trapped...what can I do

Hi All,


I feel very very frustrated and upset right now. I feel I have been robbed off my money.


We applied to a school in Kowloong Tong and were intereviewed and given the confirmation letter on 13th June. The letter said that we have to pay the deposit within a week. We also got an email from the school saying the same and that we need to pay on or before 20th June.


The school does not have a bus to where we live and hence I took some time to find about the bus. Anyways, I paid on 20th June around 11 am and called the school to confirm. and also emailed them.


Well, they told me "sorry, you are on waiting list as some other parents paid before you". I was shocked and disgusted. i called them 15 times that day and tried to explain that how can our seat be given to someone else when the email said 20th June. well i was given different explanations and sometimes they just said "sorry you are on waiting list"


I was very worried as we did not have anyother option...so we interviewed in another school and got the admission. I chose that school and paid the deposit there.

I mailed the 1st school to check the admission status and there was no answer for a few days.

Now the problem starts...i called the 1st school and said that since I am on waiting list and was not given the seat when I paid. I want to withdraw and get my deposit back

they very innocently said "well the deposit is non-refundible" i was quite shocked again. i explained how they never gave me the seat and I was on waiting list , how can they take my deposit.

now I have been calling them several times for the past 8 days and I am always given some reasoning or otherwise asked to wait (so that they can get back later).

when I ask that can I meet the prinicpal or someone senior, they say that most of them are on vacation


its 9,000 hk$ and its not a small amount for me. I have to pay the fees at the other school. its so frustrating at the way they are behaving. i am just amazed at how can a school do something like this.


Please suggest me what shall I do. what are my options. I will go and speak to them tomorrow but they always make me speak to these girls in admission office who just laugh and say sorry after hearing my story.


can I complain in education department or police (as a last resort). i am very very very upset :(

i think you should be calm and threathen them with a lawyer.


before that, i would request to see the policy/fine print of the application to see whether there was any condition around the deposit. it clearly sounds not right what they are doing

Pls go to police office for the issue. They will suggest you the best way to complain eg customer council