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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

bloody bastard student loans compay

24 replies

twistyfeet · 06/09/2013 15:36

After an entire summer of asking for extra bits of financial information. they've written refusing ds2 the grant claiming he applied for a non means tested loan. So I rang them and pointed out we filled in the correct forms and they awarded his brother the grant/loan and ds2 starts in 2 fucking weeks.
So we have to fill in all the fucking forms again.
Srgh argh argh

OP posts:
creamteas · 06/09/2013 17:10

They are rubbish, and are not getting better.

We have so many students destitute or under threat of eviction each year, my uni had to take on extra student welfare advisers to help deal with them!

Original poster
twistyfeet · 06/09/2013 17:17

I feel like crying. We did all the forms. Printed them out and did them. They probably know more about our finances than we do!
Why the fuck cant they get the information from his brothers' forms or the forms I already filled in in detail plus all the additional p60's and payslips etc they kept asking for I dont know!

OP posts:
fussychica · 06/09/2013 17:48

We have problems with them every year and are still awaiting a supervisor call back (max 24 hour wait) 5 weeks laterShock
Everything appears fine online but haven't had any of the usual emails or paperwork. Just hoping the cash is paid at the start of term - he'll be in France on year abroad so it could cause a major problem if it doesn't.

PrincessKitKat · 06/09/2013 18:02

They are just awful OP. they're as bad at the end of the process as the beginning.

They wanted me to set up a DD, so I called to do so. Then they said it was too soon, so I waited 12 months as instructed. Then it was too late. So I paid the bloody thing off in full so I never had to speak to them again. And then they've still made deductions from my wages which I can't claim back until next April because of their awful system.

And why, WHY, is it a premium rate number? I must have used £30 of phone credit calling numerous times but I'm ok as I'm working. Students can't afford that Angry

I hope you get it sorted soon.

fussychica · 06/09/2013 22:44

Use - Say no to 0870 site for local call rate number.

Original poster
twistyfeet · 07/09/2013 12:15

I think it was an 0845 number. They told me to print out a form for changing to 'means tested'. Tick 4 boxes and have ds2 sign it. Send it in and they will deal with in 20 working days. Then I suspect, despite having all our financial info, CTC forms, p60's galore, they will request all that again. Because it will be treated like a fresh application.
By that point I will be a shreiking demented thing having done this for 3 kids already. Why cant they look at the forms for each sibling with its identical information on? Oh, and ds2 has picked a 4 year course.

I strongly suspect they simply lost his forms as we filled in paper versions as their online application form, in 4 years has never worked as it wont recognise my NI number. So we always print the forms and fill them in by hand.
wankers

OP posts:
mumblechum1 · 07/09/2013 12:20

Shit is this something I'm supposed to have checked on? DS leaves for Uni in an hour.

I think they just said they were going to give him the money in three chunks, that was months ago.

fussychica · 07/09/2013 13:22

It has alternatives to 0845 numbers on it tootwisty

Amazingly, he has received his statement today for the correct amount - finally. huge sigh of relief

peteneras · 07/09/2013 13:55

Yes OP, I can understand your frustrations. Last year I had a long running battle with them from June till January of this year when I involved my MP to finally move their arse.

LemonMousse · 07/09/2013 14:12

DS is actually changing to a different uni this year. He informed them back in May - they sent notification by post with the change.
He thought he would just check the website to see that everything was on track - it wasn't. He needed to submit his passport details again as evidence, the system wouldn't allow him to do this.

He rang and was told he had to start a whole new application so when I came home from work the other day he was furiously printing off a million page booklet while cursing and swearing.

I rang - spoke to someone else who said that there was a glitch on the system at the moment with people trying to submit evidence online. Could he send his passport via post and they would sort it. We have done that so fingers crossed he will get his finance next week.

But will he ever see his passport again? Hmm

Original poster
twistyfeet · 07/09/2013 16:13

they really are unbelievably crap. If I was rich I could tell them to go fuck themselves.

