A group of students training to become fitness professionals are angry at being left out of pocket and short of their qualification.
Mother-of-three Melissa Beckett had been studying with online personal training school Fitlink for a year and a half and had almost completed her qualification. She had been planning to be working as a personal trainer by Christmas.
She was inspired to get into the industry after losing 31kg.
"I thought if I can do it myself, I can help someone else do it."
But now she's been left "frustrated and angry", and down $3000, as Fitlink fights through ownership disputes and qualification battles.
Fitlink went into receivership after an ownership battle last September. Three weeks later the company came out of receivership, but students claim from that point on they were unable to get hold of tutors.
The NZ Register of Exercise Professionals then suspended Fitlink's registration. Any students who graduate won't be able to work legally as personal trainers in New Zealand.
Students have been left stunned, including mother-of-four Rebekah Bootsma .
"I was only a couple of months into my course and I'm out of pocket $1300 and I'm left without a course. Basically I don't know what to do."
"That money could have gone to my kids for Christmas ... we just want to have either our money or our qualification."
Fitlink's New Zealand CEO is Tim Boman, who established Fitlink Australia which collapsed in December last year, leaving thousands of Australian students in the same position.
He was declared bankrupt in February this year. Despite that Fitlink say its "business as usual", and any students with concerns should get in touch with the company.
Boman's brother Sean and sister Kerri have been running Fitlink for the past six months, and have now been forced out of the business. They are planning to fight for ownership in court.
Sean has launched a rival fitness company iFit and is encouraging all Fitlink students to make the move.
"I felt that the best way to give students the best opportunity is to form this iFit because it's a brand new platform which has nothing to do with Fitlink but it can help the students get through the course" Sean Boman says.
Fitlink students are now awaiting news on whether they will get their refund or qualification.
Newshub.
