OLCI in Administration ???

[Teej]

Rumblethump: I'll rack my brains, sift through my paperwork and see if I can come up with something useful soon.

Trev: I guess ERR has combined several training providers, not just OLCI into one group. This is another reason why a serious amount of admin is going on combining, not just students from one, but several training providers with existing students. Caution is still well advised but we are all aboard a crazy train and there's no stations! Have heard students who were paying OLCI in instalments say they can't cancel their financial agreement even though most want to cancel and move to another provider to continue their training as quickly as they can.

 

[trev]

Teej, if you've taken out a loan with a third party finance company (which appears to be the case with most students) then obviously that will still have to be repaid. You will then have an unsecured claim against OLCI which, if you're very lucky, at the end of the administration/liquidation process you may get a small amount of.
ERR do appear to be taking over a lot of providers BUT unless they are taking the assets and liabilities then any contracts remain with the original companies, any money owed is owed to them and any unfulfilled training contract remains as an unsecured claim against them.
I really wish I could be the bearer of good news but I don't see any way that this is going to happen. The directors of ERR would have to be certifiably insane to be prepared to honour the training liabilities of these now dead companies unless they can offer som sort of income stream for them.
Put yourself in their position, suppose you're now qualified and self employed. Another electrician goes bust, are you going to be prepared to finish any of his work off if he has been paid in full and there's nothing in the pot for you?

 

[Teej]

Your right Trev, I am the only lucky one and only it seems, I had paid OLCI in full and yet ERR are putting me through all of the qualifications to be fully qualified. As I said in my previous post I think it's my test averages being high and also right phone call to the right random guy who fought my corner!

I should also point out OLCI finance are still going strong as part of OCLI Group who OCLI construction training were part of before going into administration!

 

[trev]

I think you might find yourself being the poster boy for them "Doing the right thing" mate. Be very careful if they ask you to do or say anything.
This random guy won't have done this out of the goodness of his heart. You may think I'm an old cynic but it usually serves me well.
I'm just glad someone has come out of this mess ok. Now go and pass all your remaining exams mate. Good luck

 

[Teej]

Here is some information that may help people:

THE FOLLOWING APPLIES ONLY TO FORMER OLCI STUDENTS:

1. If you have a portfolio and have not already sent this to us please do so immediately. Please send this to the address shown below by special delivery. Once your portfolio has been received it will go through an Internal Verification process which will take up to three weeks. You will then be informed of the Action Plan for completion by post.
2. If you have sent in your portfolio but have not yet received your Action Plan for completion please be assured that we are dealing with this. Some Internal Verifications take longer than others, often it is necessary for us to speak to the Exam Board or take a further advice from the IV.
3. If you have received a letter explaining that your course expired with OLCI and would like to appeal against this please write to the address shown below. Please note that appeals against expiry cannot be accepted by email.
4. If you are a current student and do not have a portfolio please send a letter detailing the OLCI centre and date you attended last, and please include your college number, and we will initiate a search of the OLCI filing system, obtain your records and then contact you. Please allow up to three weeks for this process.
5. If you have received a letter to attend centre, but cannot attend, please ensure that you cancel via email, using this email address, and include the date you are to attend and your college number.
6. If you have any other query please use this email address and include details regarding your query and your college number. Please allow 7-10 working days for us to investigate your query and respond.

POSTAL ADDRESS TO SEND YOUR PORTFOLIO OR APPEAL AGAINST EXPIRY. PLEASE SEND BY SPECIAL DELIVERY:

ERR LIMITED
4 KINSBOURNE COURT
96-100 LUTON ROAD
HARPENDEN
HERTS
AL5 3BL


I wrote a letter (option 4) ages ago and listed all the exams I had done and what grade I had achieved. I did have to chase it up with a phone call (before they put all the automated messages on) But if you haven't done this yet I would do it today! ERR do have access to City and Guilds so can check all your progress so any exams you have done already with OLCI are logged. Best of luck to all. Tom

 

[malky001]

Hi, Got a letter from ERR saying i needed to pay an extra £500 to have an extra 6 months added to my course as i started the course c&g2357 over 2 years ago.
As I didnt want to lose my £6000 course witch i have about 3/4's completed i phoned up the number they gave me to pay the £500.
A woman answered saying OLCI then asked for a reference number which was my old student number and got my previous payment details then briefly explained why i need to pay an extra 500 to continue with my course so i went to pay with my credit card and she said she only accepted debit cards so I said i would call back when i get the money.
Has anyone else paid this, it all sounds a bit dodgy to me.

 

[trev]

It does sound dodgy, who is the awarding body for your NVQ3? If I were you I'd ring them for a bit of advice before I parted with any more cash to this mob. Given that you're 75% complete it might be possible to transfer it to another provider. I'd say it's your portfolio so they should release it to you, I'm an electrician though. Not a lawyer.

 

[Marvo]

.....so i went to pay with my credit card and she said she only accepted debit cards

This would immediately make me suspicious. With credit cards you can cancel or reverse a transaction but with a debit card it's basically the same as cash and you have less recourse to reverse the transaction later.

 

[alpa]

This would immediately make me suspicious. With credit cards you can cancel or reverse a transaction but with a debit card it's basically the same as cash and you have less recourse to reverse the transaction later.

