ICS and home learning courses -

[waveydave79]

My partner recently took up one of these courses costing over 400 pounds. This was back in may, the situation is my partner has some borderline learning problems and mild depression, this was explained over the phone when she agreed the course.

Materails were sent, a month later my partner lost her job. State of mind went downhill, shes lost a lot of confience, friends and has no routine and the depression has come back with avengence.

So we spoke to ICS, they are refusing to cancel the course. I have explained this is something we cannot predict and came out of the blue, if someone has an accident or is ill wither it be mentally or physically that stops them from doing the course they should be entitled to cancel. You would have thought so.

Spoke to one of the supervisors who is asking for a letter, I was told a general letter to expllain the current circumstances at the time, after speaking with another one of their phone monkeys I have now been told I has to state she cannot complete it by May 2008. A Doctor cannot state this in this letter as it is making assumption, they can only state fact. Plus this has cost me 20 pounds for a letter which is probably useless.

It has to be said that ICS are the most unhelpfull, rude and arrogant company I had delt with, its worse than dealing with a overseas call centre, and have little consideration

If this gets knocked back could threaterning them with Trading standards or CAB help. surely they have to be governed by someone higher up. They cant simply make up the rules.

I advise anyone thinking of doing a home learning course to use this email as a cuation, our expierence has not been good.

any advise would be appreciated.
rant mode off.

 

[jamief]

Not a nice situation to be in.

However, I'd assume that when you / she paid the £400 it was subject to some terms and conditions (or rather, it would definitely be subject to T&C). When you paid, you gave your consent to be bound by this, and as horrible as it is in your situation, I don't think there is a lot you can do.

 

[waveydave79]

either way i loose, either i end up going through much stress trying to get them to cancel or i pay. Doctors note was 20 pounds which is abit silly if they are going to kick this back, after speaking with friends there is not a lot that can be done. I currently feel like taking all the ics books and burning them I am so annoyed by their attidude the lack of understandiing.

I have been promised a callback tommorow from a team leader. ICS want me to provide proof she cannot do the course and state she will not be able to do it by the expiry date. Depression cannot be predicted its an ongoing problem. I Simply can only give them the current situation.

If it looks like a no go I`ll just end up having to pay. I will however take any chance to spread bad publiciity. she was encouraged by the advisor who sold the course when she enquired, I feel now she has be exploited.

 

[Richard_16v]

Looking at it from their point of view it could just be someone has decided they don't want to do the course anymore and want their money back *.

If you can afford to pay for the course then you may have better luck trying to push for a postponed course or credit with them etc, then when your other half is better she can do the course then.

* I'm not saying this is what I think, but you have to understand that I bet they hear all sorts of excuses when people want their money back.

 

[Heliospherez]

In all honesty, if you get the money back, you will be very lucky.

If you take the Open University for example (currently with over 200,000 people enrolled) - if each person started their courses and got fed up doing them, what is too stop them phoning up with their doctors letter and saying they can't complete it ? Or, what if the 10,000+ registered disabled with the OU suddenly decide to stop reading or writing or heavens forbid - they die during the first few months of the course - will their children request a refund?

The ICS is a company like any other, and if every customer asks for their money back due to medical reasons (no matter how genuine or serious) they will go bankrupt. Simply as.

 

[waveydave79]

Looking at it from their point of view it could just be someone has decided they don't want to do the course anymore and want their money back *.

If you can afford to pay for the course then you may have better luck trying to push for a postponed course or credit with them etc, then when your other half is better she can do the course then.

* I'm not saying this is what I think, but you have to understand that I bet they hear all sorts of excuses when people want their money back.

True

Probably gonna just pay it off to get it out of the way. As for my partner signing up for it, it is a life lesson i think she has learned.