The Plumbing Academy - gone for real - ?!

[Dannypipe]

Hi guys, I recently did a course at a college I havent used before (Seven Oaks Academy). Anyway, I bumped into a familiar face and he told me that The Plumbing Academy had finally gone properly into liquidation.

I employed a guy from the Academy who I signed off his NVQ 2 stuff for. He had paid about £16k in total. I haven't called him but I hear a lot of people have lost lots of money. All through greed of the owner.

Anyway I had money tied up with them, but got my appliance done and dusted and the cert through so I can't complain. I think its a shame as it seemed like a good college.

From what this guy told me, a red van turned up at the college with giant writing on the side saying 'WRIT BEING DELIVERED'. The owner told all the students that the guy had turned up enquiring about a course!!

Anyway a few days after that a load of suits turned up and the place was emptied.

Now it has a new owner but apparantley they're the people who train for under ground services. (Road work type stuff)....so I don't know where you stand if they owe you money. Probably not good.

Apparantley they are still taking money from potential customers (don't ask me how) so be careful chaps. My mate James has probably lost a lot of dough, I'd hate to see anyone on here suffer the same fate.

Oh yeah, and their site is 'offline'.
http://www.theplumbingacademy.co.uk/

 

[charliejamesuk]

Wow, glad I did my course when I did. Half the guys on my course had paid the 16k to do the NVQ2, 3 & ACS, hope they finished before the company went under.

Strange thing is that I had an email from them yesterday saying my NVQ2 portfolio is back from C&G ready for collection. The one thing I noticed is that their emails are from a new domain plumbingacademyuk.co.uk (not theplumbingacademy.co.uk). Infact looks like the website is also back up under the new domain name Plumbing Training Courses Part Time - Full Time.

 

[Gray0689]

Who would pay 16kfor a plumbing course??

 

[Garryaca@yahoo.]

I was at college in carshalton today, they did mention something about it but I wasn't really paying attention!

 

[Dannypipe]

I don't know how the guy (Steve something) gets away with it. Apparently he pays himself a huge wage, which sinks the company... but as it's limited, he knocks his creditors and gets away scott free. Then starts up again in his wifes name. What a sham. The guy who's NVQ I signed off had paid the full monty wack. NVQ 2 & 3 and ACS. As far as I know he only got his Lvl 2 and had the rest to go.

My Lvl 2 cost me £300 back in 2004...and took a couple of years....I think these 'fast track' courses prey on greed and naivity. Greed of the people selling the course and naive people who have been made redundant and blow their redundancy money thinking they can become a plumber in 12 weeks.

 

[Dannypipe]

To Gray:

Loads of people...but its mainly people who have worked in IT or the like. Been paid a tidy redundancy payment and want to take control of their own destiny. It's bloody awful that hard workign people have been ripped off.

 

[fagsanbooz]

Not surprising, quite a few 'fast-trackers' have gone, although this one was a little better than some, with a decent standard.
Let's be honest, 'fast-track' courses are appealing to some people and satisfy a need that colleges don't provide but most of the people running them are not interested in the trade or profession, or what might the most suitable means to learn the trade, just a 'business' with a pound sign!
There are some that have been set up by 'serial course sellers'. i.e. IT/HGV/Driving instructor training etc and done the same to them people.
Hope some of the guys manage to get some money back. Sticks in the throat if they have 'restarted' again under another name. BBC's watchdog is on, perhaps a few emails to them might rattle some pockets!

 

[rumpo]

mr steve ,,hi,meet mr piece of leadpipe

 

[ocentric]

I did my acs there this week - back next week for the cen1 & cpa1. Did level 2 & 3 last year. The place hasn't been emptied, I assume the new owners bought the goodwill & lease etc off the administrator. If they hadn't bought the goodwill they wouldn't have fulfilled Steven Edwards (prev owner) obligation for me to do the acs. As long as they're trading under the same name, no customers should lose money. It will be a different story for their suppliers & staff who would have lost money.

 

[Dannypipe]

Steve Edwards. That's him. I hope everyone does get either their money or gets to do their course. From what I heard, its unlikely that everyone will be OK...and like you say, the staff all got knocked.

I agree with the lead pipe comment. If I saw the fat git driving round in his Range Rover, while he owed me £16K I think he would see the dark side of my nature.

 

[TKD]

I have had dealings with both the old Plumbing Academy and the new firm, The Plumbing Academy UK part of Access Training Academies.

I paid for my Grandson, Michael, to attend the 6129 General Plumbing Course in 2009 and also the 6089 City & Guilds NVQ2 Certification. The whole process was excellent and Michael is now well established.

He recently hit a problem with submitting his signed off portfolio as the old Plumbing Academy had not provided the registration number for the 6089 Portfolio.

City & Guilds were no help hiding behind Data Protection but Darren from the new Plumbing academy was extremely helpful and located the registration number for Michael in spite of them only having records that went back to 2012 when they bought the business that had gone into liquidation.

It was not the responsibility of the new company to help clear up the mess of the old company but it is good to see them have this attitude to the business.

 

[northcarr]

Who would pay 16kfor a plumbing course??

My thoughts exactly seam's a hell of a lot of cash wow anyone want to train with me £10000 should do it lol.

 

[IDCHAPPY]

I have had dealings with both the old Plumbing Academy and the new firm, The Plumbing Academy UK part of Access Training Academies.

I paid for my Grandson, Michael, to attend the 6129 General Plumbing Course in 2009 and also the 6089 City & Guilds NVQ2 Certification. The whole process was excellent and Michael is now well established.

He recently hit a problem with submitting his signed off portfolio as the old Plumbing Academy had not provided the registration number for the 6089 Portfolio.

City & Guilds were no help hiding behind Data Protection but Darren from the new Plumbing academy was extremely helpful and located the registration number for Michael in spite of them only having records that went back to 2012 when they bought the business that had gone into liquidation.

It was not the responsibility of the new company to help clear up the mess of the old company but it is good to see them have this attitude to the business.

Darren's just off the phone, he said your tenners in the post