ADVENT COMPUTER TRAINING WARNING !!!!!

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

i think im going to have a fews days to have a think about stuff its quite knocked me back to be honest it seemed like the only thing i was set on doing. 5k gone though otherwise i would certainly had done it a very different way, im left with no money and only limited resources, i still owe 2.5k on the course as borrowed it within the family! its fukd! i pay a monthly standing order for it so now that cost will seem rather annoying!

after speaking to a few people they also said to speak to CAB and see if small claims court was possible but on the grounds that every student with advent will want their money back i don't think it would even make it off the ground as it would seem an impossible fight!

if the times weren't as bad i would go self employed but i require too much money each month to do a risk like this, if i lost my job then that would seem the only other option.

i more annoyed about the course than the money as i put a lot of work into it i went from knowing just general stuff to being able to fix pretty much anything in front of me with the right resources and boot cd's.

hahahahahahahahahahaha time for a few dozen beers

 

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

See it's things like this that make a lot of us mention self study or college courses on here because you can't go wrong by studying and practicing on your own and it's very unlikely that the HE/FE college is going to mis sell you a course or go bankrupt.

The certs I have have never been done with a TP because I wouldn't trust any of them as far as I could throw them.

See what CAB say although it will be an uphill struggle no matter how many ex advent students group together.

First they will have council tax and inland revenue charges to pay along with electricity, bankloans, building rent, equipment rent, publishers they get the study material from, trainers payoffs, sales peoples payoffs, receptionists etc etc

The students will be right at the bottom.

 

Hi AG1989, I am also in the same boat as you, yesterday I also received an email from them saying the same, that they can no longer continue the course, When I first started the course which was last year I had very bad credit record so I had to ask my mum to sign the credit agreement this meant that Barleys Bank paid Advent and then I pay the Bank, with the fact I was getting a good Certificate from this she signed away like all good mums do, I had one year interest free. when the year came round I needed to start paying, I think it was £450 a month meant I would pay back over £10,000 not good for a £5,000 course, in light of this my current boss decided to help and pay the £5,000 in one straight sum to the Bank then I pay £150 per month until its paid. Brilliant I thought, then this.. I have spoken to our company legal department and they have told me there would be no way. not unless a huge number of people from Advent got together and started clubbing together to get some form of petition or something to hand to the Official Receivers to say we are more important than the other people they owe money too.. all I know is that we need to do something, there are thousands of people that have paid 5k or more, there should be no way they are allowed to take our money and run off, I was made bankrupt last year and I have paid everything I owe to everyone.. that's the way it should be.. I suppose most of me talking like this is because I feel angry that they are allowed to do this and get away with not paying anyone back their money, If you wanna sit back and do nothing then cool, but I think that we should find as many people as possible that have been effected by this and do something about it..

 

Hi Guys,

As I mentioned yesterday I am in the same boat as quite a lot of other people studying with Advent and having taken out the finance package with Barclays to fund it.

I have just spoken to Barclays (I suggest you all do the same) and the guy on the phone has explained that they are pretty much in the same boat, but that they, along with the Administrators, will try a number of different options including trying to find another TP to take over our course and allow us to study with them instead of advent. They should be contacting all people with Advent accounts in the next "week or two" (his words) on what is going to happen. In the meantime though they are expecting you to carry on paying the loan instalments.

I'm just about to call CAB as well and see what they can advise, I'll post again when I've got more information.

 

Unfortunately the customers are last in the line to receive any money, if there is any left, at best it could be pence to each pound. Best hope is that the company is sold so it can still full fill courses. The bank has given the money to them so yes you still have to pay the bank its your loan/credit.

I was actually told they where still selling courses yesterday morning.

 

http://whatconsumer.co.uk/consumer-credit-act-rights/

Credit Cards – Section 75

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act imposes equal liability on the creditor for breaches by the supplier. In other words, if the company you are buying from goes bust or disappears, or if the goods turn out to be faulty and you can’t get recompense from that company, the credit card company shares responsibility to refund you for the entire amount. However, it is important to remember that this is the case only for amounts between £100 and £30,000.

More recently, section 75 was also extended to cover transactions made overseas or to foreign companies. This also includes buying goods for delivery to the UK from overseas by telephone, mail order or over the internet.

There is now widespread awareness of this loophole as a means of enhanced consumer protection. As a result, credit card companies are getting increasingly reluctant to accept claims so easily. If you are having difficulty pursuing a claim against a credit card issuer, or they are telling you that you must first get a court judgement against the supplier, report it to the Financial Ombudsmen (www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk). They may even be able to award you compensation.

 

Problem is they would have paid a credit company or bank via standing order or direct debt and not credit card.

 

Right

I have spoken to some very nice people at Consumer Direct, who actually sounded like they knew what they were talking about. After explaining the whole situation to them, they have come to the conclusion that it is a credit agreement you have entered into and not a "loan" agreement, regardless of how you are paying it. therefore you are protected under section 75 of the Credit Consumer Act (as Kevicho states)

It is reasonable for Barclays to attempt to find an alternative provider, and for you to accept this, but if they can't then you are entitled to claim back what you have already spent if you've not taken all the exams, and will not have to pay the balance.

They are following this up, but if you are paying for an Advent course via the Finance deal then you should be covered.

 

The consumer Credit act also covers finance agreements, so it is worth going to the citizens advice bereau, also call centre people dont like this being mentioned to them and will try and wriggle out of it, so may be worth addressing a letter to their legal departments.

