 Poster: A snowHead
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| Bode Swiller wrote: |
| [ What is the final resort chosen in Austria? |
In the circumstances, chosen is perhaps too charitable a choice of word. Found at the last moment in desperation, perhaps? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ccl "Pedant of the year" Snowheads Awards 2011, I'll make sure I run everything past you in future.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hey come on, it was just an ironic comment aimed at Skiing Europe not at you 
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Shelleandmark - I'd insist that the school tells you the coach company being used, and the exact name and address of the accomodation. I'd then personally check that these had been booked and paid for...
I'd ask if they were using a ski-school in resort or their own instructors & request written confirmation of their ski instructor qualifications and CRB status...
The resort matters: if you know where they're going you can look at the web cam and see if there's any snow there. An Austrian B&B could be great - but what about the children's evening meal...? Does it have communal areas suitable for school children? Does it have en-suite facilities? Did they pay for a packed lunch & tea/cake on return - will they get this?
This is all perfectly reasonable and if the school cannot get this information out of skiing europe and won't confirm it to you in writing, I would not send my children on the trip and request a full refund from the school.
I'd also read this thread right through as there are horrendous stories from clients, employees and news sources - and some very sound advice from concerned parents, teachers & snowsports lovers....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Shelleandmark
The legal position is that when changing the holiday arrangements you and the school should have been offered a full refund by SE - this is a requirement of the Package Holiday regulations. If you chose to accept the revised holiday arrangements then that is your new contract - and SE will be in breach if they fail to deliver - and as daveyladboy I would make very clear what is included in the revised arrangements and what isn't and then check all the arrangements are in place. If you have not been provided with a forwarding address for the accomodation and your children are under 16 then this is a clear breach of the regulations.
On a more practical level - Reynard trading as SE clearly has some very large contractual liabilities as a result of him being unable to offer the holidays contracted for - and my guess is that there must be a question as to whether he can complete any promised holiday before he goes bankrupt and the authorities eventually catch up with him.
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You might want to check this out too www.mountgrace.org.uk ski trip 2011 information... Very interesting, updated today...
Sound advice there for any school, and legal position explained...
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Spot on Mount Grace. The reported comments by Reynard that he was unable to pay for either the existing or alternative accomodation due to cash flow problems (and despite having received all the payments for the holiday), and yet he is still trying to carry on business including send out emails encouraging others to book holidays next year are all indicators of fraudulent trading on Reynard's behalf - it is also noticeable that he is not offering the refunds required by the Package Holiday regulations when making changes to holidays - Devon Trading Standards, AiTO and IG Insurance please note.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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[quote="Shelleandmark"]
You already know what the "right thing to do is" The information here is that you are paying over to an INDIVIDUAL person. There are countless reports of his bad conduct and inability to pay.
Why has it taken your school so long to get to this point - they knew weeks ago and were asking lots of questions about him? It is time they act properly and stop dancing around the decision. The school is foolish to continue against the weight of evidence. In the last couple of weeks AiTo and Ski Club of Great Britain stopped their links to SE- Chris Reynard. His insurance is what exactly - it has changed 3 times recently?
SE is a one person operation/bank account with 4 or 5 staff. This is important as the buck stops with the 70 year old who seems to own nothing. The holiday cottages and swanky Devon pad with pool are in another business name owned by ?wife? difficult to say with the miriad of companies.
So back to the main point. What can you do. Ask lots of questions. If it can be confirmed...
- coach operator - exact detail and driver information. Phone them and check they are going to arrive?
- ferry - booked - check there is a booking?
- hotel - booked? - check where, who, tripadvisor them and check?
- instructors - who are they - who checked the CV - are they or should they be CRB checked? [how come good instructors are free during Easter in the new location? Anyone good will be booked up months ago]
- lift passes - who is paying these if you have changed location?
It will take a little time but for peace of mind you will need to invest it should the trip continue.
RE the school - The board of governors are liable for the risks. It is the chair who is ultimately accountable in this instance to demostrate proper DUTY OF CARE. If they are in any doubt they have access to Governorline a free service to request advice.
There is no governor in the land who could convince me travelling with Chris Reynard's organisation is a sensible or safe thing to do.
I truly want school trips to continue and believe they were duped to part with £ten's of thousands!
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[quote="fatbob"]ccl, Doesn't it just show that poor due dilligence has been in place for the previous 6 years and they've just been "lucky"?
100% agree
Bad procedures replicated time and time again does not make them right.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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[quote="Shelleandmark"]
The correspondence with Reynard shows he is clearly continuing on with the smoke and mirrors approach. Notice that no coach operator is confirmed but will leave "around 20.00"
www.mountgrace.org.uk - navigate to ski trip information.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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noskitrip, sort out your quotes man, for crying out loud!
