Qualitas/Sterling Training Ripped Me Off BIG TIME

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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This a warning to all potentials! Never even think about training with this company! :smiling_imp:

I was stupid to believe that they were honest, i got the brochure paid my £150 deposit to find out that there was a catch! the Operators CPC, i only got my free artic training if i paid that, i found out that i didnt need to have this for just driving and that in a couple of years i would need to do my Drivers CPC, ok i thought, i will go with Top Gear a very good and reputable training school who was not going to try and rip me off!

Well i requested my money back from Qualitas, and they said they would call me back, a month later no call, THEN we found than Trogs debit card had been bled of £750 (card was used to pay for deposit).
We reported it to the bank and found it strange that the location of the transaction was Basildon, ( where Qualitas operate from).

Today i called them, and they said that yes they had taken the money, i explained to them that i had cancelled my training 2 days after paying the deposit and never got a call back, eventually they agreed to pay the £750 back onto his card (they said it was policy to take the money a month after the deposit was paid whether services used, booked or not)

They also stated that they would not repay the £150 deposit as cancelation had to be with then in writing within 1 week from the deposit being paid! although i was not informed of this until today, i have been waiting for the call from them for a month (nice trick to get your money).

So this makes me wonder just how many people have they ripped off by cheating them for £900 for absolutely nothing, it has for me turned into a nightmare, i have received 1 CPC book which has not cost me £150, ( i did ask for some training to the value of £150 so i could get my monies worth! they didnt have a course for that amount i would have to pay then back all the money again)

So let this be a warning to all of you, do not even call them, whisper there name if will cost you a fortune with nothing in return except for like trog, pay day wages being stolen, charges for overdraft, and 1 hell of a row with Qualitas :imp:

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Firebird:
there was a catch! the Operators CPC, i only got my free artic training if i paid that, i found out that i didnt need to have this for just driving and that in a couple of years i would need to do my Drivers CPC,

The Operators CPC is a very different thing to the forthcoming drivers CPC as you found out. Also, if you pass your driving test soon then you will not have to sit a drivers CPC, you’ll get in by ‘grandfather rights’. I think in this case, as you found out later, you didn’t know what you where signing/paying for.

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Sorry to hear about that mate , i used sterling and found them to be the biggest cowboys on the planet
this is by no means any reflection on the instrucor he’s a top bloke, but the way they operate ,run their vehicle maitainence(never had a saftey inspection! :open_mouth: ,telling people to drive a wagon with a massive air leak on the braking system):shock: )
so i completely agree with the above comment
DONT TOUCH WITH A SMELLY STICK

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This post may be very useful on the NEW & WANNABEE section :exclamation:

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i wouldnt go with top gear again…there training is awful even though it is 1 2 1 youll get a differnt trainer every day and there planing is awful

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any re-coarse from your credit card Co?
some times they will take your fight on and stop transaction going thru , just casue its debitit out your account it doesnt mean its been payed to there account !

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Unfortunately they got the money, the bank said it was very clever, rather than putting it through themselves they used a 3rd party a company called autosearch, due to this the bank says it clears straight to authorisation, and was paid out!

As i said i they have transfered the money back in today, after they were told they had been reported to the fraud unit, but they are still keeping my £150 deposit and refusing to give it back!

I went with top gear, and i passed my Cat C with them, and from my experience the training was awesome i had Bernie and he bollocked me like a goodun,(all deserved may i add) and got me through my test, and i start my C+E on the 11th.

But non the less had we not picked it up as early as we did, and had i not worked out who it was considering the 3rd party, the money would have been lost!

Loads of people must have been ripped off in the same way and never worked out who it was :open_mouth:

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Firstly I think I should point out that Sterling and Qualitas are 2 completely seperate companys.

I’m sorry you had so much trouble with Qualitas firebird. Perhaps they are getting a bit to big for their boots now they have been around a while, however I must redress the balance.

