worried about drink driving course provider

[uklegendman]

I am due to attend the drink driving course in a few months. The course providers want all the money before upfront.
I am worried that if the course providers go bust they will clear off with my money.

Does anyone know if the money paid is in any way guaranteed by the courts who have instructed me to attend?.

I have checked on company house website and the course provider have been trading for less than 12 months and are a Limited company so there is a very real chance they will not be around in a few months when I come to attend the course and I will be left with nothing or chasing money for years to come through receivers. (a bit worried as I know how difficult if not impossible it is to get money back through a dissolved LTD company).


Anyone had any experience of these companies disappearing?.

 

[price1367]

There is no guarantee from the courts as the course in entirely separate to them. They have not "instructed" you to attend the course, they have offered you the "opportunity" of attending the course. You do not have to do it, but of course you do want the reduction in your ban so it would be a good move! People generally find them interesting, informative and a chance to discuss their situation with other people in the same position.
who is the course provider, I might be able to shed some light on their background. It may not be dodgy that they have only been a limited company less than 12 months, there was a big reform in how the courses are 'licensed' through the DSA that came into effect in August this year, some older providers stopped and some new providers came into play. they will have had to satisfy the DSA as to their viability.
Also it is a requirement of the legal structure of the courses that the fee has to be paid before the course starts, so all providers have to have that rule.

 

[uklegendman]

Hi, thanks for replying, the name of the course provider is Catal interventions LTD. If you look at the number of new company start ups that fold within the first year of trading Im sure you will agree this is a risk paying in advance.

 

[ukboxer]

Hi, thanks for replying, the name of the course provider is Catal interventions LTD. If you look at the number of new company start ups that fold within the first year of trading Im sure you will agree this is a risk paying in advance.

What is the time scale between making payment and attending the course?

Whilst this doesnt answer your question specifically, this gov.uk website may give you some assurance https://www.gov.uk/drink-drive-reha...-guidance-for-course-providers-from-june-2013 its a long read but definatly worth a look particularly this section:

Cessation of course provision

Where the provider of an approved course is no longer willing or able to accept referrals from the courts in the specified area, they must notify DSA in writing of their intention to surrender their course approval and state the date from which this surrender is to take effect. Other than in exceptional circumstances, the course provider should give 3 months’ notice of their intention to DSA. This notice period will allow for the orderly completion of any outstanding course commitments, provide sufficient time to inform the courts service, amend documentation and, where appropriate consider course approval applications to deliver DDRS courses in the vacated area.

 

[price1367]

Catal are one of the new companies who came on board with the drink drive scheme in the summer. Before being approved they do have to satisfy the DSA as to their financial viability.
you are not bound to do a course with them, if you are worried about a new company. There are several other course providers operating in area 12 that they are approved for. If you look here there is a list of approved providers and the areas that they cover:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...a/file/261976/Annex_A_updated_28_Nov_2013.pdf

you can contact any one of them and ask to be transferred, the choice is yours. You will also see that there is a variation in the charges for the course, this may influence your choice, they all produce the desired " certificate of completion" that you need to get a reduction.
If it re assures you, I have been involved with the DDRS courses since they started as a pilot course in 1993. During that time several providers have dropped out, butI am not aware of a single occasion where the went 'bust' and left people having paid but not able to do a course.