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attilabenko


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home learning college
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I thought i share my experience with home learning college (this happened more then a year ago but they did not change).

I requested some information on one of their courses and then i got a message from equifax saying hlc searched my credit file???It does not really matter but still it is the fact they did it.

On their homepage there is a section where you can request more information about courses. Put you house number and postcode in click request and it takes you to a new page where you have to put in more details.You have some small print on the page but as you are just requesting some brochures of a course you don,t really read it. it say:
HOME LEARNING COLLEGE WILL NOT DIVULGE YOUR INFORMATION TO ANY THIRD PARTIES FOR MARKETING PURPOSES WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT. WE MAY IN THE FUTURE INFORM YOU ABOUT OTHER COURSES OR SERVICES, WHICH MAY BE OF INTEREST TO YOU, EITHER BY MAIL, TELEPHONE OR EMAIL. PLEASE CONTACT US IF YOU WOULD PREFER NOT TO RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION. HOME LEARNING COLLEGE WILL NORMALLY CONTACT CREDIT REFERENCE AGENCIES WHO WILL KEEP A RECORD OF THESE ENQUIRIES. I AGREE THAT INFORMATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MY ACCOUNT(S) MAY BE SHARED WITH CREDIT REFERENCE AGENCIES AND MAY BE USED BY OTHER LENDERS FOR CREDIT ASSESSMENT. IF HLC ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE FUNDING DIRECTLY WE MAY INTRODUCE YOUR DETAILS TO TRUSTED THIRD PARTIES WHO MAY CONTACT YOU TO DISCUSS OTHER CREDIT AND/OR FINANCIAL SERVICES (THERE IS NO COST TO YOU AND YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PROCEED) PLEASE WRITE TO US IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THIS. I AM INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT THE RANGE OF COURSES PROVIDED BY HOME LEARNING COLLEGE; I AGREE THAT YOU MAY CALL ME REGARDING THIS ENQUIRY. I UNDERSTAND THAT A COURSE ADVISOR MAY VISIT ME AT MY CONVENIENCE TO GIVE PRE-ENTRY GUIDANCE AND HELP TO CHOOSE THE COURSE THAT'S RIGHT FOR ME. I UNDERSTAND I AM UNDER NO OBLIGATION AT ANY TIME.

Well, i contacted them and they said there is the small print when i request information i should have read it.

This just shows their attitude...
Attila


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Attila
kjmcculloch


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I did my course with HLC. What a mistake. One minute you're filling in a form the next theres a nice guy at your door selling you a course. I believed I was getting a good deal, until I found this forum later. What annoyed me more was they have reputable colleges on board which legitimises what they do.

A truly shocking company, and one I advise everyone I know NOT to deal with.

Kris

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Kris McCulloch 
Tel: 01563 370123

The views expressed in this post are my own personal (HRA protected) views, and are not representative of any organisation I have any involvement with.
attilabenko


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well after this credit search i did not speak to their advisors apart from telling them where to go. At the and of the day I only needed information to be able to compare providers, i did not apply for a course or for credit. I did my courses with someone else thanks to equifax alerting me about any changes on my credit report.

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Attila
chrissy


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Hi, I thought i would put my point in about Homelearning college, I did the same put in my details, got a guy to the door sold me their package, was told it was just over a £1,000 said i had to pay on a monthly bases, which i am still doing!!! I had done the city and guilds book keeping course one and two and done very well on it, distinctions in both exams so thought the home learning would be a breaze!! i found the tutors unhelpfull, they talked down to me alot, they messed up my exams. I was promised that i would receive an exam from sage so i could get their certificate, that didnt happen, they said i was doing level 2 for the ICB, but i didn't. I am now starting again, paying more money but not as much to the ideal school to do level 2, level 3, payroll and self assessment course.
I feel now very confused about the whole book keeping, i enjoy doing this get really envolved with it, but i lack confidence and as i have no back up and no one to ask questions to, that i am wasting my time. I would like to think that the ICB would take them off their lists to stop them doing this to other people.
I would agree with the above postings, i would never tell people to use them but to avoid them.
I not bitter lol

chrissy

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attilabenko


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Hehe, I contacted ICB about this back then thinking they are approved providers of icb. I got an email from Garry Carter saying he will look into it and later an other one saying there isn,t anything he could do... ICB and HLC connections are or friendship or money based and those are strong connection types.
I just spoke to someone doing payroll diploma with HLC paying twice as much she would pay to Ideal Schools (and i believe ideal schools gives payroll 50 sage-full license with the course and HLC gives Instant payroll.) so they are VERY over priced as well..

