Legal (ish) Question - Contract Law

[Chim Girl]

Can a training company change its requirements part way through a training course?

The scenario is this; I have paid for some training towards a specific qualification, the course fee included 12 residential training days, to be attended over a maximum of 2 years, together with reams of text for distance learning. Each of the 12 residential training days is presented only twice during the year. Until this month the training days were accessed by simply submitting a booking form and turning up.

Now the training company is dictating that bookings must be accompanied by evidence of pre-course learning, submitted a minimum of 3 weeks before attending. Changing the goal posts to this extent means that I can't meet the deadlines for, at least, the next 3 courses. The training provider says they're okay with this. They've also changed the requirements to say that I only have to attend a minimum of 2 residential days, which, coincidentally, I've already done. Overall, I get the feeling that they're trying to turn this course into purely distance learning in order to cut costs. This wasn't what I paid for, and it certainly doesn't meet with what I agreed to at the outset. I’ve lost faith in this provider, the number of delegates at each training day has increased, the quality of trainers has decreased and I am left feeling as though I am being ‘stung’.

Is there anything I can do here?

Thanks

Edited by Chim Girl on Tuesday 10th July 17:29

[Brink]

Firstly, complete the course as best you can.

Secondly, go see a Solicitor and make a claim against them. Or just do a small-claims thang.

[JustinP1]

Chim Girl said:

Can a training company change its requirements part way through a training course?

The scenario is this; I have paid for some training towards a specific qualification, the course fee included 12 residential training days, to be attended over a maximum of 2 years, together with reams of text for distance learning. Each of the 12 residential training days is presented only twice during the year. Until this month the training days were accessed by simply submitting a booking form and turning up.

Now the training company is dictating that bookings must be accompanied by evidence of pre-course learning, submitted a minimum of 3 weeks before attending. Changing the goal posts to this extent means that I can't meet the deadlines for, at least, the next 3 courses. The training provider says they're okay with this. They've also changed the requirements to say that I only have to attend a minimum of 2 residential days, which, coincidentally, I've already done. Overall, I get the feeling that they're trying to turn this course into purely distance learning in order to cut costs. This wasn't what I paid for, and it certainly doesn't meet with what I agreed to at the outset. I’ve lost faith in this provider, the number of delegates at each training day has increased, the quality of trainers has decreased and I am left feeling as though I am being ‘stung’.

Is there anything I can do here?

Thanks

Edited by Chim Girl on Tuesday 10th July 17:29

Complex!

However, it comes down to one simple issue over whether what was in the contract when the contract was made is substantially different to what it is now.

For example, if the contract or info they gave you beforehand showed you classes of 15 and now it is 30 then you have a point.

What you need to decide is what *you* want from this. Do you just want to leave the course and get your money back? If that is the case, it is easy to leave and by fighting for a which you may get some back. If you don't want to leave, then dont - struggle out to the end, get the qualification and dont go with them again.

Either way the very first thing to do is to put your issues in writing to the people running the course - that is whoever got paid by you. Give them the chance to do something about it before escalating things.