Scuba shop closed before I finished my training! Now what?

[rstofer]

Again, I don't think this is a fair assumption to make that "there isn't likely to be anything for anybody to get". Unless I'm missing something, I've seen no indication that the owner filed for bankruptcy or the shop was incorporated (either one would be sufficient for me to agree with you).

A lot of net worth has been trashed in the housing decline. In many cases, net worth has turned highly negative. A plaintiff might get a judgment but that doesn't mean they will ever get cash. It's very hard to turn a judgment into money. The court is not a collection agency. They do absolutely nothing to help enforce the judgment.

Still, it might be worth the effort. If it were me and all I was out was the cost of training, I would kiss it off and start again with a different LDS. It isn't enough money to overcome the effort of getting it. If I was out equipment, it would be a different story.

Richard

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

A lot of net worth has been trashed in the housing decline. In many cases, net worth has turned highly negative. A plaintiff might get a judgment but that doesn't mean they will ever get cash. It's very hard to turn a judgment into money. The court is not a collection agency. They do absolutely nothing to help enforce the judgment.

Well I can't speak to that, but I wouldn't think it would be that hard to get your money, wouldn't that sort of trivialize the whole "suing" process?

Still, it might be worth the effort. If it were me and all I was out was the cost of training, I would kiss it off and start again with a different LDS. It isn't enough money to overcome the effort of getting it. If I was out equipment, it would be a different story.

Richard

I think the training is a bit blurrier mainly because of the time between payment and feeling "ripped off". It's questionable if they ripped him off or he gave up his training when he didn't show up that summer or whatever (like the sports game example: if you miss the game, the sports team owes you nothing). This isn't the exact same since dates were never set up, but it's a bit of a grey area: how long was that training he paid for good for: could he show up 50 years later and demand they train him? . However, gear is quite clear cut: if you paid for something and didn't get it, I don't see any grey.

 

[Thalassamania]

I have been asked by NAUI instructors how to solve this problem when they have been faced with students who have been screwed by other instructors (from any number of agencies) and this is the advice that I provided (may be dated, I have not checked this with anyone official in a while):

Give the diver the swimtest.
Run the diver through a pool skills evaluation.
Give the diver a written test.

If all is fine, use the experienced diver standards (moss back) to either finish them up at the entry level or to accept them into a more advanced class.

 

[offthewall1]

i was in the process of finishing my basic open water diving course. i completed one checkout dive last summer and was counting on finishing up this spring. i went by the shop the other day and the store is empty with a for rent sign on it. i was never notified of it's closing and i can't get a return call. the class was paid in full. it was a naui, btw.

any suggestions on what to do when this happens?

Expect to see a lot more of this by the end of 2009.

Fos all others out there... choose your dive shop wisely!

Tell Tale signs of a shop in distress:
1. Owner / Manager is nasty (pissed at his failings - taking it out on you)
2. No or little Inventory (shows a cash flow problem or simply it is a hobby shop not a fll on scuba center)
3. Fails to honor class dates or routinely cancels class dates
4. Won't accept returns without giving you a hassle
5. Tries to sell you items at full retail prices (needs every penny)
6. Instructors or employess complain openly about compensation or lack thereof
7. Listen to other local divers before committing
8. The parking lot/store is always empty when you pull in
9. They never go diving
10. The gear inside is old and dingy instead of fresh, clean and new...

 

[farsidefan1]

Go to a dive resort and take the class there in a concentrated form, 4 or 5 days. They won't have time to shut down.

 

[drdaddy]

i was in the process of finishing my basic open water diving course. i completed one checkout dive last summer and was counting on finishing up this spring. i went by the shop the other day and the store is empty with a for rent sign on it. i was never notified of it's closing and i can't get a return call. the class was paid in full. it was a naui, btw.

any suggestions on what to do when this happens?

Primus,

What are you doing this summer? Diving I hope. I just hoping that your enthusiasm for diving wasn't completely wiped out.

drdaddy

 

[Primus67]

Primus, who was the other person you tried to contact? And if it should come down to legal matters, please let me know. I have also considered filing against her. I will PM you my cell # if you like, give me a call and i'll let you know how far i've gotten. I've also talked with other people that have had issues and I may think it would be a class action suit. So if you file against her let me know i may be interested in joining it against her.

it was ken hoffman. he said he'd contact me as soon as the water warmed up. well he never called. i called him in june and, big surprise, his number was disconnected.

i actually found the original guy i was going to train with! he was relocating his shop and i wasn't able to find him while he did so. about a month a go i did a scuba shop search and lo and behold i saw the name. i couldn't believe it! i'm taking classes again and it's been a great experience with this guy. clay is the sort of instructor that will totally work with you, make sure you learn, and make sure it's nothing but fun the whole way through. here's a link to his site:

An Underwater Connection NJ, Jackson, NJ

 

[NJ to FLA]

it was ken hoffman. he said he'd contact me as soon as the water warmed up. well he never called. i called him in june and, big surprise, his number was disconnected.

i actually found the original guy i was going to train with! he was relocating his shop and i wasn't able to find him while he did so. about a month a go i did a scuba shop search and lo and behold i saw the name. i couldn't believe it! i'm taking classes again and it's been a great experience with this guy. clay is the sort of instructor that will totally work with you, make sure you learn, and make sure it's nothing but fun the whole way through. here's a link to his site:

An Underwater Connection NJ, Jackson, NJ

oh my gosh! I am from just north of Jackson! (Shrewsbury/Little Silver) I didn't think there were many dive shops in that area so I'm glad to hear the experience has been much better with the "relocation".

 

[RX8Bob]

it was ken hoffman. he said he'd contact me as soon as the water warmed up. well he never called. i called him in june and, big surprise, his number was disconnected.

i actually found the original guy i was going to train with! he was relocating his shop and i wasn't able to find him while he did so. about a month a go i did a scuba shop search and lo and behold i saw the name. i couldn't believe it! i'm taking classes again and it's been a great experience with this guy. clay is the sort of instructor that will totally work with you, make sure you learn, and make sure it's nothing but fun the whole way through. here's a link to his site:

An Underwater Connection NJ, Jackson, NJ

Yeah i havn't been trying to contact Ken. Mainly Jackie. How is the guy in Jackson? He helping you out with the situation at all? I'm still out my money for Advanced and Rescue, but can't afford to pay for them again at this point. He making you just pay for dives?

 

[Primus67]

Yeah i havn't been trying to contact Ken. Mainly Jackie. How is the guy in Jackson? He helping you out with the situation at all? I'm still out my money for Advanced and Rescue, but can't afford to pay for them again at this point. He making you just pay for dives?

to tell you the truth, shore scuba did such a crappy job training me that i felt better just starting the class over from scratch. not to mention that they never even got me my paperwork verifying that i got to one check out dive.

clay, in jackson, is great. i wish i would have been able to go to him to start with! check with him to see if he can complete your training as that is what they mostly do now.