Soldier On Property Training Course Committed Suicide

Soldier On Property Training Course Committed Suicide

15:03 PM, 19th January 2020, About 4 years ago 30

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You may well have seen this story on the BBC website and also in The Telegraph. There have also been several links to them on Facebook and other Social Media over the last few days. The story has certainly prompted a lot of discussion.

Some of what I am about to say here is extremely controversial, so I must point out that my views are entirely that, i.e. personal to me.

As background, I will post links below to the articles mentioned above and also to a video response published on You Tube by the owner of the property training company, Samuel Leeds Limited. I must also point out that in my 31 years in business as a landlord I have never run a training company, nor have ever I paid for property based training. I didn’t go to University either and the only debt I have is secured against my own property in the form of mortgages. Furthermore, to my knowledge, I have never met Samuel Leeds, nor have I been incentivised in any way to write this article.

So, what do I have to say that’s so controversial?

OK, here goes:-

Every year, hundreds of thousands of British Students take on debt to fund themselves through University, in the belief that an education will help them later in life.

Sadly, some of those students commit suicide too. I suspect the cause of some of those tragedies might also be related to debt.

Does The Telegraph and the BBC report those Students who take their own lives in the same way, or is the linking of their stories to Samuel Leeds just another attack which stems from Media jealousy for those who make it in the property sector?

Does every student who studies astrophysics end up working as a rocket-scientist at NASA or for an F1 racing team? Of course they don’t, and I suspect that many of them will work in very normal 9 to 5 jobs and some don’t work at all. Does this mean they were mis-sold? Do they get a refund for their University tuition fees if they don’t get their dream job? Of course not!

I have no idea whether Samuel Leeds really is a successful property investor or whether he employs high pressure sales tactics. Likewise, I have no idea whether his training courses add any value to people who attend the free ones or the premium versions. Either way; is it right that he should receive death threats and accusations that his business was the cause of Danny Butcher’s death?

If you have actually been to one of Samuel Leeds free training events I would love to hear from you in the comments below? Was it a high pressure sales pitch? Did you buy? Did you enjoy it? Did you get value from it? If you neither enjoyed it nor got value from it, did you feel suicidal as a result of it?

Research articles below:

In 2018, it is reported that 71 British military personnel and veterans took their own lives – source ITV website

One UK student dies by suicide every four days – source TopUniversities.com

Please note that I have read both of the articles below and watched both of the video’s I’ve linked to below in full.

LINK TO BBC article – “Doncaster property training debt soldier killed himself”

LINK TO article in The Telegraph –  “Exclusive investigation: The property ‘guru’ leading people into debt in pursuit of ‘financial freedom'”

LINK TO Samuel Leeds Video Response – “Response to my critics”

LINK TO Mike Winnett Video – “Is Samuel Leeds a Scam?”

Article image credited to BBC.


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Comments

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

16:04 PM, 22nd January 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by at 22/01/2020 - 11:38
This is my research. I am intentionally doing it publicly, to leave a footprint on the search engines for others to find.

It's working too - take a look at the Google search results - LINK HERE

I am providing no cover whatsoever. If anything, I am lifting the covers off to the world what lies beneath them.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

16:17 PM, 22nd January 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Bob at 22/01/2020 - 10:57
Thank you for providing these links, I will read/watch them, and undoubtedly a wider audience will too thanks to the reach of Property118 through Google search.

Luke P

19:11 PM, 23rd January 2020, About 4 years ago

FAO Mark. I know you’re not easily put off, but anything at all to do with SL just brings trouble…

https://www.facebook.com/groups/794312204318704/permalink/892908114459112/

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

19:43 PM, 23rd January 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 23/01/2020 - 19:11
Thanks Luke.

If people choose to think I am defending Samuel Leeds, including Samuel Leeds himself, they are mistaken. However, that’s their problem.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

19:58 PM, 23rd January 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 23/01/2020 - 19:11
I’ve known you for a while and I know you to be an honest, decent guy; so let me ask you this ....

Do you think I should delete this thread?

I don’t really care too much about what others think my motives are, but I don’t want anybody to think I am promoting or destroying another persons business either. That’s their job.

Luke P

22:17 PM, 23rd January 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 23/01/2020 - 19:58
Thanks, Mark. Nah…leave it up. There shouldn’t be anything wrong with a discussion, but somehow (I’m guessing because of the extreme polarising opinions where SL is concerned), even general discussion attracts drama. Right or wrong, most don’t actually care, they just don’t want part of said drama.

john lown

12:22 PM, 24th January 2020, About 4 years ago

Hello all, and thank you for your comments . I see in this sad case the deceased soldier was in UN uniform. This deployment usually carries extra pay and is welcome if a person is transitioning into civvy street.
I stand by my earlier suggestion that it is important for transitioning military to visit theit careers officer or organisations like Help for Heroes,
X Forces etc. These usually have an insight into the relaible and honest organisations, and indeed, the ones to avoid.
I agree Mark should continue with his good work, if only to guide applicants into the honest job brokers. The good organisations have little to fear.
Lord John Lown

Rob Crawford

13:18 PM, 25th January 2020, About 4 years ago

The pressures on military veterans, many with families, to establish a viable means of income in civi street is immense and it's a great tragedy when a life is lost due to maybe a sense of failure. Most veterans will leave the services after some years and will have drawn down on their pension for investment purposes. I don't know whether service personnel are especially targeted by the likes of Samuel Leeds but from a marketing / sales point of view, anyone with surplus cash could be conceived a legitimate target. TV programmes tend to glorify property investment, the failures tend not to be communicated. I have met so many people who have spend thousands on property investment courses etc who have failed to achieve their ambition. Some do well, those with the tenacity and conviction to see it through can succeed but you are born with these qualities - not something that can be taught! Does one really need to spend so much on a such courses - I don't think so! If the media has raised this issue specific to veterans and the resettlement process now provides access to education and advice to help determine whether such investments are viable or not then, this can only be a good thing. Veterans are a vulnerable group for reasons very different to students for instance, so I have no objection to the media highlighting this issue. I also have no objection that the story is linked to property investment either, it's such a topical market and will certainly get more attention than other lesser covered investment markets.

Luke P

20:15 PM, 25th January 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Rob Crawford at 25/01/2020 - 13:18
Absolutely no disrespect intended, but why is there immense pressure on military veterans, with or without families, to establish a viable means of income in civi street any more than anyone else to establish a viable means of income? Of course, I understand that the sudden removal of structure is the undoing of many, but any 18-year old entering the world of employment or, say, a middle-aged worker deciding on a career change face the exact same pressures and competition.

Tho Tran

7:05 AM, 8th February 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 25/01/2020 - 20:15
"career change face the exact same pressures and competition."

i disagree. life in the army is structured and everything is sorted for you in a way from food and accomodation.

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