Advent Computer Training (Hitachi Capital Finance) Discussions

[gaz1270]

Just a quick question I need to ask, everyone is talking alot about Barclays loans which I assume is the larger party, but I dont suppose anyone here has taken their loan out for the course through Hitachi Capital.

I imagine im not the only one and if anyone else has, have you had a chance to ring them yet?

I shall get the chance to do so tomorrow myself (that is if tomorrow actually comes as dont think i shall sleep at the mo)

Any help would be great and really REAAALLY hope all this gets sorted to a satisfactory standard for everyone.

(my apologies if i come across very blunt)

[MARTIN3030]

Welcome to the site Gaz.

Its very likely that there will be others who have taken out theirs through Hitachi Capital.

We can start another thread to ask for those to add their names there and you can share info.

[gaz1270]

If you could start up a thread regarding Hitachi capital it would be much appreaciated qith a link to it. first time i have ever been on this site as this is a first for me getting caught like this. Can only hope on everyones behalf this is a first and LAST time!

 

Still thinking this must be some bad dream but then ar'nt we all!

[MARTIN3030]

Ok done.

[Lewis81]

Hi,

 

my loan is with Hitachi as well, if you get a chance to ring them today please let me know what you find out. i dont suppose theyre open over the weekend of i wont get a chance to call until monday now.

[Lewis81]

Hi,

 

Right I have spoken to Hitachi Capital today, they have said that they are currently investigating the situation and that they will contact us with info when they have it. if your not sure if they have your correct conatct details is probably worth giving them a ring.

 

in the mean time they have advised me to write to them at,

 

Business Support Department

Hitachi Capital Consumer Finance

2 Apex View

Leeds

West Yorkshire

LS11 9BH

 

and include all information i have on the original aggrement with advent and course progress etc, basically everything you can supply to help them lookinto your case,

 

hope this has been some help, if anyone hears anything else please let me know, need to stick together on this one me thinks,

[Jekkers]

My loan is with Hitatchi Capital.

 

I have a year left on my payment of £4.7k.

 

Would I be entitled to refuse being given a new trainer, and request a refund, or termination of payment instead? I never recieved a good service from Advent (aside from the Classroom sessions, which were brilliant, but too infrequent) and my faith has been shaken in this whole distance learning idea.

 

I do not want to continue with another training program. Since another program would not be what I paid for, I would be entitled to turn this down, right?

[MARTIN3030]

Jekkers we are looking into this.Do you still have a copy of your original agreement ?

[MARTIN3030]

These are registered FSA members and also regulated by the FSA.Heres some details;

 

Basic details for:

 

309255 - Hitachi Capital (UK) Plc

 

Current status: Authorised Effective Date: 14/01/2005 Tied Agent:

Undertakes Insurance Mediation: Y Registered under Money Laundering Regulations:

Address: 2 Apex View

Leeds

West Yorkshire

LS11 9BH

Phone:

Fax:

Email:

Website:

44 0113 244 6920

44 0113 281 8912

[email protected]

Business Finance | Retail Finance | Factoring - Hitachi Capital UK PLC

Notices: Unable to hold client money.

Other information:

[lc1989]

tried to contact advent about the situation but all the lines are dead!!! my loan was firstly with barclays partner finance, but i went down another route to pay the owed money off. By securing a loan with barclays bank to pay barclays partner finance off the amount that i owed, so unsure how i stand at the mow,

 

but would be gratefull if could post with any info on how hitachi customers stand with this as may need to follow same process with barclays.

 

cherz

[MARTIN3030]

Administrators are likely to be taking over communicating with lenders and clients.There should be an announcement on that soon.Media interest seems to be picking up and I understand that there are 2 further newspapers working on this story.Much depends on the terms and conditions of any agreements to determine protection under the Consumer Credit Act.

I would just say keep reading the forums and watch for further info.

[gaz1270]

Spoke to Hitachi myself today and sure enough got the 'please send us any details you may have about your course/agreement with Advent' not much else so all we can do is listen out. Mind you from what I can also tell and doing a fair amount of research into it, it would seem to me that good ol Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act stands to give you alot of protection here due to the fact that taking the loan out through Hitachi is not a part of Advent other than to provide an optional loan to fund the course for you. This puts you in a situation where you have borrowed money to purchase a set product which they know about rather than giving you a personal loan which you could spend on anything. Hopefully I am making some sense, v tired at the mo, but if you google section 75 and look into it on the moneysavingsexpert website you should be able to understand what this tired fool is on about (me)

[lc1989]

thanks alot gaz, will have a look into this aswell. but as many others have said rearly the act stands us in good faith. if you jump over to the barclays thread ive posted my agreement online , only the consumer act bit and it states exactly what you say, so just sit and wait for the phone to ring!!!