OP posts:
SlowlorisIncognito · 07/09/2013 21:05

SFE are nortoriously awful unfortunately. It really is a farce. I think it was 3-4 years ago now, when there was a year where a large number of students who applied on time, all correctly, still didn't get paid on time.

It leaves students at risk of real poverty if their parents can't support them.

Luckily, most universities understand they are farcical and will make allowances, but students in private halls/shared houses are really screwed, and of course they still have to eat!

peteneras · 07/09/2013 22:09

Imagine having to pay £200 per week in private London accommodation alone to the exclusion of everything else for more than a term (Christmas and all) until January when fuckall SLE finally paid up.

MissMarplesBloomers · 07/09/2013 22:24

I think they are run by the same tossers as the CSA.

Monkeys with pencils would do better.

Original poster
twistyfeet · 10/09/2013 13:13

oh its got worse. SFE said the fees had been confirmed but the University emailed to say only £5k of the £9K fee had been confirmed and we owe them £4K. WTAF.
DS has HFA and is storming around saying he isnt going now, he cant cope, cant cope with calling either SFE or the university. I'm stressed to the eyeballs with him, his sick sister and a bundle of others things and am actually crying now. Fucking cunty wanking bastards.

OP posts:
Original poster
twistyfeet · 10/09/2013 13:16

of course, the grant/loan still hasnt been sorted and he was meant to pay £200 deposit plus the first installment of his Hall fees by the end of this week. £2000. We dont have this money. We are on benefits. He wants to defer his place. I dont know what to do and cant face the 30 mins on hold to some fucker who cant hear me and will fuck it all up.

OP posts:
fussychica · 10/09/2013 14:30

twisty really sorry all this shit is happening to you. I wish I had some great suggestion which might help but I don't. We were at the end of our tether with them this year following 2 previous years of crap from them.
If you get through you could ask for a supervisor call back but we never heard another word so that might not be a great idea. You could try ringing as soon as they open (at 8am I believe) in the hope that most students won't be up that early so the wait might be shorter. Would Citizen's Advice help in these cases(sorry not a clue).

fussychica · 10/09/2013 14:35

If you haven't already found it the local rate number is 01412433600. The Uni should be understanding in a case like this - well I hope they would.

Original poster
twistyfeet · 10/09/2013 15:23

thanks

OP posts:
creamteas · 10/09/2013 18:23

Get in contact with the student support office at his university. They can help sort this, They also should have access to non-public phone numbers to supervisors which can really help.

MABS · 11/09/2013 16:24

so sorry Twisty, we just found out that they paying money to Manchester when she starts at Newcastle next week! she changed course on results day, we told them in writing and online. But no! totally cocked up.

greyvix · 21/09/2013 00:18

They know nothing. When we phoned with an enquiry, they said there was no interest until graduation, ie it was a three year interest free loan. They then checked, and said that we would have to pay interest from the start of the loan, which is obviously true.

PumpkinPie2013 · 22/09/2013 11:47

No advice but you and your son have my sympathies!! I was at uni 2005-2009 and there were so unbelievably crap!! Angry

I thankfully always ended up getting paid on time but never without them losing something or making some idiotic mistake and me having to make long phone calls to stupid people who don't have a clue!!

I remember when I applied for my 2nd year funding (I started applying in the Jan of my first year!) My dad had had to have an operation which meant he hadn't worked for 3 months and only got statutory sick pay so his earnings were obviously less. We sent all the info regarding it plus evidence (p60 etc) and a doctors letter and they still found it too confusing! They finally confirmed my loan etc in bloody August Angry

Keep pestering them, send everything by special delivery so they can't say it didn't arrive and I hope you get sorted soon x

PumpkinPie2013 · 22/09/2013 11:52

Also I second speaking to the uni and/or CAB. Tell the uni everything and that it's making your son so stressed that he now feels he doesn't actually want to go to uni after all. The uni should be able to help and should be understanding about the hall fees xx

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