This is the risk banks take in exchange for extortionate interest rates so dont feel sorry for them lol.

 

Hello everyone.

I got the same email today too. I started my Advent webdesign course just a few months ago and am about ready to do my first exam.

I paid for the course via Barclays, so hopefully I'll at least get my money back.

I'll spend tomorrow ringing around people (Barclays, CAB etc.).

I think it's a good idea for all of us to let each other know what's been said and by whom.

 

hi ratty,

Welcome to CF.

Sorry to hear of your situation. I wish you and the others involved the best of luck in your claim.

Good idea about you all sticking together.

 

I wish I was a lucky one who was paying monthly but they wouldnt do anything to let me do this and none of my parents would put their name down on my forms so I paid the 5k in full! what a big mistake as it looks now. Im not sure how to get this to the attention of all students but FACEBOOK of all places might seem a good idea as it would be all over the net in a short space of time and other people might have vital input into what can be done about it! im on my arse in debt at 20 years old trying to get better qualifications to improve my future and this just seems to have gone the wrong way so far! has anyone fully read their contract to see about what terms it has about finishing the course early for any reason or if they couldnt continue to fund it what could/would happen? I still cant understand how a company as big as advent can go bust as they are part of the huge computer manufacturer which I am betting are still making pc's!!!

Any views/ideas much welcomed, we need this sorting out asap before we all get pushed aside. I dont quite now how many people are studying the courses but it must be a fair few thousands!]

Adam

 

I think you'll find that Advent is a PC World brand name in the UK and in no way connected to the registered limited company 'Advent Computer Training Ltd'

 

the woman that came to my house to show me how the course worked and ran me thru everything said they were partnered with Advent! Either she knew nothing or was a good liar as most people wouldnt pick up on it like me!

 

ag1989, my advice to you would be to contact the CAB. Take all your course paperwork with you and let them read through it. Hopefully there'll be something that can be done for you.

For anyone who paid through Barclays, I've just found this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/...stm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

A very promising quote from Barclays.

 

As mentioned the sales practices of these places leaves a lot to be desired, young people are so wet behind the ears they don't stand a chance, I'm glad these outfits weren't around when I was 18 !

You can tell when a salespersons lying as their mouth is open !

 

If you want to hear stories about "course advisors" remind me at the next G.T.G.
The bottom line is: one minute they are selling double glazing and the next minute I.T, plumbing, or payroll courses. Sales people like all of us need to earn a living and will (in my experience of working for a TP) do anything to get the sale. Why? Because if they have a salary, it's not enough to live on because they can earn big money when they sell - it's how it works. If a course costs 5K and you get £500 for selling it - what would you do? You need money to live and you also have sales targets. If you dont reach them, you're out.
Remember, what they say and what you sign for may (Ok, is not!) not be the same. Any little extra bit's of Bull Sh!t when you are just about to sign, such as "we get students jobs with Microsoft", "my last student has just bought a Lexus" and "all our students pass their exams first time" doesn't mean a thing. When it boils down to a dispute because the classroom doesn't exist, or you were told your trainer can call to your home - see if it's in the contract. If it's not , guess what - it's your word only. You signed an agreement which has no mention of it and by the time you realise it is not what you have been told; you are outside your cancellation period.

 

tell me about it i was 18 at the time and took everything for the truth! on one of the flyers it said a student passed the course in 4months! like ****, 18months later and i stil hadnt passed the 1st of the 9 exams! they were useless at giving help and advice and the book i had to read had nothing to do with what the exam was asking! they gave me a practice cd which i was great at til i took the exam and scored know where near the same scores and the cd was supposed to be a mock version but half the size and time limit! its a waste of money, they were unhelpful and the cheap resources they were supplying were no good to anyone. ive certainly wiped mug off my face now and im sure no pushover anymore i do my research into everything if it sounds slightly untrue or inaccurate, but all said and done that wont get me my money back!

 

Thats probably because they start using self employed sales people

no wonder they are desperate to make a sale

take a look....

Code:

Location:  	Maidstone, Kent
Sector:  	Other
Salary:  	Commission only. Realisitic earnings of £25-65K p.a.
Company:  	Advent Training
Date posted:  	28/01/2010 18:55
  	 
Description:  	

Field Sales Consultant

Self Employed Role - Commission Only, Realistic Earnings of £25K - £65K p.a.

Must have own transport

Widely considered as one of the UK’s most respected independent training providers,
 we offer a wide range of distance-learning courses across a range of disciplines.

As part of our expansion plans for this year we are looking for a dynamic and results driven individual
 to join our team of Field Sales Consultants.

You’ll advise prospective students who are interested in undertaking one of our industry-focused 
training courses to enhance their current career prospects or for those who are looking for a career change.

Confirmed appointments will be provided consistently each week (NO COLD CALLING).

Job Specification:

• To attend pre-booked appointments in prospect homes to sell company products/courses.

• To deliver and meet individual targets by following sales structure.

• To ensure maximum contribution/earnings in terms of process, efficiency and compliance.

Skills:

• Time management

• Communication

• Passionate about People

• Customer Service, Sales and Quality focused

• Problem solving

• Strong negotiation skills.

Demonstrable B2C sales experience ideally from within a field sales or financial services background would be ideal.

Full training and support will be provided to the successful applicant.
  	 
Reference:  	Salestarget/FSC7

 

Thats where our moneys gone

25-65K...