Visitors to the site are reminded that the details contained within user comments are uncorroborated and as such should not be read as fact but as the opinion of the person who left the comment.
Comments:
Anyone stung by BTSC Chessington, now in liquidation, should check out this link:
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2011/08/building-trade-skills-council.html
especially the comments section lower down the page.
Further to my last post i am STILL having problems with this company (even though i parted company with them last november)
As a result of this i feel i have no choice but to get lawyers involved now.
I already have several pages of evidence to back up my allegations but would love to hear from anyone else who has had problems with these jokers just to strengthen my case.
please email me nickquarendon@mail.com
Thanks in advance.
BTSC. Where to start? I started a six month fast track course at BTSC back in 2008. Thanks to an injury i picked up at the college (which incidentally they didn't even apologise for & made me pay again to retake the module) I finally finished everything they had to offer in November 2011 (which i'm sure you'll agree was a thousand pounds well spent to be fast tracked) From the moment i had my accident i encountered problem after problem after problem. First of all i was left hanging around for start dates with no idea how long i would be waiting for. On one occasion i turned up only to discover they had made a booking error and was subsequently left to wait another six weeks (they did to my suprize actually apologise and gave me a free exam & some "extra time" ((whoopee)) )
But unfortunately it gets even better. When it got to the stage of NVQ's they suggested that the easiest way to go about it would be to part with another £1000 and they would sort out the five jobs required via a company that works along side them (uk plumbing and electric, they are in the same building) So i coughed up the thousand pounds and i waited, and i waited, and i waited, and i waited. Eventually i got fed up with waiting so i decided to call UK plumbing and electric to find out what was going on. The feedback i got was "sorry, it's taking us a little longer than usual to find the work" So like a complete moron i bought that line and i waited, and i waited, and i waited (you get the idea) Eventually after ringing back again and threatening to report them to Watchdog i was told, and i quote "Yeah sorry mate but it would probably be quicker if you went and found the jobs yourself" So i had to go around begging my friends and family to give their usual guy the push and let me service their boilers all for the reasonable price of £1000.
Now, I would dearly love to say that everything was hunky dorey after that but i simply can't because, although i finally reached the end of my course and sat my ACS test back in November, They STILL have not sent me my NVQ qualification, even though i handed in my portfolio last July. I rang up to find out why and they fed me some cock and bull story about City & Guilds wanting to hold on to it for 8 weeks. July was 8 months ago!!! I am now seeking legal advice.
I found BTSC to be very efficient and helpful. Their trainers were fantastic and i can't believe what i've been reading to be honest as my experience with them was obviously different. Sounds like a completely different company to me.
I was completely satisfied with them and will recommend them to anyone looking to become a plumber.
Nice comments from 2 planted stooges recently.
Check www.btsc.wordpress.com.
Use scroll bar when there, as they have tried to make it difficult to reach latest stuff.
Read comments 249 from MD, and 331,360,368,429,441 and 509.
Company recently in administration.
Made enemies of students, staff & creditors.
Current MD is a stooge - junior member of staff - why do that?!
Credit card payment protection compromised by processing through an unrelated business.
That's a huge gamble for £11,000. I visited recently and luckily read that blog. Huge centre, not enough people training there, can it survive long term? That's not a gamble they'll make with my dosh.
I have joined a course 4 months ago and found BTSC to be great. They gave me solid advice, and my training has been be very useful, the trainers know the job inside out, and the staff are helpful. I would recommend btsc to anyone serious, and would say go and check out their sites and you will see yourself.
I have a really nice and good experience with BTSC... They have a good and expert staff as well.
Hats-off to these guys... :)
I will recommend this to all of my friends.
This line of discussion very much alarms me. I have just finished mod 10 and will be booking onto mod 11 as soon as I finish my exams. While it is always possible to criticise I have found the trainers (with one exception) to be excellent and I am glad I have taken this course. What I would add to the mix is this - if the company is in such trouble why have they just kitted out to start taking on trainee electricians? Surely they wouldn't be spending that extra money if they knew they were going to go into administration?
Sorry...but BTSC is owned by the same people that owned PP ....PP went into administraion leaving hundreds of trainees out of pocket...so why couldn't the same happen at BTSC? Be careful...anything that looks too good to be true is probably not!