[gaz1270]

No problem, just hope my good feeling about all this is will turn out right. At least because of the fact we have taken out credit on this course through a third party I would like to beleive we do not stand to lose everything. The only part I know which is lost is the initial deposit which was paid to Advent aat first. Anyone who has paid outright to Advent may get something back but highly unlikely, this will be because once the 'receivers' are in due to administration they shall seek to consolidate all the assests of the company, sell off what they can, pay up to the creditors first then the staff will get their cut of redundancy and whatever may be left in the pot at the end will be what is dished out to everyone else. The main protection you have with sec 75 is that because we are paying a 'creditor' of Advent we should stand to receive our money back as they broke their contract to us and the creditor must claim back off Advent. Good luck to us all is all I can say! Next stop for me Citizens advice armed with the ammo I have aquired and to get back up!

[baconbutty84]

Thanks for this info so far Gaz, its been really helpful - no doubt some of you have probably already been to Advents website today and seen the notice advising us to contact Hitachi and to check section 75 of the consumer credit act. Suggests some of us may be okay so fingers crossed... I haven't spoken to them yet but I'm a bit worried as I can't seem to find my original agreement with the t&c's on anywhere - all I have is the initial welcome letter with my bank/payment details and agreement ID number etc. I signed up in Sept 07 with a 4.7k loan, if anyone else signed up using Hitachi around this time I'd be grateful if you could let me know if the CCA74 is mentioned in the terms.

[sacchinj]

Hi everybody,

 

Read all your comments and im in the same situation. I gave Hitachi capital a call this morning but was not asked to send any information. The lady simply confirmed my number, address and took my email address. I've been told to expect a call later today, which will hopefully (but not holding my breath) clear a few things up.

 

She could not confirm for me whether they were looking into arranging a new training provider or cancelling further payments or what....hopefully things will be a bit clearer later today. Will update you guys after i get the call.

 

sacchin

 

p.s. all your posts have been very helpfull.

[sacchinj]

Also, worth checking out the facebook page 'Advent training scammed us-we wand our money back'

 

Some helpfull and up-to-date info there

[Frazzo]

Took mine out with Hitachi in March 07 and Yes it is mentioned on the agreement I signed - waiting to hear from them

Thanks for this info so far Gaz, its been really helpful - no doubt some of you have probably already been to Advents website today and seen the notice advising us to contact Hitachi and to check section 75 of the consumer credit act. Suggests some of us may be okay so fingers crossed... I haven't spoken to them yet but I'm a bit worried as I can't seem to find my original agreement with the t&c's on anywhere - all I have is the initial welcome letter with my bank/payment details and agreement ID number etc. I signed up in Sept 07 with a 4.7k loan, if anyone else signed up using Hitachi around this time I'd be grateful if you could let me know if the CCA74 is mentioned in the terms.

[MisterMrQ]

Hi,

 

same boat here, I have had some independant advice from a Finance credit advisor and they have advised me to contact CAB and to follow these two links. The first too read about section 75 and the second to write to both advent and Hitatchi:

 

Consumer Credit Act 1974 (c. 39) - Statute Law Database

 

Consumer Direct - 1 Consumer Credit Act 1974 - Template letter for use when Goods and Services have been bought on credit

 

I have also spoke to Hitatchi who have informed me that they are setting up a department to deal with this and will get back to me. I had to confirm my contact details etc as previous posters have mentioned.

 

Please let me know if you hear anything.

 

Good luck to you all!

[Lewis81]

Hi,

 

was just wondering,

 

I have been reading on some of the Barclays forums that they have been able to freeze their accounts until something has been sorted, does anyone think we would have a chance at being able to do this with Hitachi?

[gaz1270]

Hi Lewis. Unfortunately with what contact I have had with Hitachi they have stated that I must continue payments as normal. To which of course I replied to them that I have no intention of cancelling my direct debit to them as in doing this I would breach my contract to them and stand to lose everything. I find it a small price to pay at the moment for what could possibly be a good outcome.

