Job Discussion Forums

[Sandy Mac]

The London School of Business and Finance have been exposed as tax cheats. They apparently have very few ethics when it comes to their own business and financial practices, as many of their own EFL teachers have been working as 'self-employed' for several years, so that the school could avoid paying NI and PAYE. This is in fact completely illegal, and I have already informed the Inland Revenue of this little dodge.

As a further example of their contempt for their teachers, the school decided not to pay its teachers at all last Christmas, and on several occasions has even texted the teachers ON PAYDAY to cheerily inform them that they wouldn't be paid for another month. In fact, most of them were subsequently paid the following week, but that�s not the issue here. I mean, what sort of school of business lets itself get into such problems with cashflow � or is it just another way to humiliate the poor Teflers?

As in so many of such cases, it�s the owners who are the ogres here, and in this case the place is owned by a bunch of arrogant Russians who seem to think that they're immune to Britain�s employment laws. They cause most of the problems at the school, and seem intent on trashing the whole LSBF.

As I said above, I�ll be informing the tax authorities, but I�ll also be doing some digging at Companies House on the identities of the owners, and whether the school has been filing its returns properly. At present is appears that only past or present employees can shop their bosses for not following employment regulations, but the punishments are hefty!

[GriffinParka]

There's an interesting article about EFL teachers working as 'freelancers' at the employer's insistence just here:

http://mattsalusbury.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/taxing-question-can-efl-teachers.html

It seems to be very clear that paying regular EFL teachers as 'freelancers' is a complete no-no.

[Sandy Mac]

Apparently this outfit is in the habit of ripping off its own students too. Check the link here for dozens of stories of unrefunded fees and overcrowded classrooms:

http://www.adviceforyou.org.uk/blog/college-complaints/london-school-of-business-and-finance-refund-issues/

Here's an example of the way they play fast and loose with their 'clients'

Actually Shajiv i have been treat exactly the same by lsbf.
I have been waiting for 7 months after applying for a refund due to refused visa even though all doccuments requested were given.
Lsbf are now after chasing them since april are saying they do not have to give a refund because the visa was refused.
They think it is ligitimit to take �3600 pounds from some one who has not attended theis school.
Believe me i will be taking legal action as they clearly can�t be trusted!
I don�t know how they have managed to get away with this for so long, who knows how many people they are cheating.
I shall be doing all i can to inform future students and members of the public of their outrageous behaviour.

In short, LSBF seems like a place to avoid all round!

[GriffinParka]

Indeed. In fact, the following paragraph has recently appeared on LSBF's wikipedia page:

Controversies

The LSBF has recently been accused of systematically exploiting its own students and staff. Many teachers have openly stated that they have been illegally employeed at 'self-employed' status, meaning that they have been paid without the statutory deductions made for tax and National Insurance. The HMRC is currently investigating this matter. Moreover, the LSBF has often paid salaries late, and teachers who have left the college report not being paid the salary that they were due. [30] Furthermore, many students who have not been able to obtain visas, after first having paid a deposit (or full fees) to the college, have reported great problems in obtaining the refunds that they are entitled to. Other students have reported overcrowded classrooms and over-enrolled courses, and once again, such dissatisfied students have been unable to obtain the reimbursements that they are legally due. [31]

[Captain Coddo]

Both of the above remarks about LSBF have since been 'disappeared' (in the way that dissident voices get 'disappeared' in certain countries, such as Russia). Legal threats are the usual means of silencing these voices.

It's clear that LSBF are keen to repress any criticism of 'the brand', even though it's already common knowledge how corrupt it is. In fact, they employ an army of 'compliance monkeys' to trawl the web and deal with their detractors, of whom there are many these days!

If anybody wants some real info on how LSBF operates, just contact me via the PM system

[Captain Coddo]

And here it is - official proof of their academic and financial fraud.

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/concerns-university-of-Wales-FBT-LSBF.pdf

Enjoy!

