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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to feel like phoning the student loans company and giving them this person's full details?

146 replies

bubblesinthesky · 27/04/2013 17:01

I was at university with someone in the mid 1990s when student loans were just being brought in. He took the full loans but always said he would never pay them back if he could help it. I've stayed in touch with him and recently I mentioned i was happy because I'd finally finished paying my loans back.

He laughed and told me the Student Loans Company had lost track of him years ago and there was no way they'd ever get the money back off him now. He has a really common name so I imagine he would be hard to track down.

AIBU to be considering telling them where he is or should I just leave it? It seems so unfair when he's earning way more than me and has a huge house that he's dodging them in this way while others are struggling to pay them back.

OP posts:

flossy101 · 27/04/2013 17:04

How did they lose track? Doesn't it come straight from your wages and thu track you via national insurance number?

mrsjay · 27/04/2013 17:05

I would leave it they will catch up with him though my sister tried the same she is still paying back what she owes it really is nothing to do with you, you are just ticked off because you paid it, you did the right thing he didnt they will catch him

chicaguapa · 27/04/2013 17:06

Surely they could find him through his tax records? I probably would tbh. If he's being cocky and unpleasant about it.

noddyholder · 27/04/2013 17:06

Just no.

Original poster

bubblesinthesky · 27/04/2013 17:07

Flossy he's very successfully self employed. I don't really know how it works

OP posts:

mrsjay · 27/04/2013 17:08

TBH I am not sure how they get away with it tbh but my sister didnt pay but was working for 3 years she was earning good money But dont they need to reach a certain income before they take it off your salary

mrsjay · 27/04/2013 17:08

Flossy he's very successfully self employed. I don't really know how it works

he wont be declaring his full income I dont think

IfNotNowThenWhen · 27/04/2013 17:10

?? So...you did the "right thing", and he took a chance, and screwed his credit up for 6 years, and now you want to shop him?
You made a choice, he made a choice. It's none of your busness to intefere with his choice. He hasn't interfered with yours.

caroldecker · 27/04/2013 17:17

in the mid 90's, it was not paid back through tax, you set up a direct debit. Yes shop him - he would not have suffered bad credit as they lost contact with him, so could not put it on his record - if they knew where he was they would have taken him to court

GlassofRose · 27/04/2013 17:27

Shop him.

Turning blind eyes to people like him is a reason why we all end up paying more for things. Shops charge more to cover thieves, insurance goes up to pay for those who drive without it...

jamtoast12 · 27/04/2013 17:30

I took loans out at a similar time and equally haven't paid mine back as I only work 2 days so under the threshold. They will wipe out in 8 years. I'm sure he declares a lower income which is pretty common in people who are self employed. Most accountants are experts on how to do this. Even if you shop him he likely declares a lower income for tax purposes which so won't be liable to pay anyway. The threshold is something like 25k and most self employed I know assess their wages less than this.

To report him would be a very jealous thing to do IMO as its non of your business.

crossparsley · 27/04/2013 17:31

This isn't a victimless crime (are any?)
People making and influencing decisions now (HMT, the NAO, the Office for Budget Whatsits) are making judgements about HE funding based on info like how many people don't repay loans. Lots of people don't for good reasons, because their personal circs don't allow it, but your friend is skewing things against people in more need than him, and against all taxpayers, most of whom are likely in tighter circumstances than him. He's a twat.

morethanpotatoprints · 27/04/2013 17:32

He will know its you if you report him. My lecturer at uni did the same and after a while it becomes void anyway. I think he's due to retire soon, lol.

If you do the right thing, you can always sleep at night. If others can sleep at night by doing wrong, well good luck to them because I wouldn't want to be them.
Be righteous, because you are an honest, good person.

mrspaddy · 27/04/2013 17:33

This would really annoy me.. I went to Uni about this time in the UK and even though I moved to Ireland and possible might have got away with it I paid every penny of my student loans back. This was via teaching full time and working in a Care Home at weekends.. But would I shop him.. I don't know.
Life has a funny way of working out. I now have a very cosy job and no guilt or worry someone is going to knock on my door. I probably wouldn't.

propertyNIGHTmareBEFOREXMAS · 27/04/2013 17:35

I would leave it. Seriously you sound jealous and weird. I have a male friend (ex partner in fact) who also did this. It's nothing to me. I am glad his life is going well and that he is not burdened by debt.

andubelievedthat · 27/04/2013 17:43

A.K.A.. jelous of all the (apparent) shiney stuff he (seems)to have ,you want same ,can"t have it at the minute so ,hiding behind "good citizenship" your going to dump him in it because really, you want him brought down a peg or two. If you are so concerned about the hardship of others ? why not go work in local charity shop

Cherriesarelovely · 27/04/2013 17:47

I don't agree at all that this has "nothing to do with you". I'm surprised others think this. I'm not sure I would shop him but I would certainly tell him I thought that was wrong and immoral. It reminds me of an old friend who used to do an "insurance scam" most times she went on holiday. I used to tell her I thought it was really dishonest and it pissed me off when other friends made genuine claims and got a hideous grilling because of dishonest people like that.

GlassofRose · 27/04/2013 17:49

I was thinking exactly the same Cherrie. It appears others don't seam to realise that the rest of us end up paying more and get a rough deal because of arseholes like him.

TiredyCustards · 27/04/2013 17:55

HE should be free - good luck to him

CloudsAndTrees · 27/04/2013 17:55

I would leave it. If the student loan company were doing their job properly, they wouldn't have lost track of him. It's as much their fault as it is his.

GlassofRose · 27/04/2013 17:58

Clouds - So if I stole a Mars bar from Asda would it be their fault for not having a good enough security guard?!

CloudsAndTrees · 27/04/2013 18:05

Presumably you don't have a contract with Asda, or provided them with any of your personal details.

I'm not saying that this guy hasn't done anything wrong. Clearly he has and his attitude stinks. But the bank does have some responsibility for this as well. It's not as if they're going to start handing out cheaper loans if they catch him.

BeerTricksPotter · 27/04/2013 18:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DinoSnores · 27/04/2013 18:08

Turns out Margaret Thatcher was right - there is no society or responsibility towards society judging by some of these responses!

BeerTricksPotter · 27/04/2013 18:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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