Certification problems

[JonnieB]

What was the name of your dive center in Egypt?

The op isn't sayin' and I don't think it's relevant to his original question. It is a pretty scammy practice if it's true the dive center quoted a price for an OW course that doesn't include full eCertification upon successful completion. This would never fly here in Thailand.

 

[tursiops]

The op isn't sayin' and I don't think it's relevant to his original question. It is a pretty scammy practice if it's true the dive center quoted a price for an OW course that doesn't include full eCertification upon successful completion. This would never fly here in Thailand.

It is relevant for two reasons: it allows us to look at that website and see what it actually says, and it also alerts other potential students to at least be careful.

 

[Valerii Vakshul]

In Egypt they like to indicate the price of the course and the price of certification. PADI certification in Egyptian conditions, which I used several times - was 45 euros

 

[JonnieB]

One of the lesser-known PADI standards is this, quoted from the IM, page19:

Do not withhold a certification as a means of settling personal disputes.​

So, if contacting PADI, I'd call the issue a personal dispute and point to their own standards.

A course price quote that doesn't include submitting the final paperwork to PADI for certification, but having it as a separate fee, isn't a "personal dispute." It's a scammy business practice but I've heard of dive centers breaking down different parts of courses into separate charges so they can quote cheaper prices when potential clients walk in the door.

 

[JonnieB]

i would contact padi again and ask to speak to someone higher up the food chain. show them the agreement you had with the shop and then explain your case.
i would be shocked if they did not at least offer to speak to the shop to try and sort out the issue.
seems pretty clear what the cost was, and to say afterwards that there are any extra fees not included in the agreement is nonsense.
hope you get it sorted out.

The "agreement" appears to be a text message, not any kind of signed contract, I'm not sure how much PADI is going to go to bat for a student in this situation. PADI's customers are dive centers, not dive students.

 

[JonnieB]

It is relevant for two reasons: it allows us to look at that website and see what it actually says, and it also alerts other potential students to at least be careful.

It's relevant for other potential clients but not to the op's request for suggestions on how to seek redress of his situation.

 

[tursiops]

It's relevant for other potential clients but not to the op's request for suggestions on how to seek redress of his situation.

We do not know what his dive center actually advertises. We have a confused version that he sent us, which is incomplete.

 

[Ubergeeksov]

So we were originally told:

Then we are shown the "agreement:"
View attachment 856104
So is it is possible that the additional €140 is for equipment rental, which was not mentioned in the "agreement?"?

Er… no.

I don’t really understand why people feel the need to try to”pick apart” the information that I have provided, or expressing options about whether I have got “got what I paid for”, or whether I am prioritising money over my son, rather than simply accepting the information I have provided and answering the question that I have asked.

Put bluntly, if you don’t have anything useful to say, don’t say anything.

 

[Ubergeeksov]

The op isn't sayin' and I don't think it's relevant to his original question. It is a pretty scammy practice if it's true the dive center quoted a price for an OW course that doesn't include full eCertification upon successful completion. This would never fly here in Thailand.

I will, but not until I have got this resolved.

 

[tursiops]

Er… no.

I don’t really understand why people feel the need to try to”pick apart” the information that I have provided, or expressing options about whether I have got “got what I paid for”, or whether I am prioritising money over my son, rather than simply accepting the information I have provided and answering the question that I have asked.

Put bluntly, if you don’t have anything useful to say, don’t say anything.

You keep doling out partial and conflicting information.
You are on your own, dude.