I guess it is for each Individual to make his/her mind up - documentation will show that you ( Richard Hunt / Alan Bowman/ were contemplating administration of this company in January.
Furthermore- I also hear that you are again only paying the staff 75% of the monies owed. This is in itself a clear breach of contract.
I do accept that the real culprits Allen Jackson/Jacqui Barson are now nowhere to be seen.
You are both very good at not telling the truth as the staff at PP will testify- Although very soon all will be out in the public domain e.g. I believe that the Daily mirror had already started by publishing something in an issue 2 weeks ago??
Believe what you ( future trainees) will but very soon the dust will settle and you will find yourselves seriously out of pocket just as the 800-1000 PP trainees who had paid for courses ( £6-10,000)which were never intended to be delivered
After reading these comments, I called BTSC as I am a trainee on 9th module and only have 1 to go. I spoke to someone in reception and was told quite openly about the changes that have taken place and also that this has nothing to do with BTSC as this refers to another company called PP. Maybe others should find things out 1st hand rather than reading these bloggs and worrying about something that isn't true.
Please note that BTSC is not going to stop trading it is going forward and anyone who wishes to look at our new website www.btsc.co.uk and come and see us at either Chessington or Manchester is more than welcome.
As for NeilC making such comments may I suggest that you also come in and see us and look at the new way we are moving forward as suggested above.
“Please note that BTSC is not going to stop trading it is going forward and anyone who wishes to look at our new website www.btsc.co.uk and come and see us at either Chessington or Manchester is more than welcome.
As for NeilC making such comments may I suggest that you also come in and see us and look at the new way we are moving forward as suggested above.”
Please Beware: As its partner company Property Professionals /HIT already has gone– BTSC is very shortly to go into administration. Do not sign up. Your training will not be complete.
The directors present and former are stripping away all cash- see many comments on other forums Re: Property Professionals
Funny business. Checked them out. Weird. Just one director, several associated companies. Last director terminated just before xams (22 Dec). I'll dig some more and let you all know.
Why do I get the feeling JimmyDB, paw and petetheplumber all work for BTSC? Curious?
They are the only ones with anything good to say about this company.
I would love to meet and speak to anyone who has completed the course, been found a placement by BTSC, and then gone on to complete the NVQ's 2 & 3, and be fully qualified as a plumber/gas engineer as they promise in the initial interview. My next question would then be "And how much did all this cost you and was that the price you were originally quoted?"
Please!! Somebody answer me! If the company has churned out as many 'qualified' plumbers as it claims it has, there must be someone that can prove it to me! Not much to ask is it?
I'm on to them. Got thrown off for complaining in writing to the elusive Mr Wall. Got some other lads to sign it and they threw me off for being a "subversive" trouble maker !!!
Unbelieveable !! I've contacted Trading Standards and am seeking legal advise. Am not going to stop until they are brought to justice.
Please feel to email me any experiences that you have had so that I can use them to back up any action I take. It will All of course be done in strictise confidence and your names will not be mentioned without your concent.
I trained at BTSC Chessington and am now working as a plumber, earning some decent money. The training was excellent and the tutors were friendly, helpful and knowledgable. I enjoyed my training and would recommend it to anyone who is serious about about becoming a plumber. There were a few complaints from some students mainly about the admin side of the bussiness (no one is perfect) but on the whole I was fairly treated. Sometimes things did take a bit longer than I would have liked and there was the odd frustration but I am now working as a plumber and enjoying it. And isn't that the purpose of the course?
Ontap.
I think there is a case of paronia going on. I have no desire to get involved in your battle but stand by that i enjoyed all my training and qualified - and no, I don't know Brian Wall.
paw - The Plumber!!!!!
Well my story tops the lot. I too had issues with the hidden exam and registration fee's, the actual amount of time that the course took among others. I was asked to put my issues into a letter which I did.
Some of my colleagues also signed the letter to add support. I went in today to do some exams and was escorted off the premises and told that a reply to my complaints had been sent and that I couldn't continue until I had read it.
When I got home I received the letter which has informed me that I have been kicked off the course with only a partial refund.
They stated I am a subvertive trouble maker ????
I am in total shock. It seems to me that they don't want to deal with complaints they just simply block them.
All complaints have to got to "Brian Wall" who has no email or telephone and will only respond by letter. All very suspect if you ask me.
Please get in touch as I now want to build a case against them.
I submitted two Identical baggers by mistake, easy thing to do.
I can help thinking that maybe you work for BTSC.
I did not have a problem with these people, I thought the training was great and I sailed through the first part of the course without a problem. A year after I decided to part with £3595 and do the second part, unfortunately I found out I have an unexpected illness and was not even able to start the course. Even with doctors and neurologists letters advising me not to start, they still refuse to give my money back. I didn't choose for this to happen, if I could carry on, I would.
I realise you sign an agreement, but they should allow for these unexpected circumstances.
Like you I am not sure if these other Blaggers are true or not.
If anyone is thinking of signing up, find a way of looking into the future and finding out whether you will get an illness whilst with these people.
As a South African with a hospitality background here in the UK for 5 years, I can't help noticing
that some of the feedbacks here resemble the 'dirty tricks' employed in my old profession, where rival companies leave made up nonsense on eachothers forums, in order to steer customers their own way? Why do I think this? Well I'm many weeks into the training with these guys, and my mate (also from SA) did this 3 years ago, and pointed me in their direction (although I looked at competition also, including facilities, qualifications and job prospects). I have a legal agreement for my training, and my mate said he got through it without any major drama and got the best training he could.
So why on here is 'Ho' leaving the same feedback twice? Another is saying that you need NVQ rather than City & Guilds? NVQs are a C&G qualification as are the Technical Certificates, and they give you both, so is that comment even for real? Another guy here says you don't get the Technical Certs here - not true, they get you the 6129 Tech Certs, so why does he say it?
Another says it's all worthless because you need NVQ to find a job, but surely you need a job to
do the NVQ assessment? They have a jobs office there doing that for you. My mate got his job
through them, although he's set up on his own now and doing nicely thank you.
I'm only on here because we've got one guy always moaning in our class, and he mentioned this site so I was curious, but now suspicious as to how much you can learn from a site where so much of the stuff seems made up and is not factual (if it's like the hospitality trade, it'll be by competitors in the same catchment area!).
I can't comment on the people on here looking to get refunds for 'outside' reasons, or people who
expect things to work a totally different way to the way the agreement says it will. My advice is if you're thinking of training for something/anything, think carefully and if you are someone who's glass is always half empty, think again as courses can't be used as piggy banks when you want, and training terms don't change by the power of thought!
I've no axe to grind on here really, as my training's great and I'm in the happy majority, but I was a bit surprised at what I'd read and I do worry that people who go on this site will skip the bold bit at the top reminding people that those comments left here can not be taken as facts, and they might fall for an internet-age 'dirty tricks' campaign that appears to be used in more than one industry, as I know from my last one! It can make these sites misleading.
Whatever career you do choose, have a good one, and be positive!
I finished the City and Guilds level 2 plumbing course over a year ago with out to much trouble, and recently decided to start the City and Guilds level 3 costing me £3595. I was due to start the course a couple of weeks back, unfortunately I fell ill a couple of days before and was unable to attend, I rang them to tell them this and was told I would have to pay £350 if they could not find someone else to take my place, and of course they could not. So for me to carry on I would need to find £350 to carry on which I just do not have. I decide to just pull out the course altogether and ask for my money back as my illness seemed to be getting worse, I was told to write a letter to a Brian Wall, which I did. 12 days later I received a patronising letter from the so called Brian Wall saying that I should read the terms and conditions and that I would have to pay the £350 and that it has legal obligations and I can not just walk away from the course. This has made me so angry as my I feel I have not cost them any money, and they have all my money sitting in there bank account making interest. This money has not been easy to get together. I am not well enough to carry on with course and feel this would be a serious health and safety issue (of which they always bang on about).I would understand if I actually started the course and used their resources. Fingers crossed I can get this sorted quick and easy with out to much stress. Be careful once they have your money they just do not seem to care.
I finished the City and Guilds level 2 plumbing course over a year ago with out to much trouble, and recently decided to start the City and Guilds level 3 costing me £3595. I was due to start the course a couple of weeks back, unfortunately I fell ill a couple of days before and was unable to attend, I rang them to tell them this and was told I would have to pay £350 if they could not find someone else to take my place, and of course they could not. So for me to carry on I would need to find £350 to carry on which I just do not have. I decide to just pull out the course altogether and ask for my money back as my illness seemed to be getting worse, I was told to write a letter to a Brian Wall, which I did. 12 days later I received a patronising letter from the so called Brian Wall saying that I should read the terms and conditions and that I would have to pay the £350 and that it has legal obligations and I can not just walk away from the course. This has made me so angry as my I feel I have not cost them any money, and they have all my money sitting in there bank account making interest. This money has not been easy to get together. I am not well enough to carry on with course and feel this would be a serious health and safety issue (of which they always bang on about).I would understand if I actually started the course and used their resources. Fingers crossed I can get this sorted quick and easy with out to much stress. Be careful once they have your money they just do not seem to care.
Add a comment about this blagger
Visitors to the site are reminded that the details contained within user comments are uncorroborated and as such should not be read as fact but as the opinion of the person who left the comment.
Comments:
http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigations/2011/08/building-trade-skills-council.html
especially the comments section lower down the page.
As a result of this i feel i have no choice but to get lawyers involved now.
I already have several pages of evidence to back up my allegations but would love to hear from anyone else who has had problems with these jokers just to strengthen my case.
please email me nickquarendon@mail.com
Thanks in advance.
igotduped at 4th Apr 2012, 09:56AM
But unfortunately it gets even better. When it got to the stage of NVQ's they suggested that the easiest way to go about it would be to part with another £1000 and they would sort out the five jobs required via a company that works along side them (uk plumbing and electric, they are in the same building) So i coughed up the thousand pounds and i waited, and i waited, and i waited, and i waited. Eventually i got fed up with waiting so i decided to call UK plumbing and electric to find out what was going on. The feedback i got was "sorry, it's taking us a little longer than usual to find the work" So like a complete moron i bought that line and i waited, and i waited, and i waited (you get the idea) Eventually after ringing back again and threatening to report them to Watchdog i was told, and i quote "Yeah sorry mate but it would probably be quicker if you went and found the jobs yourself" So i had to go around begging my friends and family to give their usual guy the push and let me service their boilers all for the reasonable price of £1000.
Now, I would dearly love to say that everything was hunky dorey after that but i simply can't because, although i finally reached the end of my course and sat my ACS test back in November, They STILL have not sent me my NVQ qualification, even though i handed in my portfolio last July. I rang up to find out why and they fed me some cock and bull story about City & Guilds wanting to hold on to it for 8 weeks. July was 8 months ago!!! I am now seeking legal advice.
I was completely satisfied with them and will recommend them to anyone looking to become a plumber.
Check www.btsc.wordpress.com.
Use scroll bar when there, as they have tried to make it difficult to reach latest stuff.
Read comments 249 from MD, and 331,360,368,429,441 and 509.
Company recently in administration.
Made enemies of students, staff & creditors.
Current MD is a stooge - junior member of staff - why do that?!
Credit card payment protection compromised by processing through an unrelated business.
That's a huge gamble for £11,000. I visited recently and luckily read that blog. Huge centre, not enough people training there, can it survive long term? That's not a gamble they'll make with my dosh.
Hats-off to these guys... :)
I will recommend this to all of my friends.
Furthermore- I also hear that you are again only paying the staff 75% of the monies owed. This is in itself a clear breach of contract.
I do accept that the real culprits Allen Jackson/Jacqui Barson are now nowhere to be seen.
You are both very good at not telling the truth as the staff at PP will testify- Although very soon all will be out in the public domain e.g. I believe that the Daily mirror had already started by publishing something in an issue 2 weeks ago??
Believe what you ( future trainees) will but very soon the dust will settle and you will find yourselves seriously out of pocket just as the 800-1000 PP trainees who had paid for courses ( £6-10,000)which were never intended to be delivered
As for NeilC making such comments may I suggest that you also come in and see us and look at the new way we are moving forward as suggested above.
Many thanks
Alan Bowman
As for NeilC making such comments may I suggest that you also come in and see us and look at the new way we are moving forward as suggested above.”