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Thank you all for your advice. I feel very let down by our school, at least Mount Grace are keeping parents informed and giving them chance to make decisions. Our school have taken it upon themselves to decide to accept 3 different resorts/hotels and 2 different countries. Our kids are 16+ yrs old in 16th form but still am very unsatisfied with all aspects of the trip and they are due to travel on the 8th April.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Very sorry to hear about OFSTED's arrival - comedy timing, but I think the school's reponse to the situation is exemplary. If I was a parent of a child involved I'd be reassured that the school had done everything it could.
So skiing europe's got cash flow problems and can't give a refund! What's Chris Reynard done with all the money?!
10 years ago he was paying himself £100,000 a year & his ex-wife £12,000 (despite her not working there). He was using deposits as working capital and has only recently come off a 10 year directorship ban. Deja vu...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Even in his email to Mount Grace, Reynard is still stretching the truth. He refers to accomodation at the Pension Gutensohn in Kitzbuhel - when the Pension Gutensohn (30 Euros per person a night from the website!) is actually in Kirchberg c 5 miles away.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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On a coach holiday, a few kilometres to the slopes is not a great problem and can work quite well so if the school decides to go with it, that in itself should not be a hindrance. But you are right of course that it is typically stretching it to say Kirchberg is Kitzbuhel. I did a week's instructing for SE in Wengen which turned out to be Meiringen (Wengen) A good area mind you, but not quite in keeping with the website claim "We ski in only the best resorts in Europe."
I guess when SE finally goes down the tube, Reynard could get a job with Ryanair. If they take on undischarged bankrupts that is.
Now, can anyone tell me if Brian Snook is still part of the set-up? He used to organise instructor employment and seemed to me to be a partner in the enterprise. Maybe not. He still appears on the website though.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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ccl - the 'B&B' looks reasonable too, and at Eur30 pretty good value - I can't see that price including an evening meal though...
Getting a large party on and off coaches, each day, with kit, is a ball-ache. Somebody's going to forget something, be late, get lost etc.
This all adds to the stress for the staff accompanying the trip and lays waste to the myth that this is 'a jolly'. If the staff get a couple of hours skiing in a day, I'd be amazed.
Kirchberg isn't in the action, and a large party of childen need a programme of evening ents or they'll turn feral. This means getting a coach to bowling alleys, ice skating, swimming pools etc., & all the stress & risk that entails (how's the 'jolly' sounding now - ever organised a kid's party, or a sleepover? Multiply that by a few hundred...)
But it's all worth it, if most of them have a good time, most of the time. My experience is that you need a holiday afterwards...
The damage that Chris Reynard & skiing europe could do to overseas adventurous trips for school children is huge and real. It could put organisers, schools & LEAs off for years. It could force schools into only using the really big players in this market, which will mean less choice and higher prices. It will certainly scare hundreds of parents from allowing their children to participate in such activities - and I believe they benefit from such opportunities.
So many people stand to lose from this fiasco that I'm staggered that there hasn't been official intervention.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If it is of any help/consolation; have stayed in Kirchberg before, and Kirchberg has its own access to the slopes,
actually found it better to stay there than in Kitz,
also it is a very nice friendly little town, but very small and not much entertainment , no pool as far as I remember?
Hope the kids have a great time non the less
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| ccl wrote: |
| which turned out to be Meiringen (Wengen) :. |
Have to pick you up on that - surely the official name is ShittyMeiringen (copyright anyone responding to any nixmap thread)? 
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| ccl wrote: |
On a coach holiday, a few kilometres to the slopes is not a great problem and can work quite well so if the school decides to go with it, that in itself should not be a hindrance. But you are right of course that it is typically stretching it to say Kirchberg is Kitzbuhel. I did a week's instructing for SE in Wengen which turned out to be Meiringen (Wengen) A good area mind you, but not quite in keeping with the website claim "We ski in only the best resorts in Europe."
I guess when SE finally goes down the tube, Reynard could get a job with Ryanair. If they take on undischarged bankrupts that is.
Now, can anyone tell me if Brian Snook is still part of the set-up? He used to organise instructor employment and seemed to me to be a partner in the enterprise. Maybe not. He still appears on the website though. |
Brian Snook sent an open letter recently as he has left Chris Reynard's employment.
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Thanks for that noskitrip. I find myself quite glad to hear it. If it was an open letter, where can it be found?
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Just a thought but if Reynard has continued to trade in the knowledge that he is insolvent is that not a case of fraud and a case for criminal investigation, is it also not true that if he is commited of fraud he can be chased in the civil courts and not hide behind limited liability?
Lets just hope he kids get their ski trips and this wan*** gets what is coming to him 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I'm just hoping for the Watchdog episode. Just a shame we don't have Roger Cook anymore to be chased round a Devon farmhouse by a dodgy geezer wielding a blunt Vielhaber or similar.
