I signed up in December at a total cost of £4800 for the full “package”, I completed my
Medical
Theory
Hazard Perception
Case Studies
I have so far paid £540 of my finance package supplied by Ikano Bank. Specialised HGV ceased trading before I was able to have any lessons in a truck or anything.
Ikano Bank have told me they have raised a dispute on my account and have stopped my payments until they agree a fair outcome with the administrators.
I am now in a position to finance my own tests and have a much better understanding of what needs done etc. Than I did beforehand hence why I used these guys.
I can’t get a response from anybody from Ikano or the administrators, it’s a very frustrating time as you could imagine.
Surely I should have the option to the cancel the finance since I would be paying for an incomplete course?
I’ve seen rumours online that they may be opening up with a new name (AGAIN). But surely I would have to agree to that though? They can’t just automatically enroll me on it could they?
I am hoping to just cancel the finance and book the tests myself, I am just worried incase I do book them, pay for them and STILL have to pay the remaining £4.3k or whatever back to Ikano Bank?
Does anybody have any solutions, answers or advice for me please.
Much appreciated!
Sean.
I think you need to take some specialist advice, if you simply stop paying that will hurt your credit file, but these shysters need shutting down once and for all.
24th July 2019 a new company was formed called THE SPECIALISED TRAINING GROUP LIMITED
3rd September 2020 this company changed its name to HGVT Ltd!
For what it is worth there are plenty of good reputable trainers out there not just Peter Smythe. Just do a little research and stay away from the brokers!
Wheel Nut:
These reputable trainers must be still doing business with the charlatans though, as they don’t seem to have premises, vehicles or instructors.
Was thinking the same thing
The way to get rid of brokers is for training companies not to have anything to do with them - the same amount of people will still need training
The company that formed from the ashes of Specialised HGV, HGVT has also vanished.
Their website has vanished and their numbers no longer work.
Their trust-pilot has become a company called Pet Supplies.
So they opened up again and have already shut down again.
they have been taking bookings from new customers since September and they are gone by December.
i can only imagine how many more people have been effected by their scam
surely this is a criminal activity?
These scam artists need to be accountable for ruining a lot of peoples lives.
TruckerSteven:
how can they have the cheek to open up again, and go on like they havent just ruined 100’s of peoples lives.
Very common, see the same companies folding and reopening over and over. A few round here do it every do often.
There was a radio prog about it a while back where an insolvency expert was saying its up to some regulator to strike you off being a director. But all too often it just doesn’t happen.
Wonder if they also screwed over the staff and either got rid or said you can come work for new company, but its a new contract and all benefits start again (eg redundancy after 2 years etc).
Need to change the title to inc their new name as it tends to do well in Google results and might mean they lose some customers.
For anyone who’s run into problems with them shutting before doing the training, I would recommend contacting Citizens Advice and making an appointment to see one of their advisors.
Thry might not be qualified directly, but they have access to people who are very qualified in these matters. And its a lot cheaper than engaging a solicitor.
Wheel Nut:
These reputable trainers must be still doing business with the charlatans though, as they don’t seem to have premises, vehicles or instructors.
Was thinking the same thing
The way to get rid of brokers is for training companies not to have anything to do with them - the same amount of people will still need training
I’m not sure about other providers, but they never contact us any more. We are by no means the cheapest in the area and refuse to budge on costs, so they use other schools/one-man-bands who will do the work for pittance so that the broker can maximize their margins.
I organised a course for Specialised HGV a couple of years ago, they were desperate to make a booking for one of their customers, and after many attempts to beat me down on cost they accepted to pay full price AND in advance of the course start date.
The chap was local, and in conversation it worked out that Specialised were netting approximately £1K for setting up the course on his behalf. He unfortunately failed on his first attempt and Specialised quoted him in excess of £700 for a retest. Booked him in for a retest directly and saved him £400, good deed done!