Poor content, communication and customer service
I enrolled with this college in good faith but unfortunately my experience has been disappointing, largely due to poor communication and customer service.
During a course transfer, I was told I would receive a “fresh six-month enrolment,” without it being made clear that this was linked to a previously purchased extension. This led to confusion, which was not resolved due to inconsistent responses. Requests to view the college’s terms and conditions relating to transfers and extensions, as well as requests to speak to a manager, were ignored.
When I requested a refund for an unused extension within the 14-day cooling-off period, I was initially informed—incorrectly—that cancellation rights did not apply to services. This was only corrected and a refund offered after I raised my consumer rights, at which point revised course dates were mentioned for the first time.
In terms of course content, the learning materials were difficult to engage with. The writing is dry, contains noticeable typos, and is not organised in a way that aligns with the order of assignment questions. This makes it unnecessarily hard to identify key information and complete coursework efficiently.
I would also advise prospective learners to look carefully at pricing. There always appears to be a “sale” running, which makes the advertised discounts feel misleading rather than genuinely time-limited.
Finally, while researching reviews, I noticed patterns that may be worth considering. Several five-star reviews appeared on the same days that the college replied to negative reviews, with another cluster appearing roughly two weeks later. I cannot comment on their authenticity, but potential customers may wish to take this into account when forming an overall impression.
Overall, while the courses may suit some learners, my experience suggests that communication, transparency, and organisation need improvement.
*Edit in response to the reply from De Montfort:
The statement regarding my alleged request for a free extension is factually incorrect. I have email correspondence that clearly demonstrates this. The information provided to me by the college was misleading, inconsistent, and at times contradictory.
Notably, the response below does not address the fact that my entitlement to a refund was initially denied, nor does it explain why my request to speak with a manager or to be referred to the relevant terms and conditions was not accommodated.
I would encourage prospective students to review both positive and negative feedback and draw their own conclusions. The manner in which concerns are handled is as important as the quality of the course itself, and in my experience, the standard of customer service fell short of expectations.
I hope prospective students take note of the tone of the college’s reply below. Their response was edited multiple times in a short period, suggesting it was reactive rather than considered. Instead of addressing the substance of the review, the reply adopts a defensive and accusatory tone.
Similar language appears in their response to another one-star review on this page. I would encourage readers to look at those replies themselves and draw their own conclusions.
Respuesta de De Montfort College
Hi Kerrie
Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. We’re always keen to support our students and ensure they can complete their courses successfully, and we’d like to clarify a few points regarding your review.
We do, however, feel it is important to clarify a few points. The review appears largely based on your request for a free course extension. You originally enrolled on a 12-month course and later purchased a six-month extension to allow additional time to complete your work. When you asked to transfer to a different course, we were happy to accommodate this and explained that, as government-regulated qualifications, registration fees are required to enrol you on the new course. To assist further, we also offered to apply the remaining time from your extension to the new course so you could complete it within the 6-month timeframe. Our standard fees for course transfers and extensions were explained clearly, yet despite multiple emails and attempts to support you, the matter remained unresolved from your side.
Throughout this process, our friendly support staff worked hard to assist you, answer your queries, and provide options, yet you continued to escalate the situation, demanding outcomes that were not possible under the terms of the courses. While we strive to help all students, there comes a point where it is not feasible to meet demands without incurring a loss, and in this instance, no satisfactory resolution could be reached.
We do take all feedback seriously, but it is clear that, despite our efforts, your dissatisfaction stems from your own expectations not aligning with the course structure and policies. The issues you raised regarding communication and administration were addressed promptly and repeatedly. In one of your last emails to us, you told us, and this is a quote from your own email, "I cannot fault your dedication to the work, replying outside of standard office hours. You must be remunerated handsomely for never switching off the work email and I thank you for your time and dedication."
All other points mentioned in your review were not raised during your 11 months on the course. Our team always encourages students to reach out if they experience difficulties, and we provide clear guidance and support throughout the programme.
You ultimately requested a refund for your extension, which we processed promptly.
The additional criticisms in your review were never raised with us during the 11 months you were enrolled, despite regular communication. Had concerns about course content or organisation been raised earlier, we would have welcomed the opportunity to address them.
We stand by the quality of our qualifications and the professionalism of our staff. We support thousands of learners successfully each year. In this instance, the situation stemmed from a disagreement over fees, not from poor communication or lack of support.
We explained repeatedly that this was not possible. Government-regulated qualifications carry registration fees that we pay on a student’s behalf, and we cannot absorb both a transfer and an extension without payment. Despite multiple detailed explanations, you would not accept this and continued to argue the point.
Prospective students are, of course, free to read all reviews and make their own judgement. We remain committed to being transparent about our pricing, policies and course structures.
We will continue to provide high-quality courses and support to students who engage with the course framework. We clearly explained the situation to you.
Unfortunately, in this instance, because a course extension was required to be applied to your enrolment, no level of support we could provide to you would have met your expectations.
We value all feedback and take it seriously, but in this instance, your review reflects a disagreement over fees rather than issues with the course content, support, or delivery.
Kind regards,
The DMC Team
