I applied for a college course to study by night a while back, got my offer of a place and paid 50% of the fees 3 weeks ago, amounting to approx €2K in advance of commencement. Over a week ago now I received a phone call informing me that as the course was undersubscribed, I didn't have a place. During the next few days it transpired that the course wasn't even available when they took the 50% from me.
In fairness to the college, they did offer me an alternate place in their college on other courses but none of them compared to what I wanted to do. I requested an immediate refund and return of all my personal information so that I could make an application to another college instead.
To date I haven't received the money, I signed up for another course elsewhere and also had to pay the fees upfront, now I'm down €2K and there is no sign of it coming. I'm blue in the face ringing admissions to request my refund and yes, I have written to the college formally requesting the money back but have received no response.
Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can put pressure on the college to refund me? As it was a part-time night course, it wasn't publically funded so I'm not sure that the Dept of Education can assist me. Should I jump straight to filing a case with the Small Claims Court? I'm now down my interest in my account for the lack of funds, and they have retained my money for the past 3 weeks in the full knowledge that the course wasn't going ahead.
In fairness to the college, they did offer me an alternate place in their college on other courses but none of them compared to what I wanted to do. I requested an immediate refund and return of all my personal information so that I could make an application to another college instead.
To date I haven't received the money, I signed up for another course elsewhere and also had to pay the fees upfront, now I'm down €2K and there is no sign of it coming. I'm blue in the face ringing admissions to request my refund and yes, I have written to the college formally requesting the money back but have received no response.
Does anybody have any suggestions as to how I can put pressure on the college to refund me? As it was a part-time night course, it wasn't publically funded so I'm not sure that the Dept of Education can assist me. Should I jump straight to filing a case with the Small Claims Court? I'm now down my interest in my account for the lack of funds, and they have retained my money for the past 3 weeks in the full knowledge that the course wasn't going ahead.
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