Advent Computer Training (Barclays Partner Finance)

[10pack]

If you are unemployed and on benefits you will be exempt from court fees.

 

I dont claim benefits.

 

I walked out the job centre 2 years ago.. i just did not like the way i was being treated after working for 35 years and getting underhand treatment there

[Raymondo955]

Hi Ya I may be exempt due to the fact that I am on benefits due to my disabilty, but my wife is working but on a low income, I may not have explained myself earlier but it would be my wife who would take any action, for she was told by Advent that due to our son being unemployed he would need a garauntor otherwise he would not be entitled to a loan and there3fore unable to start the course.

 

We have begged BPF to take court action and begged their debt collectors to do the same and always received the same reply which up to last week has been silence, but last week said they refer the case back to BPF on the grounds that my wife is in dispute in regard to the loan. We are desparate to end this with BPF and that my wife and I are left with the perfect credit rating that we had before we even heard of Advent or dealt with BPF or the financial ombudsman.

 

The only part of this we found amusing was BPF's reply to our MP was that they knew the loan proceedings had been done correctly by Advent was because Advent had ticked the correct boxes? The loan was mis-sold.

 

Raymondo

[Tricla]

A number of posts have been removed from this thread regarding requests to PM people for information on solicitors. Please note the site rules regarding touting and remember that this is a self help site. If you think there is a special reason that you should be exempt from this please email full details and ask permission by emailing admin@consumeractiongro up.co.uk (without the spaces).

 

Please note my signature about help that requires payment.

 

Hi Caro. Apologies if we have broken any rules. I wasn't aware I had to contact the admins first.

 

I/we are not touting in any way. We have been in discussions with a lawyers firm who is looking at representing us against Barclays.

 

I will e-mail the address you have given me with the details.

 

Apologies again. No infraction was meant.

 

P.S - I tried to reply to your PM too but your inbox is full.

Edited January 21, 2012 by Tricla

[blade325]

Thanks Caro for the information about court fees. I was made redundant over a year ago now, and if I do not have to pay court fees would mean that I can put in a claim against BPF sooner rather than later. Also furhter to my post on the 19th about my chat with the FOS adjudicator. He said to me that I could not make an assesment of Computeach until i joined/ accepted BPF offer only then would I be able to say if there was a breach of contract in relation to the course being different to Advents. What he failed to mention is that once the breach remedy is accepted, it leaves you with very little chance to bring a claim later on.

[lowdown]

Small claims threshold may change in April to £15000.00

So for students with loans & interest over £5000.00 it looks like you might be able to take on BPF in small claims court

with little or no cost like Fuzzbutt has done.

Go over to Martin Lewis's site...moneysavingexpert.com for the details.

 

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/family/2011/03/small-claims-limit-could-rise-to-15000

 

With a six year deadline to challenge these things - everyone should still be within the time frame.

Hope someone from BPF is reading this, because if the government gets it's way,

Then we might ALL be coming after you.

Edited January 23, 2012 by lowdown

[THE ROADIE]

I hope it does happen because I would certainly be using that route!

[blade325]

Cheers Lowdown for the information, I may just hold on from filling my small claims now as the amount that I intend to claim i.e cost of the course, monies paid plus interest on that comes to over £7000.00.

On a different note I still do not understand how other students from Advent, doing exactly the same courses as us have been treated so differently by their Financial funder (Hitachi). Now im not saying that Hitachi is perfect, but most of their students got most of their money back. How with this in mind can The FOS be so blatantly biased towards BPF stance??. As far as I am concerned the whole idea of the Consumer Credit Act is to help consumers to get justice against financial institutions and not the other way round. A complete travesty if ever there was one.

[Fuzzbutt]

I agree there, Blade.That's good news too that Small Claims will be opened up to more people to use.

Barclays are really dredging the bottom now. They have supplied a defence document to Bristol Court that consists of basically an attempt at character assasination on me as they have no real evidence and proof of their claims that Computeach are the excellent replacement they claim. I really think they are shooting themselves in the foot now and a judge will see through the bluff and bluster. My day in court - bring it on!