I did my C and C+E with them a couple of years ago and never had a problem with them. (even to the point that they picked me up from the airport and dropped me off again at the end)

They did me a very good deal (huge discount for already holding PCV licence) and when I changed my mind about the CPC, they only charged the difference between what I had payed and a combined course, when they could have charged for a full C+E (saved me about £350)

As I say this was a couple of years ago so things might have changed

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no mension of Sterling in the 1st post

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Qualitas and Stirling are the same company now, Stirling brought them out, they told me today, so i would say they are getting to big for there boots :open_mouth:

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Firebird:
Qualitas and Stirling are the same company now, Stirling brought them out, they told me today, so i would say they are getting to big for there boots :open_mouth:

I stand corrected, as I say it was 2 years ago!!!

I would also say they are getting to big for their boots.

Shame because, as you can see from my experience, they were looking to be a decent firm.

:unamused: :unamused: :unamused:

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Someone else is going with Sterling on this forum :confused: Hope he’s got time to rethink it. When I started googling for LGV training centres Qualitas were always top of the listings with their tacky scam style website full of “Read the real hidden secrets of earning mega bucks driving a truck” “Earn £500 a week sitting on your arse etc” Obviously I never thought about em again.

I thought about Topgear as they were just down the road at Mucklow Hill but read on here about the multiple instructors, plus they use absolute min spec vehicles so didn’t fancy it either.

I’d suggest getting in touch with trading standards or similar Firebird, unless they can prove that you were told (in writing) that you’d forfeit your deposit If you didn’t write to cancel withing 14 days of booking I think they’ll have a hard time keeping it. Or even a small claims (it costs £30 to start a claim) they probably haven’t got the time to bother fighting it.

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holliefabbabe:
no mension of Sterling in the 1st post

Post subject: Qualitas/Sterling Training Ripped Me Off BIG TIME

:wink:

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Another thread about this mob

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just to add me two peneth worth qualitas and stirling still advertise as two seperate coy’s however if you look at the registered company office address on both seperate info pack’s it is the same which is what put me off them ,however over the years i have learnt too look for the worst in everyone (the misses says i remind her of the two old buggers of the muppet show :laughing: ) however the registered office address 's was tucked away in small print mind you. but the other thing i would like to point out is if they have done this to one person then who to say they wont to do it too more only to disapeer with lots of 750 and not deliver any training the old classic money up front scam then suddenley they cant be reached . I know this sounds very harsh and probaly slightly slanderess but i tend to look at things from a real world view ,ie they have already been less than straight with 1 person so who’s to say the fraudulant thing wont happen! well ther ya go my opinion

16

Can you elabarate on the grand father rights for the new driver CPC,

I hold module 1 in freight … and a full passenger CPC

and understand that the new CPC comes into affect in 2008 for truckers and 2007 for bus drivers… is it correct… ■■?

if you can get grandfather rights for this driver CPC how do you go about getting it?

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discoman:
Can you elabarate on the grand father rights for the new driver CPC,

I hold module 1 in freight … and a full passenger CPC

The new CPC is unconnected with the one you already have. New drivers will have to do the training from 2008 or 2009, I can’t remember when it actually starts. Existing drivers will have until 2014 before they will need to have done the training or course or whatever form it takes.

discoman:
if you can get grandfather rights for this driver CPC how do you go about getting it?

I don’t think you have to do anything to get it, the date you got your licence determines it. Nothing has been finalised yet so it’s really just wait and see.

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Kiowan:
I thought about Topgear as they were just down the road at Mucklow Hill but read on here about the multiple instructors, plus they use absolute min spec vehicles so didn’t fancy it either.

Can you elaborate on the minimum spec vehicles please?, i’m booked in with Top Gear for an assessment in a few weeks, just want to know what i’m getting into!

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I trained with Top Gear, i did my Cat C a month ago and the truck i used was a Daf the one it shows on the website and in awesome condition, i am doing my C+E next monday and i have already had my assessment, and again a daf in awesome condition.

If your doing you Cat C you will be driving a 13t Rigid which is great, if C+E it will be a 45 ft trailer twin axle daf again great.

Prior to July 1st you had the choice of a flat bed variation of rigid and artic, but after will be the ones above.

I cannot speak highly enough of them, they are very professional, the vehicle are immaculate, and i say go for it, you will not regret it. :stuck_out_tongue: