The Facts

Here are all the facts currently available:

Advent (2) Ltd was incorporated as a new business in September 2007 and is still Active.

Source: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/compdetails

Company Details: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/wcprodorder?ft=1

Advent Computer Training was incorporated in 2002 and changed its name to Advent Consulting in 2009.

Source: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/compdetails

Company Details: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/wcprodorder?ft=1

Notice the name of Ashley Jones listed in both companies' information.

Anglo Capital (who most people had their 'Finance Agreement' or 'Student Finance Plan' with) changed its name in December 2009 to Access 2 Careers Limited.

Source: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/compdetails

Company information: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/wcprodorder?ft=1

Ashley Jones seems to be a very common name.

Allchurch & Associates (I wonder if Ashley Jones is an associate...) is ran from the same Hagley (The Mews) address.

Source: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/compdetails

Company information: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/wcprodorder?ft=1

Ideas For Careers is also owned / 'directed' by Ashley Jones (he has so many ideas!)

Source: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/compdetails

But maybe he ran out of ideas because the company name was changed to WDNTC TEN UK LIMITED in December 2009 - the EXACT SAME TIME that Advent and Anglo Capital also changed their names. I wish Ashley would pick a name and stick with it.

Company info: http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/5d463244595ed35ea14eeff7257a0584/wcprodorder?ft=1

So from Companies House we can see that there are several companies all run from the same address as Advent with the same Director(s).

Here are some Whois lookups for the various companies. A Whois lookup gathers all of the information registered by a person or business who purchases a website domain.

http://whois.domaintools.com/access2careers.co.uk

Access2Careers was registered by Anglo Capital.

http://whois.domaintools.com/adventtraining.co.uk

Advent Training is registered to a Mr Ashley Jones

13 other domains are registered to the same IP or hosting company.

Source: http://www.domaintools.com/reverse-ip/?hostname=adventtraining.co.uk

Ideas For Careers.com is registered to Mr Ivor Allchurch (the name Andrew Allchurch appears multiple times in the above companies' details)

Source: http://whois.domaintools.com/ideasforcareers.com

According to a BBC Midlands Today Report, staff informed reporters that they were told by Advent management in December that the company had made £35M (that's million) turnover and to look forward to 2010.

"Insiders claimed Advent and Access2Trade, both part of Anglo Capital Limited, were accepting cash for courses just TEN days ago."

Source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2830317/Access2Trade-and-Advent-training-schemes-fall-into-administration.html#mySunComments

Anecdotal evidence on various internet forums (such as Money Saving Expert and Consumer Action Group) state that Advent was taking money and had people attending workshops as recently as 27th January 2010.

The "insolvency email" was sent at 5:01pm on 27th January.

Anecdotal evidence also states that at least one bank is aware that Anglo Capital and Advent Computer Training / Consulting are the same company.

One more fact is that from August to September 2009 "Andrea from Advent" (Student Accounts Manager) was ringing constantly to ask me to pay the lump sum of the loan (with Anglo Capital) by taking out a credit card.

I think that can be viewed in one of two ways:

1. She was genuinely trying to "help" me pay off the lump sum because a credit card at 16.8% APR is somewho better than a Student Finance Plan at 16.8% APR. Or...

2. Advent knew they were in financial trouble as far back as 2009 and were trying to get as much cash / liquidity as possible.

For advice / information on what to do about your student loan or course related to Advent please see the 'Help' section.

If you have anymore information or suggestions please email adventscam@googlemail.com