[blade325]

Hi Fuzzbutt So BPF think that by character assaination they will get their way??, its a two way street if thats their game. Barclays have had the most customer complaints against them for the last two years, Their chief Ex Bob Diamond pay has been questioned by every top level minister in the UK, Their flagrant disrespect for any customer credit or consumer laws is legendary and you may want to mention PPI when they try to get on their high horse about not being involved in mis-selling in the past.

[Fuzzbutt]

Yep, you're right there, Blade.I gave back a good volley (copied to the court) so let's see 'em argue that out, with copies of my original letters which showed how their Jonathan Orritt had tried to twist the meaning of my words by taking them out of context to give the impression I'd said I refused to continue my training (I'd actually written I didn't want to continue with an IT trainer chosen by Barclays but would prefer to select my own - very different meaning). Poor shot, shows how unscrupulous they are - and of course the old accussation their lawyer throws out all the time that the people refusing to continue with their Computeach enforcement are just showing 'buyers remorse' - patronising clap trap!

[lowdown]

Yep, you're right there, Blade.I gave back a good volley (copied to the court) so let's see 'em argue that out, with copies of my original letters which showed how their Jonathan Orritt had tried to twist the meaning of my words by taking them out of context to give the impression I'd said I refused to continue my training (I'd actually written I didn't want to continue with an IT trainer chosen by Barclays but would prefer to select my own - very different meaning). Poor shot, shows how unscrupulous they are - and of course the old accussation their lawyer throws out all the time that the people refusing to continue with their Computeach enforcement are just showing 'buyers remorse' - patronising clap trap!

 

 

Well my appeal adjudicator has just called me about BPF's reply and to talk about my claim and clear up a few things.

They have told him, that i have never intended to, or shown any intention of taking the provided course by Computeach, and that i am just trying to avoid payment.

He has agreed to send me all of BPF's response when he has reached an outcome.

It looks like this is their defence at the moment [bPF]

With my first adjudication and my appeal, i am now into nearly sixteen months with fos.

[Fuzzbutt]

Their tactics are shameful, Lowdown. They have even contradicted themselves (and their beloved Computeach who had already told me in an email I would have to fork out a further £149 a month to continue with them after my end date on the Advent contract) - desperation! Take heart in that! They are clutching at straws now and we are turning the screws.16 months with FOS is really bad. I thought 11 months for a final decision was bad enough.

[lowdown]

I thought 11 months for a final decision was bad enough.

 

Nearly Sixteen months - and no outcome of yet.

 

On another note - if anyone is part of the Facebook thing going on over Advent/BPF.

maybe they could spread the link about the change in Small Claims threshold ?

Stir the nest up again, i should imagine some people are really fed up and thinking there is know where to go.

But this could open up the flood gates.

Edited January 25, 2012 by lowdown

[blade325]

Hi Lowdown i've been dealing with the FOS since july of 2010 and have to say for an organisation that is meant to help the consumer get justice it is extremely slow and rather biased towards businesses.

Have just been going through some old emails relating to advent and I have found some information regarding agressive marketing. Not only did I receive 3 letters about limited spaces and high demand for the course, but I also received three emails saying the same thing. On the mis-selling aspect the salesman told me that I would be able to study local to where I live, now considering I live in London, I only found out that all practical classes by Advent took place in Kidderminster when I rang to book a Practical Class. I have since found out that a number of other people were told the same lie about study location.

[Fuzzbutt]

Nearly Sixteen months - and no outcome of yet.

 

On another note - if anyone is part of the Facebook thing going on over Advent/BPF.

maybe they could spread the link about the change in Small Claims threshold ?

Stir the nest up again, i should imagine some people are really fed up and thinking there is know where to go.

But this could open up the flood gates.

 

Have done, Lowdown. Copied your post there.

[Raymondo955]

Hi Fuzzbutt, my name is Ray, I am seeking more & more information due to the fact that I am beginning legal action against BPF on behalf of my wife, the court papers are going to be drawn by a solicitor and I am representing her in court. We feel we have a case in respect of mis-selling of the loan and the fact that if my son had taken up the computeach offer he would of had to pay the extra £149 pm. Could you please let me know the name of the Facebook group so I can apply for membership?

[Fuzzbutt]

The Facebook group is called 'Advent scammed us - we want our money back', Ray.

