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Hi all new to the forum, I have been a student for nearly 2 years with Home Learning College, i paid £1500 to complete levels 123 and to become Sage Certified. This was my understanding anyway. I have recently discovered after talking to my tutor that i am actually only studying for level 1 and level 2 computerised. I feel totally disheartened and feel as though i have been totally misold this package as i have only just found out that not only will i not have any letters behind my name but that in order for me to gain my practice license i will need to pay more money to complete my level 2 manual.
Has anyone else had this problem with Home Learning? any advise or thoughts would be greatly appreciated as i feel at a total loss as to what to do next as i cannot afford anymore money after paying £1500.
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Hi
I also got the hard sell and was told the course took me to advanced level, but only actually gives me Level 1 and 2 manual I paid over a thousand pound also. My mother brought the sage course and that only gives her up to level 2 I believe and she paid something like £1300.00
The prices are massively over priced for what you are actually expecting to get from the course and you are lead to believe you are getting the whole package... I would never use them again.
Disappointing!
I actually use the ICB Supplement level 1 & 2 book in addition to the course and find it much more useful than the course material provided, but it depends on your experience I guess.
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Would consumer law come into this? Depends I suppose if you have it in writing but maybe worth a check.
Good luck
Liz
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My contract only names the course as Practical Bookkeeping, so probably not as there is no breakdown, which covers them for a magnitude of sins im sure. The packages have changed online since I booked it also. Not sure what Finlay's contract says.
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finlay said:
“Hi all new to the forum, I have been a student for nearly 2 years with Home Learning College, i paid £1500 to complete levels 123 and to become Sage Certified. This was my understanding anyway. I have recently discovered after talking to my tutor that i am actually only studying for level 1 and level 2 computerised. I feel totally disheartened and feel as though i have been totally misold this package as i have only just found out that not only will i not have any letters behind my name but that in order for me to gain my practice license i will need to pay more money to complete my level 2 manual.
Has anyone else had this problem with Home Learning? any advise or thoughts would be greatly appreciated as i feel at a total loss as to what to do next as i cannot afford anymore money after paying £1500. ”
Hi Finlay,
I too studied with Home Learning. It sounds like I covered the same course as you but I'm a little confused because my course included student membership to the ICB and upon completion I was awarded the letters AICB (Comp) and my membership with the ICB was upgraded (although I did pay for this).
I then went on to do a top-up course with Home learning which is level II in Maunual bookkeeping at an additional cost of just short of £500. I passed and am now AICB CB Cert.
I then went on to look at enrolling on the payroll course but was advised by the sales person that it would cost ANOTHER £1300. I stopped right there. I think that this is WAY too much to pay. I was fortunate that I didn't need a lot of tutor help during the previous courses so decided that self-study may be the best route forward alongwith the use of this forum for help should I need it.
I have also since discovered that there are a lot of courses out there that cost 50% less. Do your research though and ask the forum of their experiences of any courses before enrolling though. I very nearly went with Ideal schools until I read that people were having difficulty understanding the course material.
Some people have even suggested going on amazon & ebay to buy second hand courses.
Hope that helps
All the best
Nicky
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James @ ICB said:
“Hi Finlay,
Sorry to hear you are unhappy.
You mention they said it was Sage Certified, this is probably a different course the ICB, otherwise it would be ICB Certified.
I know Sage have Level 1,2 and 3, perhaps your course is geared towards that rather than ICB?
Their Practical Bookkeeping course covers the ICB Level 1 and Level 2 Manual bookkeeping, not computerised.
Home Learning College as standard cover the ICB 1st registration fee and the 1st attempt at each examination. They do not cover membership fees.
After completing the Practical Bookkeeping course you can upgrade to Associate (AICB) which is £77, however, this grade is being discontinued due to M-Day in September. You would then need to do the Level 2 Computerised, however, you do not need to do a course for this.
Perhaps have a read through what information was given to you and repost or contact ICB directly.”
Hi James
Many thanks for your response and i have checked through the information that was given to me and i cannot find anywhere that states exactley what courses i am doing, i will have another look through my paperwork. You also mentioned that the practical course covers level 1 & 2 not computerised yet im doing computerised bookkeeping aswell. Mt last book i worked from is Advanced Computerised Bookkeeping so im a little confused aswell as disheartened.
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James @ ICB said:
“Hi Finlay,
Don't be disheartened, it might be that you are doing both their Practical Bookkeeping and Sage certificate courses?
