VIC Australian Institute of Fitness - Cancelling Contract?

[HayleyDePledge]

I signed up to do a master training course online with the Australian Institute of Fitness. I paid a $500 deposit and was told that i would be automatically debited around $138every 2 weeks under my payment plan since I couldn't afford to pay in full upfront. I agreed, however was not verbally told that I wouldn't be able to cancel the course at any time, and was under the assumption that I would be able too. Less then 10 days after the 12 month course has started, I decided I would not be able to afford the course and rang up and emailed various times requesting to cancel. I was eventually told I wouldn't be able to cancel the payments since I was out of the 10 day "cooling off period" that I supposedly signed and agreed too however was never verbally told at my orientation. I would really like to know how I could possibly get them to cancel the course, as it doesn't seem right them taking money out of my account every 2 weeks for a year, when I have requested to cancel the course that I never even started. I would really love to know any infringements at play here in the Australian consumer law and get them to cancel my course without further payments immediately. Thank's a lot.

 

[Tracy B]

Hi Hayley,

It seems you have already found this thread: "Australian Institute of Fitness - Cancellation Fee Under Course Enrolment Contract"

There are a few avenues you could try contacting:

• Consumer Affairs Victoria
• Victorian Department of Education

The Department of Education might be able to advise you when it is appropriate to charge someone for the full price of a course. I believe charging the whole year's fees is unreasonable here. Generally, educational programs give students a few weeks into the course to cancel courses and have a two-tier penalty system.