Sorry if this is long, I don't want to leave any details out.
I applied to do a course at out local college in May. I sent an application form in but didn't hear anything. I chased it up and requested more information about the structure and other details about the course. It was a one year full time course. Eventually I received a letter to interview & enrolment on 5th Sept. I attended at the time stated. It was very chaotic with hundreds of different students enrolling. Eventually after much confusion I met the course leader, did a writing test had a quick chat and was told to enrol in student services. I went to enrol. I waited an hour in the queue and then met a member of student services. I was told I needed to pay 25% of the course fee to enrol & to start the course the following week, she couldn't answer any details about the course and said all information would be provided at the induction the following week. I asked if I could enrol at a later date after seeing more course information, but was told that was the last day to register There was no discussion about fees, apart from providing me with a contact card for a finance company that processed their fees. I very stupidly signed an enrolment form without reading it & no further information from the registration lady.
I managed 14 days at the college, where as the course requirements with regards assignments were disclosed, it became very obvious that there would be no way I could manage the workload with regards to the required assignments. On the 12th day our course tutor announced to the class that if anybody was considering withdrawing, now was the time to do it before student loans were paid (I was self funding). That night, I wrote an email withdrawing from the course, my course tutor replied that she understood & wished me well.
I heard nothing from the college and I assumed my £900 was lost. Upsetting, but I accepted that.
Last week I have started to receive daily emails & phone calls from a debt collection company. The college now want me to pay for the whole year of the course (several thousand pounds). Stupidly I signed an enrolment form that required the fees for the course to be paid in full (for the whole year) whatever the timing of withdrawal. I heard nothing from the college after my withdrawal with regards fees. It appears they have passed over my details to this agency without contacting me and this agency is contacting me on a daily basis, despite my request for some time to seek advice.
Do I have any redress whatsoever? It seems such an unfair contract, signed during a process without time or information. Or am I so unbelievably stupid to have got myself in this situation? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!