This week, BBC’s Inside Out London, reported on the devastating death of Danny Butcher who took his own life. Mr Butcher was in debt when he attended a free course which attendees are shown how to find cheap properties then turn them into rental income. The trainers then say that to become really successful the attendees can pay for a further training course which costs several thousands. 

 

After Mr Butcher was unable to make money from rental income her felt pressured to sign up and paid £13,000.00 to join the Property Investors Academy. Mr Butcher was then unable to make the training due to work and was refused a refund. Mr Butcher felt there was no other way out from his debt and sadly committed suicide. 

 

An undercover reporter, Abu Jaiyelo attended one of the courses where she was told by the property education company Property Investors, that she could make between £30-£50k per month and was promised guaranteed financial freedom. In another example, which reported on the BBC programme, Andrew Whyte explained that he could not afford to sign up to the academy. Mr Whyte was then persuaded to open a banking app so he could invest his army pension to pay for the training after being told that the price would go up if he didn’t sign up that day. Mr Whyte has since explained that he has not had any of the deal or one-to-one mentoring that he was promised and is now living with severe financial hardship. Mr Whyte in now pursuing the matter with through the small claims court. The BBC programme then reported on a Dianne Granville who managed to get a refund for her training. Dianne Granville is currently assisting 78 other people to get refunds.