[GriffinParka]

There's quite a lot about these gangsters on youtube. Try these for starters...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XTv5708MjY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uaALJuju94&feature=fvwrel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R52UiIcMzbA&feature=fvwrel

Clearly this is a bent institution that only has its own financial interests at heart, and will resort to breaking the law and ripping off its own students. Shame on them!

[Captain Coddo]

The paragraph below recently appeared on wikipedia, and then disappeared, due to the usual bullying tactics that LSBF employ. It would appear to summarise the QAA's findings, that LSBF is not fit for purpose.

QAA assessment

LSBF were visited by the [[QAA]] as part of an investigation into ultimately well-founded concerns about the poor standards and quality of higher education offered at LSBF. The report was released to the public on 9th August 2012. The investigating team found that LSBF/FBT in its partnership with University of Wales had recruited more students than its resource base justified, and that this placed an intolerable burden on physical and human resources. The report stated that LSBF/FBT had recruited students to pathways which were not validated (no award would be received from the University) despite advertising these courses as validated, thus in effect finding LSBF guilty of fraud. They also expressed deep concerns over the technical and English language competence of some staff, a lack of transparency over bottom-line fees, alleged misinformation over visa working restrictions, confusion over the availability of some pathways, the non-availability of some textbooks, and the limited usefulness of the evaluation and representative systems. It went on to state that a number of weaknesses were attributable to a range of factors including institutional immaturity and an inadequate understanding of the expectations of a higher education provider in the UK. It found that in one intake 54% of the students had complained about the poor quality of LSBF education. Furthermore, it stated that the admissions process (largely devolved to FBT/LSBF from the University) was insufficiently closely managed, and led to the acceptance of many inappropriate students. It concluded that more recently LSBF/FBT had put in place measures to strengthen its quality management arrangements, but nonetheless requested it to report within 6 weeks an action plan to address the issues.

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Newsroom/PressReleases/Pages/Concern-University-of-Wales-LSBF.aspx

NB: The QAA works with the higher education sector to safeguard standards and improve quality in UK higher education. As part of the drive to maintain and enhance standards it investigates concerns about standards and quality raised by students, staff or other parties. Where such concerns indicate serious systemic or procedural problems, QAA will conduct a detailed investigation.

[ancient_dweller]

LSBF are terrible!!!

The courses they advertise are often fake and i think i made a post about it already.

They have dodgy terms and conditions and refuse refunds when they cancel courses.

Students would sign up to say 'academic english' and other specialised courses and LSBF would have no intention of actually running the course. on arrival they would put all the students in to one general english class - maybe 30 people or more. you would have to pull chairs from other classrooms and not everyone would get a table.

if you didn't want 'general english' because you signed up for something else they remind you about their illegal terms and conditions which state no refunds on or after the first day of the intended started date of course. so on your first day when they tell you your course is cancelled, (which they reserve the right to do in their t&c's) then you are left with no choice.

they are basically stealing money from students.

[ancient_dweller]

[ancient_dweller]

further to my previous comment - any negative coverage on forums is quickly removed

[Captain Coddo]

Get out while you can!

Word is out that, due to the combined efforts of UK Borders and HMRC, LSBF will soon be 'dissolved' ... and probably re-emerge immediately in a similar guise.

Meanwhile, hundreds of empoyees will not be paid their salaries, and thousands of students will lose their fees.

So get out now while you can...

[Captain Coddo]

My sources (usually reliable) have informed me that there will be a 'rogue traders' expose of LSBF soon on a major TV channel.

It's doubtful that the place will survive, so I would recommend any students and teachers currently there to make a run for the exit doors as soon as possible!

[Captain Coddo]

Much as I promised above, here is the link to the expose of LSBF and other rogue schools in the UK.

https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/exposure/series-21/episode-1-exposure-undercover-colleges

This is the beginning of the end for LSBF, so I would recommend that all their current staff and students get out now, before they lose ALL their money.

And I'm being serious here.

[Size9Sandals]

There's a blog about LSBF here:

http://lsbfnews.blogspot.co.uk/

Written by one of their past employees, apparently.