I recently had a really bad experience, which I'd rather not go into too much detail at this time. Let's just say I was taking a PADI course, got stiffed by an instructor, filed a complaint with PADI QA, and got left completely hanging. PADI won't even tell me what the remediation is, because their policy is that they keep things "separated". However, they certainly used my name in vain to the instructor who has twice tried to retaliate against me personally. I am out many $$$ for a course I finished, but do not have the cert, and my only recourse is to start the whole thing over with a new instructor... I have never said a discouraging word against PADI but what do you do when QA basically leaves you in the lurch? Like I said, I didn't even get the satisfaction of knowing what remediation was taken to know that this LDS/instructor won't do what happened to me. If PADI QA is the final answer then I'll never, ever "put another dollar in".
So what do you do? - PADI QA
- Thread starter scuba_drum
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Keep a record of everything the instructor says/sends you and get back in touch.
Although its hard to give any more detail as its entirely a one sided story here so impossible to guess what happened.
Although its hard to give any more detail as its entirely a one sided story here so impossible to guess what happened.
It would help to know some details so we can advise you better on what PADI's course of action might be.
Rachel
Rachel
GrumpyOldGuy
Contributor
How did you pay? If you used a CC, then file a complaint with the CC company and have them withhold payment for services not rendered.
DevonDiver
N/A
Depending on where you are in the world (and the subsequent civil/consumer laws), I would suggest that you would consider a civil claim for recompense against the instructor/school. However, you'd have to prove that the instructor did not provide either what was advertised and/or what he was obliged to provide (by agency standards).
People often get confused about the PADI QA system. It is a method of ensuring that PADI instructors fulfil the course standards that PADI lay out. That is all. You, as a customer, have not made any business with PADI - you have made that business with the instructor/dive centre directly. PADI is not obliged (and, as far as I know) has never, gotten involved in any civil disputes between customers and instructors - other than to provide evidence of the service (standards) that should have been provided by the instructor.
We can advise you more effectively if you provide more details about how you think you were 'stiffed' by the instructor...and the reason why a certification wasn't given to you.
People often get confused about the PADI QA system. It is a method of ensuring that PADI instructors fulfil the course standards that PADI lay out. That is all. You, as a customer, have not made any business with PADI - you have made that business with the instructor/dive centre directly. PADI is not obliged (and, as far as I know) has never, gotten involved in any civil disputes between customers and instructors - other than to provide evidence of the service (standards) that should have been provided by the instructor.
We can advise you more effectively if you provide more details about how you think you were 'stiffed' by the instructor...and the reason why a certification wasn't given to you.
Hmmmm well....if you feel strongly about it (and that is a decision really only you can make) and the dollar amount is less than say 800 (that depends entirely on state law, and so you should check) you can file a claim in small claims court. Usually the filing fee is reasonable (say 25-50 dollars) plus whatever they charge to serve papers on the defendant, and there are no lawyers allowed.
Small claims court is basically an arbitration by a judge between 2 parties who are in disagreement. Obviously you would want as much documentation as you can provide and again depending on state law, you might be able to bring witnesses. I would check with the local court system about it...but it could be an option.
In this case you would be filing against the LDS/Instructor and not against PADI. Extreme? Probably, but again if you feel strongly about this then it is an option to remedy the situation. If nothing else you might be able to recover your money to be able to take the class somewhere else. I doubt any court is going to order that a C card be given to you.
Small claims court is basically an arbitration by a judge between 2 parties who are in disagreement. Obviously you would want as much documentation as you can provide and again depending on state law, you might be able to bring witnesses. I would check with the local court system about it...but it could be an option.
In this case you would be filing against the LDS/Instructor and not against PADI. Extreme? Probably, but again if you feel strongly about this then it is an option to remedy the situation. If nothing else you might be able to recover your money to be able to take the class somewhere else. I doubt any court is going to order that a C card be given to you.
This is a somewhat odd post. If the goal in posting it is to get comment from SB folks on what other / next course of action - beyond PADI QA - to take, it might help to add some (important) details. While you indicate that you would rather 'not go into too much detail at this time', I am not sure what suggestions can be offered through the Board, based on the limited data available.
1. When you say, you 'got stiffed', what do you mean? Did you pay for a course, and the instructor failed to peform the teaching functions? Did the instructor perform the teaching functions, but not pass you? Did the instructor indicate that you passed, but did not submit your certification paperwork / electronwork to PADI?
