Case Summaries
Back to Case SummariesPregnancy, parenthood and childcare - CS072204
Case summary July 2022 | Settled
A student began a full-time course in September 2020, but withdrew from the course in mid-October. They were charged 25% of the year’s tuition fee.
The student complained that the administration of the course was disorganised and was unfair to students with caring responsibilities. The course timetable was different each week and was released a week at a time, two or three weeks ahead of delivery. This was not enough time for them to make childcare arrangements. The student said that if the timetable had been made available earlier, it would have been clear that the course was not compatible with their caring responsibilities, and they would have withdrawn before the fee liability point.
The provider rejected the student’s complaint. It said that students on the full-time course had been told before joining that tuition could take place between 9am and 7pm, across 5 days each week, and so should have been prepared to make childcare arrangements on that basis.
The student complained to us.
When we put the complaint to the provider, it decided to offer to refund the student’s fees to resolve the complaint. The student accepted this offer and the complaint was Settled on that basis.