If you booked an online course but cannot attend for any reason, you have the right to cancel without any hassle as per the Consumer Contracts Regulations (CCR). You can cancel a contract you finalized from a distance like purchasing an online course. The CCR defines a consumer as an individual who acts outside their craft or profession. Therefore, personality development professionals who buy a course that is closely related to their profession is not considered a consumer.
You would not be a consumer if you bought an online course about email marketing when you make a living as a digital marketer. The same is true for nutritionists who will participate in food and mental wellbeing courses. Journalists who finalized their participation on a three-day sports reporting course are not consumers as well.
However, booking a course out of personal interest makes you a consumer. Examples of which are human resources personnel who signed up for a two-day painting course or lawyers who signed up for a quick course on creative writing to expand their network. General practitioners who took a French language course are also consumers, and this guide is for them.
If you changed your mind
The Consumer Contracts Regulations stipulate that you have 14 days from entering into a service contract to cancel the agreement, granted that you purchased the course online or via phone. This provision applies to courses conducted in person or remotely. Meanwhile, the provider must not start providing the service before the cancellation period ends unless the class already started or you booked at the last minute.
On the other hand, you will have to pay for the service provided for you until the cancellation if the course started within 14 days. You must be refunded a sum equivalent to the remainder of the course minus the admin or materials costs used until you cancelled. The right to cancel is expired when the full service ends within the 14-day cancellation period. However, some course providers exceed the required days. Because of this, it is best if you check the terms and conditions in case you need a longer time to change your mind.
Leisure activity exemption
The course you booked online falls under a leisure activity if you attend a class with other people on a specific date. If that’s the case, the course is excluded from cancellation rights unless it is defined otherwise by the course provider. A one-day course on flower arrangement is a leisure activity, but a three-day seminar on any topic may not fall under that category. Providers can give the right to cancel but are not required to do so.
Meanwhile, if the course did not match the description or the level of teaching is underwhelming, you have the right to request for a refund under the Consumer Rights Act. However, you must prove these claims before getting your money back.
Get your money back
Whether for refunds from online courses or wrongly sold goods and services, Consumer Reclaim will fight for you until you get the compensation you deserve. They have a no-win, no-fee policy wherein they only get paid until clients get their reimbursement. Request a call back from their claims advisors now to take back the money that’s rightfully yours.
If you’re looking to learn more about how you can claim compensation from online courses, Consumer Reclaim is your best option. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help you.