Many thanks
Alan Bowman
The directors present and former are stripping away all cash- see many comments on other forums Re: Property Professionals
rwojcik at 25th Jan 2010, 01:13PM
They are the only ones with anything good to say about this company.
I would love to meet and speak to anyone who has completed the course, been found a placement by BTSC, and then gone on to complete the NVQ's 2 & 3, and be fully qualified as a plumber/gas engineer as they promise in the initial interview. My next question would then be "And how much did all this cost you and was that the price you were originally quoted?"
Please!! Somebody answer me! If the company has churned out as many 'qualified' plumbers as it claims it has, there must be someone that can prove it to me! Not much to ask is it?
Unbelieveable !! I've contacted Trading Standards and am seeking legal advise. Am not going to stop until they are brought to justice.
Please feel to email me any experiences that you have had so that I can use them to back up any action I take. It will All of course be done in strictise confidence and your names will not be mentioned without your concent.
My Email is damian.wanstall@btinternet.com
I think there is a case of paronia going on. I have no desire to get involved in your battle but stand by that i enjoyed all my training and qualified - and no, I don't know Brian Wall.
paw - The Plumber!!!!!
Some of my colleagues also signed the letter to add support. I went in today to do some exams and was escorted off the premises and told that a reply to my complaints had been sent and that I couldn't continue until I had read it.
When I got home I received the letter which has informed me that I have been kicked off the course with only a partial refund.
They stated I am a subvertive trouble maker ????
I am in total shock. It seems to me that they don't want to deal with complaints they just simply block them.
All complaints have to got to "Brian Wall" who has no email or telephone and will only respond by letter. All very suspect if you ask me.
Please get in touch as I now want to build a case against them.
damian.wanstall@btinternet.com
I can help thinking that maybe you work for BTSC.
I did not have a problem with these people, I thought the training was great and I sailed through the first part of the course without a problem. A year after I decided to part with £3595 and do the second part, unfortunately I found out I have an unexpected illness and was not even able to start the course. Even with doctors and neurologists letters advising me not to start, they still refuse to give my money back. I didn't choose for this to happen, if I could carry on, I would.
I realise you sign an agreement, but they should allow for these unexpected circumstances.
Like you I am not sure if these other Blaggers are true or not.
If anyone is thinking of signing up, find a way of looking into the future and finding out whether you will get an illness whilst with these people.
that some of the feedbacks here resemble the 'dirty tricks' employed in my old profession, where rival companies leave made up nonsense on eachothers forums, in order to steer customers their own way? Why do I think this? Well I'm many weeks into the training with these guys, and my mate (also from SA) did this 3 years ago, and pointed me in their direction (although I looked at competition also, including facilities, qualifications and job prospects). I have a legal agreement for my training, and my mate said he got through it without any major drama and got the best training he could.
So why on here is 'Ho' leaving the same feedback twice? Another is saying that you need NVQ rather than City & Guilds? NVQs are a C&G qualification as are the Technical Certificates, and they give you both, so is that comment even for real? Another guy here says you don't get the Technical Certs here - not true, they get you the 6129 Tech Certs, so why does he say it?
Another says it's all worthless because you need NVQ to find a job, but surely you need a job to
do the NVQ assessment? They have a jobs office there doing that for you. My mate got his job
through them, although he's set up on his own now and doing nicely thank you.
I'm only on here because we've got one guy always moaning in our class, and he mentioned this site so I was curious, but now suspicious as to how much you can learn from a site where so much of the stuff seems made up and is not factual (if it's like the hospitality trade, it'll be by competitors in the same catchment area!).
I can't comment on the people on here looking to get refunds for 'outside' reasons, or people who
expect things to work a totally different way to the way the agreement says it will. My advice is if you're thinking of training for something/anything, think carefully and if you are someone who's glass is always half empty, think again as courses can't be used as piggy banks when you want, and training terms don't change by the power of thought!
I've no axe to grind on here really, as my training's great and I'm in the happy majority, but I was a bit surprised at what I'd read and I do worry that people who go on this site will skip the bold bit at the top reminding people that those comments left here can not be taken as facts, and they might fall for an internet-age 'dirty tricks' campaign that appears to be used in more than one industry, as I know from my last one! It can make these sites misleading.
Whatever career you do choose, have a good one, and be positive!
Add a comment about this blagger