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leedsunited
Absolutely correct there is a specific offence of "fraudulent trading" - trading standards are able to ivestigate and commence an action, they are also the authority for commencing actions fro breaches of the Package holiday regulations. All his victims should complain to trading standards. I don't think he can hide behind limited liability or be convicted of trading while insolvent as his company has been dormant and in effect exists only for name protection - although he may be trying to move all his liabilities into the comany away from his private assets - if the comopany is insolvent then the DTI or whatever they call nowadays it is the responsible authority for commencing prosecutions. He has also breached lots of contract law - but the State doesn't prosecute contract law and you could only claim damages for losses suffered. My guess that the judge will not look too kindly on someone who was previously disqualified as a directors for 5 years for trading while insolvent if they are subsequently found guilty of fraudulent trading - I'm not sure what the maximum jail sentence would be.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Stephen101 - As you say he is probably hiding his assets as we speak but if he is charged with fraud then they will see what he has done with his assests and could have a claim in retrospect to recover from wherever he has off loaded them, a game which has a long way to play i think.
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This from said Brian Snook.
"For personal reasons I am no longer involved with SE- in fairness to SE I believe they did not finally know that Tonbridge had cancelled until very late and poss by then the office had closed,big problems at half term over coaches and hotels but I fully understand your anger at this - can I suggest that you send in a claim to Skiing Europe offices fao Chris Reynard ( the owner) for your travel costs etc"
Regards
Brian
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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On the brightside kids who've had their holiday cancelled could be given a useful lifeskills/citizenship lesson based around a google session on how the schools/local authorities and a chancer got them into the mess.
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Poster: A snowHead
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www.mountgrace.org.uk/ - posted an interesting update to the skiing europe/Chris Reynard situation...
Meole Brace and other schools booked to travel with them/him, I'd be very nervous now - it doesn't bode well for you guys...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thank you downside,
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just to make you aware.....those trips that have gone ahead have large hotel bills outstanding. I was contracted by the company for a week of Ski Instruction. Althought several of you have concerns, I am a Level 3 (out of 4) Ski Instructor, Insured, and highly regarded in the Ski Industry. To no avail, I have not be paid renumeration for by period of employment by Skiing Europe. I called the hotel we stayed in, to confirm payment of our stay, and nothing to date has been paid. So thus far, after my own investigation, our Hotel, Instructors, and Ski Guides have been left with empty pockets after our trip. If the trips proceed, the students benefit, however those in contract with Skiing Europe have been left unpaid. I have no idea where the money is going, but it's definitly not towards the trips.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| QuaigSki wrote: |
| Althought several of you have concerns, I am a Level 3 (out of 4) Ski Instructor, Insured, and highly regarded in the Ski Industry. . |
I hope this, my own previous postings and others will go some to way to reassure as far as can be done on this issue. I and any other instructors I came across when working for SE were qualified. And we did a thoroughly professional job to the explicit appreciation of the schools concerned. I remember also having a CRO check done as a requirement of Skiing Europe and - which in the present circumstances may come as a surprise - at SE's expense. And I made sure I was insured against personal accident (SE didnt do this which is fair enough) and for professional liability. I can of course only speak for myself and those I actually worked with so there is no certainty that SE hasn't employed unqualified people. But it doesn't look that way to me and I have always felt much more confidence in Brian Snook who ran that side of things than in Chris Reynard. It was still all a bit chaotic and last-minute stuff, but straight, I reckoned. That being said, noone in SE ever asked to see my licence - one of the many differences between its modus operandi and that of Interski.
I received my wages for a week's instructing last season some time in June after threatening county court action. Am I the last person to have received money from SE, I wonder? Or does someone else win the Last Person to be Paid By Chris Reynard Award?
But to the point. I have read without huge understanding all the legal discussion in this thread. What I want to know is when Reynard will be arrested. I don't just mean stopped - running out of money and customers will see to that: I mean arrested, collar felt, lifted , nicked bang to rights etc. Or will it all just be a tedious process of civil actions?
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ccl and noskitrip
the best way to get the authorities involved is for all Reynard's victims to contact their local/Devon trading standards and ask that they look into whether Reynard is trading fraudulently. My all means point to this and other websites as evidence that this is not an isolated contractual dispute. The more people that do so the more likely they are likley to investigate and commence action.
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Emails to MPs are no bad thing either.
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My guess - based on what has happened with Reynard's previous companies that went tits up, is about four years of legal wrangling, a fine, a ban and nothing returned to the long list of creditors.
He'll probably live out the rest of his life in freedom and relative luxury.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I really am amazed this is still continuing??????
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If I read the above correctly then this guy is still trying to solicit business and funds while claiming he has no cash to pay creditors or enable delivery of contracted services. If we assume this is being done on a personal basis there must be a point in time at which the tipping point into its classification as fraud is passed i.e. he is accepting funds for something he has no prospect or realistic intention of delivering. So instead of playing nicely nicely why aren't parents and schools lodging complaints with their local and Devon police?
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FAQ
he is laughing in our face with no compassion or sentiment.
how does he sleep
