National Tile School / Northen School of Plastering - Never Got my City & Guilds!!!!! - TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums

Eggman · 16-05-2007

Hi all,

I've got a bit of a dilemma and I was hoping you guys might be able to help. In September last year I did a two week wall and floor tiling course with the national tile school which is run by the northern school of plastering. I've now come to realise this was a mistake. The reasons I chose this course were because they offered a City & Guilds qualification and it was based in Leeds (where I live). They also gave you a membership card to the National Federation of Professional Tradesman (NFPT). I'm not sure if this is even real!! Anyway, my problem is this, 8 months down the line I still haven't got the City & Guilds qualification or the NFPT card. About a month after I finished the course I emailed the guy who runs it (Bob Roby) to explain this and he said he would put the card in the post but the City & Guilds stuff would take a few weeks. Fair enough I thought. A few weeks went by and still nothing so I emailed him again and got pretty much the same reply. And so it went on like this for a while until a couple of months ago when he emailed me saying he had put some paperwork in the post which I needed to complete and return so he could process the City and Guilds award. Considering he'd already told me the City & Guilds stuff was on it's way I thought this was a bit strange. A couple of days later it arrived and the 'paperwork' that I was supposed to 'fill in' was in fact a big portfolio that required various photographs of my work, an explanation of health and safety, diagrams etc.. It's clear to me that I should have completed this portfolio whilst doing the course and the teacher forgot about it or something. Anyway, I decided to just get it done and send it back to end this sorry saga and I thought if I actually got the qualification in the end it wouldn't have been a complete waste of time and money. However, there were a few things I was unsure of so once again I emailed him to ask him to clear this up. That was about 5 weeks ago and I still haven't heard anything back. It's obvious that this is never going to be resolved so my question is this, is it worth taking things further, ie seeking legal advice to try and get my money back or should I just cut my losses and put it down to a bad experiance/choice? It's not so much to do with the money (although the course cost £1700!) it's more to do with the principle of the matter, they said they would provide something and they haven't. Any advice anyone might have to offer would be much appreciated, Cheers.

**Dan** · 16-05-2007

I have to state that there are probably Zero people on here qualified to provide legal advice.

But If I was in your shoes I'd have called my legals along time ago.

This is outrageous and this has to end. This is the exact same reason I started this forum. There are just too many people out there being robbed by people they fully trust and give control over their possible future career.

And the thanks you get.... a £1700 bill and a bull**** stories each time you chase things up.

I'd take legal advice and call the college telling them what you're doing.

Do you have contact with any other students from the course?

**NETT Darren** · 16-05-2007

If you buy anything you are oblidged to get what you payed for, contact your local trading standards, they should look into it for you

Sean Garford · 16-05-2007

It is better if you forward a letter to your training school and keep a copy to forward to trading standards, they need evidence to process your complaint! don't give into them mate to many people ripping you off these days!! cheers, Sean.

**CON5933** · 16-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan

I have to state that there are probably Zero people on here qualified to provide legal advice.

But If I was in your shoes I'd have called my legals along time ago.

This is outrageous and this has to end. This is the exact same reason I started this forum. There are just too many people out there being robbed by people they fully trust and give control over their possible future career.

And the thanks you get.... a £1700 bill and a bull**** stories each time you chase things up.

I'd take legal advice and call the college telling them what you're doing.

Do you have contact with any other students from the course?
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Added post information (due to double posting):
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IS this their website? - Northern School of Plastering and Partitioning - book one of our training courses on plastering and partitioning

As it seems that they don't do tiling courses now.

Thats not the website Dan,
this is: Northern School Of Plastering - Contact Us

looks like they've changed the site name!

**CON5933** · 16-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eggman

Hi all,

I've got a bit of a dilemma and I was hoping you guys might be able to help. In September last year I did a two week wall and floor tiling course with the national tile school which is run by the northern school of plastering. I've now come to realise this was a mistake. The reasons I chose this course were because they offered a City & Guilds qualification and it was based in Leeds (where I live). They also gave you a membership card to the National Federation of Professional Tradesman (NFPT). I'm not sure if this is even real!! Anyway, my problem is this, 8 months down the line I still haven't got the City & Guilds qualification or the NFPT card. About a month after I finished the course I emailed the guy who runs it (Bob Roby) to explain this and he said he would put the card in the post but the City & Guilds stuff would take a few weeks. Fair enough I thought. A few weeks went by and still nothing so I emailed him again and got pretty much the same reply. And so it went on like this for a while until a couple of months ago when he emailed me saying he had put some paperwork in the post which I needed to complete and return so he could process the City and Guilds award. Considering he'd already told me the City & Guilds stuff was on it's way I thought this was a bit strange. A couple of days later it arrived and the 'paperwork' that I was supposed to 'fill in' was in fact a big portfolio that required various photographs of my work, an explanation of health and safety, diagrams etc.. It's clear to me that I should have completed this portfolio whilst doing the course and the teacher forgot about it or something. Anyway, I decided to just get it done and send it back to end this sorry saga and I thought if I actually got the qualification in the end it wouldn't have been a complete waste of time and money. However, there were a few things I was unsure of so once again I emailed him to ask him to clear this up. That was about 5 weeks ago and I still haven't heard anything back. It's obvious that this is never going to be resolved so my question is this, is it worth taking things further, ie seeking legal advice to try and get my money back or should I just cut my losses and put it down to a bad experiance/choice? It's not so much to do with the money (although the course cost £1700!) it's more to do with the principle of the matter, they said they would provide something and they haven't. Any advice anyone might have to offer would be much appreciated, Cheers.

Eggman, I've PM'd you mate...

**Dan** · 16-05-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northen School of Plastering Application Form

Please enclose passport photo for NFPT membership I.D. Card.

Full course fee must be received 14 days before start of course.

Full Course fees are:- £700 inclusive of tools, lunch and City & Guilds Registration
Please Make Cheques Payable To :- Northern School of Plastering

Course start date …………………………………………….

Which centre do you wish to attend MANCHESTER [] LEEDS []

You will receive confirmation of your requested date by post or e-mail

Please enrol me on above course.

The school reserves the right to refuse entry onto the course and to alter any course details.

Signed …………………………………. Date …………………….

Please send application to :- Head Office
Unit 78 Gateway House 78 Northgate St Chester CH1 2HR Tel 01244 303036

NFPT membership card?
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Added post information (due to double posting):
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I've heard of the NMTFA.

wongy · 15-07-2007

Hi
I also went to the Salford centre of Northern School of Plastering to do a C & G plumbing course, like you and many others I have never got my certificate. Northern School of plastering are not even approved by City and Guilds to do any of their courses! Now 3 of us are looking at taking legal action (as advised by City and Guilds themselves). The more we can get on side the better. I've passed city and Guilds tel no on to several other people as well. So if you are interested in joining us (or know anybody that is) then pls let me know

**Dan** · 15-07-2007

Have trading standards been contacted?

BrhTiling · 15-07-2007

I would seriously advice you to take professional advice... I mean, at very least you were mis-sold the course and at worst they totally lied about the course and took money from you knowing full well you couldn't get any kind of qualification.

I would threaten to take them to small claims court / sue them... very easy to do online now, if you paid for a service and they haven't provided it, you must be intitled to your money back??

wongy · 15-07-2007

not yet. thats on my list of things to do tomorrow! We have only just found out all this info this week and speaking with other students and the excuses we have been getting from bob roby we only made the decision to take legal action friday

CJ · 15-07-2007

Don't really know much about it.........but how on earth can they claim to train someone to city and guilds standard..........in 2 weeks