The national Home Study College www.nationalhomestudy.co.uk

I took out 2 courses in september of 2008 for fashion design and drawing and cutting but never really got to start it.

I have just tried getting back in touch with national home study only to find that the company have mysteriously gone missing.

Just wondering as to whether i would still be able to make a claim even after 3 years. Can anyone shed any light onto this for me and as to where i might go to get help.

Regards

Sam

I applied for a beginners Photography course in 2007 for Home Study, it came eventually and it was actually a higher paper than requested but thought I'd give it a go. They were quick at marking the first 2 papers I did and I got 2 A's which is great but what worried me was that it was almost as if it wasn't actually looked at properly as a lot of my info was from books??? and not from my own words. My tutor never really replied to my emails and at the beginning I was informed that I could take as little or as long as I wanted for this course even if it took me 5 years. I fell pregnant and had a baby and put the course away as I didn't have the time to continue,. When I finally decided to carry on I have had no response from them at all which I thought was odd, but now I know that they don't exist anymore and I will be trying to get my money back!!!

National Homestudy sent out letter stating they had gone into receivership in December 2009. They hadn't it was a way of getting everyone whom they had scammed off their backs and to save them refunding There was no official receiver, as I investigated this further and in fact Companies House had put in a notice to wind up the company. This, will have now taken, place which means if you paid any money by cash or cheque to National Home Study you will not receive any money or refund. If, however, you have paid on your credit card, your credit card can refund. Do not let your credit card fob you off with excuses that you are over the time limit and they cannot get the money back. All banks are fully aware of who National Homestudy are, they had to refund me over £1,000 and I received it, BUT I had to take them to the Banking Ombudsmen to get my money refunded.

If you had money taken fraudulently then still have a go at claiming it back. If you paid for a course and you have now found out the company has gone, when you try and claim from your credit card/bank tell them you never received the course. If you tell them you took "x? amount of months" of the course or even received the course material they will only refund you what was left of the course and not the full amount! I had that one to contend with too, yes I was a sucker I took a Fellowship, passed that (ahem!), and then they offered me a Tutor Marking Course!!! Anyway, there are means and ways if you have paid by credit card.

Have a go, we pay enough in interest rates and card protection for fraud as it is.

Good luck,

Carolyn x

They take your money over and over again, no materials arrive and they keep moving addresses and phone numbers. A SCAM DO NOT DO ANY BUSINESS WITH THEM or any business with a Mr Philip August running it - he should be behind bars.

I have been trying to take National Home Study to court, but any mail being sent to them is returned, as not found at that address. I had two addresses for them - one in Pinner, Middlesex, and one in London. I was studying 'How to run a Boarding kennels', and was initially receiving results which were all 'A', then, suddenly contact ceased and I was no longer able to get hold of anyone via email, phone or letter. It seemed that Phillip August left in about September and John Siemens took over. I would like to claim the money back that I paid, just like everyone else, but I do not, now,know who to turn to for help.

Fiona Larkins

i paid for a cat course in 2008 did all the essays and got them all marked, however when i got to my last essay they have not replied, i sent it via email first...no reply...i sent it by post....no reply i then sent it to another address...again no reply, does anyone know how we can go about getting our money back?? theses guys are still around scamming everyone! please avoid it like the plague!!

Enroled in a adult and child social care course last January 2009, just had my 1st Assignment returned addressee gone away, Very dissapointed as pad £195.00 for this coursse which is a scam. I hope Philip August gets evrything he deserves coming to him.

As is apparant from other commenst about this "college" both here and on other review sites, their courses are of no value and their diplomas are rightly not recognised by anyone.

So far as I can discover, the people behind this exercise have traded under a variety of titles on the net and from several different addresses. the common denominators are:

1. Philip August

2. Poor quality material taken, it would appear, from other sites.

3. Grade A marks for everyone

4. Frequent changes of address

5. Offering students jobs as "markers" - a good way to sell another course in marking!

6. Taking fees twice - do not let them have your credit card details.

I could go on, but will just say it is cheaper to set up your own college and award yourself your own diploma.

I applied for 2 beauty courses in April/ May and paid over 350 pounds. Everything was Ok and 5 courseworks were marked and returned by the tutor until September when I tried to phone them and there was no reply. I have also tried to call the a different number, left several messages but no reply and no callback. My course work was opened by Royal mail and sent back to me. I still cannot get hold of anyone as they are not returning my calls. I am so disappointed. Please do not use this college, I wish someone can get back to me. There is an information from the college that states::

"National Home Study are providing a tutorial support service for existing customers only and at the current time are not taking any further enrolments".

If the above statement is true why was my assignment sent back??

They are a waste of time and me and a thousand other people are in the process of getting our money back!

The website has since closed and they started a new one which has now closed, beware PHILIP AUGUST, JOHN and VERONICA SIEMENS people are not happy because what you have done to us and we are coming to get our money from you and if you got no money we will take your house and your possessions.

Waste my time and money with fake certificates, well we will make your life unhappy.

Warning to all be careful with all on-line colleges who knows these people may be running one of them....