Was that Advanced Bookkeeping book from HLC?
Talk to your tutor, the HLC ICB course tutors are all members of the ICB so should know what you are doing and how it releates to the ICB membership.”
Hi James
Yes the book im referring to is Advanced Computerised Bookkeeping. I am so disheartend at the minute and just feel like throwing in the towel to be blunt.
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James @ ICB said:
“Hi Finlay,
HLC don't do an Advanced Computerised Bookkeeping course. Are you sure that book is from HLC?
They used to have courses set out as:
Practical Bookkeeping (Manual Level 1 and 2)
Computerised Bookkeeping (Manual Level 1 and Computersied Level 2)
Advanced Bookkeeping (Manual Level 3)
Payroll
They now have (due to the ICB changing its membership structure):
ICB Level 2 Associate (Level 1 and Level 2 Manual and Computerised)
ICB Level 3 Member (Level 3 Manual and Computerised)
Payroll
It looks like you are registered on their Computerised Bookkeeping, which include Level 1 Certificate in Basic Bookkeeping and Level 2 Certificate in Computerised Bookkeeping.
Hope this helps.”
Hi James
Many thanks for your help with all this but as i am sat here infront of the book it clearly says Advanced Computerised Bookkeeping anyway not to worry i will definatley finish the course as i do emjoy every minute of it and hopefully get qualified and then think about doing level 2
Many thanks for your help and word of encouragement
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Hi Finlay
I am sorry to hear that you are disheartened and confused with Home Learning College and the course that you enrolled on 2 years ago.
I am part of the management team within the bookkeeping faculty at Home Learning College, I would like to speak with you directly to discuss your course and also to confirm exactly what course you are enrolled on and what the end qualifications are available to you.
You can call me on 0844 892 0989, we are available Monday to Friday between 11am and 7.30pm (except Bank Holidays), I hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards
Jo Fredriksen
Edited at 26 May 2011 09:34 AM GMT
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I too enrolled with the Home Learning College nearly 3 years ago and it cost me over £1300. The course heading was Sage Computerised Bookkeeping and go the hard sell from their rep saying that I would be Sage Certified and that I would be a certified bookkeeper so I could set up on my own.
I didnt get much tutor support from them or the college that they were affiliated to in Scotland and had to constantly chase for work and mock exam papers to be marked and finally after 2 years of study with them, I passed with distinction at level 1 & 2 - Computerised. After my experience with them I decided to look with the assistance of the ICB website for other home study colleges and found that I could have got the course I completed and Level 3 for the same price as what I had paid for level 1 & Level 2 Computerised. When I took the issue to ICB I got a very small gesture of compensation.
My advice to anyone looking at studying, it to look at all providers.... do research and look at review sites.
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lhunter1972 said:
“I too enrolled with the Home Learning College nearly 3 years ago and it cost me over £1300. The course heading was Sage Computerised Bookkeeping and go the hard sell from their rep saying that I would be Sage Certified and that I would be a certified bookkeeper so I could set up on my own.
I didnt get much tutor support from them or the college that they were affiliated to in Scotland and had to constantly chase for work and mock exam papers to be marked and finally after 2 years of study with them, I passed with distinction at level 1 & 2 - Computerised. After my experience with them I decided to look with the assistance of the ICB website for other home study colleges and found that I could have got the course I completed and Level 3 for the same price as what I had paid for level 1 & Level 2 Computerised. When I took the issue to ICB I got a very small gesture of compensation.
My advice to anyone looking at studying, it to look at all providers.... do research and look at review sites.”
May I loudly second the phrase "do your research" please!
I can't believe people have paid so much! I am on the ICB Career path package - even allowing for the May discount (a hefty 15%) the total course costs for lvs 1-3 manual, 2-3 comp, payroll dip, and self assessment dip come to less that the amount you had to pay, you get sage instants to work with as the computer package as well, and the provider will pay for the on-line mocks though not the actual exams. So far customer service has been fantastic, and you can reach them by phone, email or snail mail.
I am aware that this is useless information now, after the fact, but for anyone reading this and thinking of paying for a home study course - please - look at what you get for your money and make an informed choice. There are people here who can help.
Edited at 26 May 2011 03:21 PM GMT
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Hi there when i was recently looking into bookkeeping i came across Home learning. They offered the ICB professional course this includes level 1 level 2 manual and computerised level 2. I have the factsheet that they emailed to me, however it may differ from yours as it was 2 years ago but if you want me to email it over to you i can.
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