[Mannix2901]

Hi Guys,

 

I am new to this site so bear with me.

 

Like you all i have felt the wrath of Advent which is very disheartening i'm sure you all agree.

 

I have been to the CAB and spoken to Hitachi regarding payment, refunds, account freezes and here's what has happened so far.

 

When speaking with the CAB they stated that if the loan taken out for the course is under the 1974 consumer credit act then all will be in your favour. After looking at the Hitachi agreement's T&Cs section 3, it clearly states your protection if the supplier goes bust, even granting the ability to sue if necessary.

 

Second to that i've spoken to Hitachi and explained the situation. They said that they are investigating it. They requested that i send all my details about my course via post giving them a 14 day response period and to keep paying in the meantime.

 

Ok so here's what i've done.

 

I sent the following letter attached with my agreement highlighting the 1974 consumer credit act section 3 on wednesday the 3rd of feb.

 

Dear Account Handler/Complaints,

 

I am writing to express my great concern and dissatisfaction with your Fixed-Sum Loan Agreement Regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 supplied via Advent Consulting Limited.

 

As you are aware Advent Consulting ltd has now gone into administration and is no longer supporting its students through their studies, thus meaning a breach of contract under section 3 of The Consumer Credit Act 1974, ‘if the contract is not fulfilled, perhaps because the supplier has gone out of business, you maybe still be able to sue the creditor’.

 

The method of which I as a student was notified of the insolvency was appalling - via my junk mail received on the 28/01/2010 it states, ‘Dear xxxx

It is with the very greatest regret that I have to write to you to tell you that having tried our very best we have been unable to secure ongoing funding for the company and accordingly as matters currently stand we are unable to continue to provide your training.

 

Arrangements are being made for an insolvency practitioner to be appointed and I am sure you will be hearing from him. No doubt you will want to discuss the position with him or an adviser.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Advent Computer Training’, yet I have still not heard anything.

This has been a very disheartening and a very disappointing experience and I request a full refund of monies paid since 22/04/2008 and will look to stop all payments as of March 2010. I do not wish to have to take legal action however I am as stated in the T&Cs I am obliged.

 

Please respond in 14 days or I will have to see my solicitor.

 

Now i am waiting for a response i will give an update as and when.

[gaz1270]

Great to hear, will be very interesting to see how this progresses with you Mannix. I myself today have just emailed them with requested documents as well and am now waiting for a response also from them.

Regardless of their stance on the matter the full amount to which we have paid should be refunded and no other training provider or any other option should be given to any of us. Hopefully this should go smoothly for all of us who are with Hitachi as if i was part of the Barclays scheme i would be getting really quite irate if they tried anything else other than refunding as it would not be what you initially paid for.

[Mannix2901]

Fingers crossed that they honour our situation.

 

Secondly i've looked over the T&Cs and there's no clause for a replacement trainer. If that's the avenue they wish to go down then it's to the courts I also guess if it goes that far then we will be fighting for more than our refund.

Lets hope they see sense.

[Mannix2901]

Hi all,

 

I've noticed that the thread has fallen silent . Well guess what? I've had a reply from Hitachi, see below.

 

Dear xxxx

 

Agreement number xxxx

 

Thank you for contacting us regarding the announcement by Advent Consulting Ltd, trading as Advent Computer Training, that it has ceased to trade.

 

We acknowledge receipt of your correspondence and understand that you are currently unable to continue with the course you purchased from Advent Consulting, to which the above credit agreement relates. We acknowledge our obligations under section 75 of the consumer credit act 1974 and we will endeavour to resolve all claims as soon as possible in accordance with those obligations.

 

Whilst we seek further information from Advent Consulting and its directors, we are exploring the best way in which to resolve matters and will endeavour to keep you informed of progress.

 

May we take this opportunity to apologise for any incovenience this may cause. We thank you for your patience.

 

Your sincerely

 

Jeanette Freeman

Senior Customer Service Advisor

Business Support

 

I have called up to find out time scales which unfortunately i could not get. Secondly i mentioned that i was not happy that they would not freeze my account and that i will seek legal proceedings. They informed me that another letter will be with me this week regarding the matter.

 

I will wait for 'this' letter to arrive and if not received by the end of the week i will be sending a final letter before seeking real legal advice.

 

I hope this helps