------

So in other words we have found you something so get lost and keep paying us your money.

 

Not happy not happy at all

[Get Lucky]

Has anyone rung the premium rate phone number on the latest deflective letter from BPF and spoken to Computeach? If so, what did they say? I find pretty offensive (again) that it's again up to us to get in contact with them, to sort out their cock up!

 

I also spoke to a Computeach rep when deciding on which provider to take, and wrote them off as useless long before he left my house. I don't see how anything will have changed. And after even the most minor research, have discovered a world of people unsatisfied with them.

 

Thanks again to the ex-employees and students of CT for also exposing them as the wasters they are...

 

So folks, if you've spoken to them, lets post what they say... should be interesting... or not!

[10pack]

Just phoned Barclays, they rep was reasonable enough, he suggested that I call computeach to see what courses they can do for me.. I had to explain that I had experience with computeach before and I had no wish to spend the rest of the year in useless internal exams while computeach plays with me.

 

I asked why had Barclays not asked us what we wanted to do instead of assigning a company to us, he said that there was no way they could have different company solutions for different students.. it had to be one solution fix in effect.

 

I asked since I did not wish to contact computeach since I concidered it a waste of my time and phone calls what are my options now.. he said to write to their customer relations department with my worries.

 

I also asked what about that my finance agreement, it has the name "Advent consulting ltd" would not another agreement need to be drawn up, he said no.. because no matter what company was to be our new training company the agreement was with barclays now.. so if computeach was to now go bust we still could go back to barclays and they would again have to find an alternative training company.

 

I also asked what about that I had requested that my account be put on hold and that I now had a cheque (due to them taking out a payment after it had been put on hold) that I have as yet not cashed.

He said to cash the cheque so that the money would be there for when they next make a request, he also said that barclays will be writing to all students that have their accounts on hold/frozen since now they have found a training company they will make your accounts active and they will be expecting payments once again.

 

So it looks like I will have to write to Barclays with my concerns.

 

Not happy at all.

[Fuzzbutt]

Apologies I was unable to get back on yesterday with the re-scanned letter from Barclays, but I see 10pack has kindly posted up what it says anyway, and it's identical to the letter I had. I had to shake my head when I read 'you're obliged to continue your repayments' - my loan was paid off last Dec!

 

On the mis-selling issue, I too chose Advent basically because they offered the recruitment team support service. I've trawled Computeach's website and, while they offer to help people with their CVs and interview techniques, they do not offer a specialist team who sources job placements in your local area, as the Advent salesman promised me. Here's the proof of what he offered in their confirmation letter....

 

He also took a copy of my CV and promised to forward it to the recruitment team so they could start looking for a basic web developer position for me within the 10 mile radius of where I live that I specified I was happy to commute within!

 

I know it's been raised that many of us are hanging on to the mis-selling issue and didn't see this as a problem before the collapse of Advent, but I really DO think that this course was mis-sold to me in the light of the poor support I received after starting the course.

I was under no illusions about what the Master CIW Designer course entailed, and thought myself pretty capable of achieving it. I am a qualified graphic designer with 10 years employment background in web and magazine design, and this looked an ideal way to be able to update my skills in order to get back into that after a break, while still holding down an admin job. When I explained to the salesman I would find it hard to get to the workshops as they were midweek and taking time off work and staying overnight during the week was not an option, he said don't worry about that as the workshops were an optional part of the course.

I took the mock and failed it, but received no mentoring advice other than to try the multiple answer tests at the end of the book chapters and email them in to Advent for marking - I had the answers book so I could have done that for myself! I was given no helpful advice on further reading for example to help with my weak areas, and was appalled when I was told I could look the answers up for questions I found difficult....what was the point of that! I wouldn't be able to do that in an exam and it wouldn't give me a clear picture of where I was at knowledge-wise.

 

I can't see any of the web software that was on my course spec covered by Computeach, at least according to their website, so for me at least I think they'll be unable to complete my training, even if I'd wanted them to.

[Fuzzbutt]

 

I also asked what about that my finance agreement, it has the name "Advent consulting ltd" would not another agreement need to be drawn up, he said no.. because no matter what company was to be our new training company the agreement was with barclays now.. so if computeach was to now go bust we still could go back to barclays and they would again have to find an alternative training company.

 

 

That's worth checking out I think 10pack. My Advent contract says the same. I'm waiting to hear back from the solicitor now - he has my contract to look over, so I'll ask about that.

[Bongo_Fury]

Hi,

 

I have just been in touch with Computeach regarding the recent letter from Barclays.

 

My course with Advent started in June 2009 and was due to run until June 2012. The first person i spoke to at Computeach suggested that i might have to pay more to complete the course ( completely unacceptable ). However the second person i spoke suggested that they would honour the original contract.

 

What i did ascertain from the conversation is that they are inundated with calls and it is going to take quite some time until Computeach write to us all individually.

 

The route i am pursuing is the contract is frustrated due to the break of over eight weeks. I think we will be well into April before any further detail is known.