 

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link it here but I've set up a website which I try to post useful info and updates on as it arises -

http://adventstudents.webs.com/index.htm

[Raymondo955]

Hi ya Fuzzbutt,

 

My wife's case to FOS was turned down in early 2011, part of which included the Advent course being 'open ended' and other parts which included Section75 and the fact that my wife signed up as a garauntor for our son Joseph, when Advent went under we were told by BPF that they did not accept garauntors. So my question is that since that time FOS have ruled in favour on some of the points that I raised on behalf of my can I now go back to FOS on the same grounds?

 

Ray

[lowdown]

Have done, Lowdown. Copied your post there.

 

Ok & thanks Fuzzbutt.

[blade325]

Hi Fuzzbutt in relation to BPF's assertion that you (and probably all of us) have 'Buyers Remorse' I have come across some online articles were Barclays have been done for Mis-selling. Although not directly related to the whole Advent issue, there is an indirect relationship whith Barclays handling of these cases. On all these cases Barclays had maintained for a long time that they had done nothing wrong and that the products that they were selling were not mis-sold.

http://unfaircontract.co.uk/news/barclays-apology-over-mis-selling-scandal

http://www.stepjournal.org/news/news/secondary_news/elderly_clients_to_get_compens.aspx

I also found a full case summary from the FSA relating to another matter, unfortunately I cant post it here as its in a PDF format. If anyone would like to see it I can PM it to you.

[Fuzzbutt]

Hi ya Fuzzbutt,

 

My wife's case to FOS was turned down in early 2011, part of which included the Advent course being 'open ended' and other parts which included Section75 and the fact that my wife signed up as a garauntor for our son Joseph, when Advent went under we were told by BPF that they did not accept garauntors. So my question is that since that time FOS have ruled in favour on some of the points that I raised on behalf of my can I now go back to FOS on the same grounds?

 

Ray

 

I think you'd best speak to your Adjudicator, Ray.The auto speller seems to have 'corrected' the Advent Facebook spelling in my last post. It should read Advent sc***mmed us (rymes with rammed us). Sorry.

[Fuzzbutt]

Hi Fuzzbutt in relation to BPF's assertion that you (and probably all of us) have 'Buyers Remorse' I have come across some online articles were Barclays have been done for Mis-selling. Although not directly related to the whole Advent issue, there is an indirect relationship whith Barclays handling of these cases. On all these cases Barclays had maintained for a long time that they had done nothing wrong and that the products that they were selling were not mis-sold.

http://unfaircontract.co.uk/news/barclays-apology-over-mis-selling-scandal

http://www.stepjournal.org/news/news/secondary_news/elderly_clients_to_get_compens.aspx

I also found a full case summary from the FSA relating to another matter, unfortunately I cant post it here as its in a PDF format. If anyone would like to see it I can PM it to you.

 

Nice find, Blade. Interesting article on Barclays mis-selling funds and apologising in the Financial Mail. Let's hope we get an apology pretty soon too and all our money back.Sadly my MP has been pretty useless - don't think I even got a reply.

[Raymondo955]

Hi, I think that in relation to MP's it depends who they are and their party, in respect of mis-selling it appears to me that everytime banks or other organisations set up dodgy deals or dealings they put some cash away in case they get caught, case in point being PPI.

[Penny Mitchell]

Hi Lowdown i've been dealing with the FOS since july of 2010 and have to say for an organisation that is meant to help the consumer get justice it is extremely slow and rather biased towards businesses.

Have just been going through some old emails relating to advent and I have found some information regarding agressive marketing. Not only did I receive 3 letters about limited spaces and high demand for the course, but I also received three emails saying the same thing. On the mis-selling aspect the salesman told me that I would be able to study local to where I live, now considering I live in London, I only found out that all practical classes by Advent took place in Kidderminster when I rang to book a Practical Class. I have since found out that a number of other people were told the same lie about study location.

 

I was told I could study in London or Eastbourne. I subsequently found out as you did, that all classes were in Kidderminster.

[blade325]

Hi Penny, I intend to use this as part of my mis-selling against Advent/ BPF. This was a blatant lie from the Advent salesperson, and I have found another guy in Maidstone and one in Manchester that where told the same thing. If you need me to coroborate this with either the Ombudsman or Courts let me know, and if you dont mind doing the same for me.