Hi

I just received a debt collector letter related to my course, as that scam of OLCI sold my details to third parties, even though I do not owe money to anyone! Imagine to a company that doesn't even exist anymore.

I do not understand how authorities allow these companies to play with people lives and dreams, who are literaly going to get robbed.
If any member of Olci, ERR or whatever you are called now read this message, remember that what goes around comes around.

And a good advice to poor people like me, that try to make this world a better place:

-Do not undertake any course with private dodgy companies (like OLCI)

Bye

 

[Pango]

I was enrolled OLCI last year. i finished 2365 level 2 with no problems, but couldn't do level 3. I tried to get in contact with my center but couldn't, so i went to their online site only to find they have gone into administration. i was on a pay as u go contract with them. so i canceled the direct debit straight away, i did not receive any call or letter informing me about OLCI take over. I ve since decided not take any chances with these companies and do level 3 at college, which im currently doing now. I'm now getting letters from the bailiffs asking me to pay OLCI when the company no longer exists and im no longer with them. I not sure what to do now

 

[XS Training]

Hi, Got a letter from ERR saying i needed to pay an extra £500 to have an extra 6 months added to my course as i started the course c&g2357 over 2 years ago.
As I didnt want to lose my £6000 course witch i have about 3/4's completed i phoned up the number they gave me to pay the £500.
A woman answered saying OLCI then asked for a reference number which was my old student number and got my previous payment details then briefly explained why i need to pay an extra 500 to continue with my course so i went to pay with my credit card and she said she only accepted debit cards so I said i would call back when i get the money.
Has anyone else paid this, it all sounds a bit dodgy to me.

This does not sound right at all, unless you had a contract stating that you had to complete the NVQ within a certain timeframe. The final certification date for the NVQ 2357 is a few years away so even if you had not completed within two years you have not used any extra resources/costs etc etc so cannot understand why they are asking for extra money.

We have had a few people transfer their NVQs to XS Training and have received some enquiries from others. BUT make sure that you are in fact registered with the awarding body on the qualification that you are on as we have one case where the candidate was not even registered on the qualification that he had paid for. You should have your City & Guilds enrolment and date of registration for each qualification you were registered. They can provide you with this evidence by giving you a City & Guilds "Walled Garden" report proving you are indeed registered on the qualification(s).

 

[Jajabinx]

Hi is there anyone in this post that can help or advise me on olci chasing for money after 3 years?

 

[Jajabinx]

Hi is this this feed still live. I am looking for either help or advise regarding owing OLCI or Caledonia Finance as they are known now for the course which i did not complete with them as they sent me the incorrect course work and i have been on their case since January 2013. and now they are asking for money as my account was on hold. Any advise is most appreciated.

 

[trev]

In your position I'd write back to them, communication is very important in matters like this, tell them that OLCI sent out the wrong course work and that your contract was with OLCI not Caledonia Finance.
OLCI is an insolvent company, the affairs of which are now being handled by an insolvency practitioner. If you owe any money to OLCI it is for that insolvency practitioner (or the finance company who loaned the money for the course to you) to write to you to try to recover it. If OLCI did not send you the thing that you ordered then you should not have to pay for it.
All that aside, I have to say that I'm an electrician not a legal advisor. If it's a substantial sum then you might need to go to see a lawyer. They all do fixed fee interviews where they'll gather the facts and advise you mate.
Good luck and let us know how this pans out.

 

[Robowen]

I was an olci student and paid most of the course off while i was studying it. prob only got 1000 to pay, but since i couldnt book anythin with them to complete the course and they went into administration i cancelled the payments to them, i am just recieving emails from a credit management cimoany asking me to pay the remaining balance. any ideas.
Im not gonna pay it but has anyone else ha this or sorted it out?

 

[Leesparkykent]

Have you signed anything? If you have, did you read the T&C's? Sound like a bit of a c**p situation for you.

 

[Anthony S]

I was an olci student and paid most of the course off while i was studying it. prob only got 1000 to pay, but since i couldnt book anythin with them to complete the course and they went into administration i cancelled the payments to them, i am just recieving emails from a credit management cimoany asking me to pay the remaining balance. any ideas.
Im not gonna pay it but has anyone else ha this or sorted it out?

This is only opinion, I wouldn't pay for something I couldn't have. Anyone ever gave you money for work you ain't done ?

 

[pdinny1]

Please add me to the Facebook group. Peter Dinsdale

 

[pdinny1]

Hi Guys

Has anyone been to the citizens advise on these matters?

Im now having debt collectors calling me regarding money for a course that no longer exists? OLCI have not supplied me with certification from my last 2 units/workshops. Why would i continue to pay for a service that OLCI are not providing.

Im not happy training with ERR, i didn't sign up with them.

I would advise anyone who's thinking of training with these crooks...... DONT!

 

[trev]

Mate, you don't need a forum or a facebook group full of sparkies and trainees to advise you. What you need is proper legal advice.
Gather up every scrap of relevant info, IE everything between YOU, OLCI, the finance company and get in touch with a solicitor and ask for a fixed fee interview.
These things usually last about half an hour, the solicitor will look at all the documents, listen to your side of the story and give you the actual state of affairs and what your way out of this is. It may be that you'll have to cough up, it may be that a letter from the law firm will force them to back off. You'll not know this until you approach someone for proper legal advice, that will not come from a bunch of sparks and trainees.