Attila

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Attila
chrissy


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Its a shame that nothing can be done, but this is what happens. I am pleased that there is other people out there that feel the same as me. I suppose that if the icb get enough complaints about the hlc they will have to do something about it...

chrissy

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kjmcculloch


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I'm pretty sure they wont. Like has been said, the ICB only care about money too.

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Kris McCulloch 
Tel: 01563 370123

The views expressed in this post are my own personal (HRA protected) views, and are not representative of any organisation I have any involvement with.
Shamus


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Hi Chrissy,

You really think that the ICB listen!

From experience they have a load of statistics that they refuse to substantiate with facts. For example, they quote that only 32% of people who have passed AAT are able to pass the ICB entry exam!

Mmm, that would be why there are so many jobs asking for ICB qualifications!

The same 32% figure is actually used for ACCA and other accountancy qualifications... I'm sure that it really isn't anything to do with the fact that some other organisations refuse to recognise the ICB qualification when giving exemptions where they do recognise the IAB qualification.

On that matter, it's nice to see that HLC don't make it onto the list of accredited distance learning providers over at the IAB.

see http://www.iab.org.uk/college_display.asp?section=Distance%20Learning.

It's my firm belief that the ICB is motivated only by revenue maximisation which is why, tired of being a cash cow for them, I am allowing my own membership to lapse and moving over to the IAB for my MLR cover.

I would say take that ICB but to be honest I really don't think that they care.


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Shamus


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Hi Kris,

You beat me to it. Had to rewrite mine a couple of times as when it comes to HLC and the ICB they make my blood boil with the way newbies are being absolutely fleeced espechially in these times when so many are using redundancy money that is not in infinite supply to fund their studies.

Shaun.

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Shaun

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Peasie


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attilabenko wrote:
I did my courses with someone else thanks to equifax alerting me about any changes on my credit report.
How much does this cost?
I got a copy of my credit report a couple of times - about 15 years ago and a few months ago. Just the cheapo £2 version.

How much does this thing cost when they alert you like this?

 



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Shamus


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Hi Peasie,

used to cost me £5.99 per month from CPP for the full Identity protection plus credit alerts and the lost / stolen cards service.

However, I've upped my Lloyds account to the gold service and you get all this plus full AA relay membership and all sorts of travel benefits thrown in.

The CPP service is actually better as you can call up your report online at any time to check whats happening plus you get an alert when anything happens such as someone attempting to take out a loan in your name.

That actually happened to my eldest boy who suddenly found when he attempted to take out a car loan that he couldn't get one as he had made so many failed attempts to take out a mortgage in the previous six months! It's frightening, he was just a Ski instructor in the Alps with no major income and criminals will even attempt to clone someone like him!


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Shaun

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Wella


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A few years back, a seven year old nephew of mine, unknown to his parents, filled in a glossy piece of paper that fell out of a magazine and posted it.  A few weeks later he got a credit card!!!

The alarming thing was, that he hadn't lied on the form at all about his age or income etc and his hand writing was that of a seven year old.

Make you wonder how easy it is

Bill

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attilabenko


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I get this with one of my credit cards for free. alerts every time anything changes on my credit file-searches,account status,etc. and two credit reports for free.

Attila

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Attila
attilabenko


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I almost forgot. I am not against ICB. once you know what they do or not do for you they're all right. you get cheap insurance and mlr,etc. potential clients aren't going to know who is ICB or iab and ICB has a more fancy logo :) I took most of the exams so I am not getting too annoyed by their silly rules. ok if I could start it again I would go down the aat route.

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Attila
yello


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So glad I read this, I have had a call from a sales guy at the home learning college - really pushing to come to my house to discuss my "needs" I asked him to give me time while I checked out my options and now I am glad I did...

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attilabenko


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I got an email today from home learning college asking me if i would put a link to their site from mine in exchange for some things...Do they not read this forum? Shall I just send them a link to this topic?

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Attila
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