2. How do you know that PADI used your 'name in vain'? If they were following up on a QA matter, they would have probably made reference to the individual circumstance, and necessarily identified you as the individual involved, possibly as the filing the complaint. That is not using someone's name in vain, at least by my understanding of the phrase.
3. How were you 'left completely hanging' by PADI? Did they fail to respond to further communications? Or, did they say that the circumstances were beyond their control or authority?
4. How did the instructor try to retaliate against you? Something is not adding up here.
It may be worth noting, that PADI (and NAUI, SDI, SSI, etc) certifies instructors, and establish standards of teaching performance and behavior. But the instructors do not work for PADI. So, if the 'stiffed' part refers to a business transaction, it may be that the dispute is between you and a LDS, or between you and an independent businessperson who happens to be a scuba instructor. A bit more information might help us help you.
I believe there is always three sides to any story - each person's gripe and then there is the truth. That being said, and without much more information from your post: I am sorry to hear you had such a frustrating experience! From personal experience I also know how much it bites to get stiffed the way you did. I was out more than a couple of $$$100 because of payments my wife and I made to a very unethical dive center for training a couple of years ago. That being said, PADI's QA process is designed to keep reports anonymous exactly to avoid people being targeted with retaliatory action after the report was made. I know it would feel that much better knowing this guy got "nailed", "reemed", "choose expletive here" but that's a short term satisfaction that doesn't solve anything and would only give you a momentary feeling of justice. I'm not saying PADI is perfect, no agency is, but I find it hard to believe that the QA team would have released your name to the instructor you had your beef with. It is probably more likely that an investigation was done and he/she simply went after anybody they thought most likely could have been the source knowing full well they were not acting ethically when they stiffed you. I'd urge you to not jump to hasty conclusions and make assumptions without knowing exactly what happened and whether your name was in fact given to the instructor in question.
If it's not worth your while fighting the fight, cut your losses and go somewhere else. If you resolutely feel compelled to switch certifying agencies then do so (if that gives you the satisfaction you are looking for) but just make sure that you get decent, quality training with a reputable instructor affiliated with a recognized agency. That is after all what you are looking for - good dive training, not the plastic cert card with the agency's logo on it.
It took me some time to cool off after our experience but it's a waste of energy and time and an unnecessary stressor on your body to hang on to this anger so I hope you find some way to release some of this frustration constructively (even if it does mean beating up the steel filing cabinet in the corner
).
If it's not worth your while fighting the fight, cut your losses and go somewhere else. If you resolutely feel compelled to switch certifying agencies then do so (if that gives you the satisfaction you are looking for) but just make sure that you get decent, quality training with a reputable instructor affiliated with a recognized agency. That is after all what you are looking for - good dive training, not the plastic cert card with the agency's logo on it.
It took me some time to cool off after our experience but it's a waste of energy and time and an unnecessary stressor on your body to hang on to this anger so I hope you find some way to release some of this frustration constructively (even if it does mean beating up the steel filing cabinet in the corner
).
I can understand the poster wanting to remain anonymous. With all the people on ScubaBoard, it is possible that this could get back to the instructor at hand and make life even more difficult.
Hopefully you paid by credit card, I'd call and dispute it. If not, small claims might be the way to go.
I know it is terrible to have to pay another instructor again and to start at the beginning but if your first instructor was so crummy perhaps they left out stuff.
It's also possible that PADI is doing stuff behind the scenes that you don't know about and that they can't divulge to you.
Good luck!
Hopefully you paid by credit card, I'd call and dispute it. If not, small claims might be the way to go.
I know it is terrible to have to pay another instructor again and to start at the beginning but if your first instructor was so crummy perhaps they left out stuff.
It's also possible that PADI is doing stuff behind the scenes that you don't know about and that they can't divulge to you.
Good luck!
OP
One of the courses of retaliation was from posts here on SB. PADI simply would not give me any information even though I KNOW this instructor did things totally against policy (if so inclined, I could give things right out of the instructor manual). I was threatened with "attorneys who purchase equipment/trips at discounted rates".
My intent is to find out if there is another avenue that I can get my cert without totally spending hundreds of dollars, yes hundreds so that might give you an inkling why it is a big deal, and starting over...
And yes, the PADI QA person told me in an email because of "special circumstances" my name was released to this instructor - so I know it was... and where the retaliation came/is coming from.
My intent is to find out if there is another avenue that I can get my cert without totally spending hundreds of dollars, yes hundreds so that might give you an inkling why it is a big deal, and starting over...
And yes, the PADI QA person told me in an email because of "special circumstances" my name was released to this instructor - so I know it was... and where the retaliation came/is coming from.
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