University of Law branded "despicable"

The University of Law has been branded "despicable" for seeking to enforce the debt of a student who decided not to take up his place on its Graduate Diploma of Law course.

Michael Northcott signed up online for the GDL in April 2010 but then decided he wanted to be a journalist instead. Three working days after the 31 July cancellation deadline he informed UoL that he no longer wanted to attend. However the University refused to accept his cancellation and told Northcott to pay £4500, which represents the first installment of GDL fees.

"Is it too late to change my mind?"

"Basically, yes"

Northcott's father told The Lawyer he thought UoL had stopped chasing the debt two years ago when he told it to "get lost." But now UoL has instructed Midlands firm Nelsons to recover the money. Northcott's dad is furious: "I don’t believe that when a 21-year-old ticks a terms and conditions box they are really cognisant of what they are entering into" he said. "And they know that – they’re the bloody College of Law".

UoL board member for business development Sarah Hutchinson said the UoL made its cancellation deadline "crystal clear" on its website. She also pointed out that the ~~fat skinheads with the baseball bats~~ UoL was only looking for 50% of the full fee, which was mild compared to normal practice: "if you cancelled your holiday within six weeks of the due departure date you get charged for the full holiday".

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Bless the little boy; he diddun know what he dood when he entered contract. Aww. He's only 21. Only 21. Could have been a MP for three years but not old enough to makey contracty. Aww.

Ridiculous "story". Father in publishing with access to media outlets demonstrates inadequacy of his own understanding.

Perhaps his real outrage is that doubtless having spent a fair bit on his son's education, the wretched youth still cannot read.

What a none story!! If RoF want to keep hitting UoL, do your research! So much more you could discuss! New Provost?

Difficult. It's easy for the guy to come across as a bit of a whinger but this does seem like quite a hard-nosed approach... then again a deadline is a deadline and there's no reason that the College of Law should be subject to less certainty than anyone else who provides services.

Is this not a penalty clause and/ or an unfair clause and therefore unenforceable ? (Hides under desk expecting to be chastised by contract lawyers).

This is the insitutions which pays its CEO Nigel HALF A MILLION POUNDS per annum. Any respect one can have for the UoL ends there.

By the sounds of things the kid in question was absolutely right to steer clear of a career in law...

"This is simply dreadful. A higher education institution should not behave in this way. "

Why? What if he had taken a place that could have gone to someone else? Should UoL be expected to lose the revenue from that because he couldn't be bothered to read terms of a cotnract eh agreed to?

Shouldn't you have been featuring more on the College of Law comparing their course to a holiday?

Papa Northcott comes across like a right wally in this story- I wonder if he has been made "cognisant" of that yet. I have little sympathy for UoL normally but they are well within their rights here.

I agree with the comment above that it might be a void penalty clause. They have a duty to mitigate their loss too. I bet the OFT might want to look at this too. The father should consider seeking to have the OFT look into the clauses. They have just forced gyms to change their cancellation charges. It is a small claim as under £10k so if they do sue they cannot recover their legal costs against the son.

I was at the College of Law from 2004-2006 (GDL and LPC) and I remember even now how darned clear it was that the 31 July was D day. It was hardly in the small print. Idiot. I'm sure he could have made up his mind 3 days earlier...

If he doesn't pay, how are the managers going to get their Christmas bonuses?

My thoughts exactly!

Let's not forget Sarah Hutchinson is aka Mrs Nigel Savage

Good to see promotion through talent and merit alone is still going strong at the College. Honestly, just leave the kid alone

"Why? What if he had taken a place that could have gone to someone else? Should UoL be expected to lose the revenue from that because he couldn't be bothered to read terms of a cotnract eh agreed to?"

Has the College of Law ever rejected an LPC application? This individual has not taken somebody else's place!

If I was in a bad mood I would cast aspersions about why the College is enforcing this debt after such a long time in its new post- private equity World?

Definitely not good PR!

As you say, not as if the College is turning people away.

However, on that basis, it means their places are not full.

So this person's place was not going to be filled by someone else. Therefore the College would not have been able to mitigate by drafting in someone else from a waiting list.

I understand they staff up and resource purely on student numbers so every person who signs up but then later withdraws has more effect than simply "one set of books"; the College will have engaged / retained staff on the basis of an enrolled number and then find there are fewer to teach or administer. On that basis, it's bound to try to recoup that cost from the sort of prat that put them in that position in the first place.

Can't feel any pity for this guy at all. As someone observed above, at 18 he could be a MP and take us to war. At 21 he can't be held to a contract that he's given plenty of time to withdraw from? Fool.

I'm sure they would have filled the place, so no loss, so no need (whether legally entitled to or not) to chase him for the money. UoL are happy to trouser naive students' money (to pay Savage's outrageous and totally undeserved salary) without bothering advising them that their chances of securing a training contract are not much better than winning the lottery. A disgraceful organisation.

Yes, the College of Law is the only custodian of that information and prospective students are incapable of finding it out for themselves before signing up.

Actually, perhaps thy are incapable.

I used to have respect for the University of Law as an educational establishment.

After all, they did a good job for me when I studied at the College of Law.

No longer.

It is nasty and petty minded decisions like these, which appear solely motivated by (post buyout) avarice, which leads most observers I know to the conclusion that they are nothing better then banks, and should be treated as such - with suspicion and contempt.

I also can't help but wonder if there are more then a few University employees in the supportive posts above.

UoL truly are a despicable institution. In relation to the BPTC their deadline for cancellation of an accepted place comes days BEFORE students find out whether they have managed to secure a pupillage place. This is disgusting behaviour - something needs to be done!