Student Finance - 'You might already have an account '

[LoonvanBoon]

Has anyone else had this problem? At the weekend DH and I both tried to open student finance supporters accounts for our twins (they'd filled in their applications and named us as supporters first).

We both had the same problem - we kept getting a message saying we might already have accounts because we'd previously applied for student finance or been a supporter for another student, and inviting us to log in. We both had this, and for both our twins.

Neither of us has ever had an online student finance account. We're nearly 30 years out of university and don't have any other children. I had a small loan back in the early nineties, DH didn't, but there were obviously no online accounts then.

I 'phoned up today to sort it out and it was v frustrating: the guy I spoke to just kept repeating that he'd help me unlock the account that I've never had - apparently he's going to send forms through the post - but wouldn't respond to my point that I've never had an online account and have never been a supporter for anyone else.

Has anyone got any idea why this would happen, both with DH and me? Is it possible that we're on the system because we went to university 30 years ago?

The call handler didn't acknowledge the possibility of any error in the system or mistake on their part, so I'm worried about how we're going to fix it.

Try not to worry. Student finance seems to be run along the same lines as so many things in this country: think Track & Trace rather than vaccine roll-out.

Grit your teeth, be polite and think of it as another hurdle to be jumped. The 1st year is definitely the worst, so doubly hard for you. Fingers crossed it works out.

I had this last year when applying for my daughters student finance. I just called up and was given the details I needed to proceed - hope you get someone more helpful x

Would suggest messaging on Twitter and Facebook - the customer service seems much better there!

Thanks all - hopefully filling in whatever forms patronising phone guy is sending out will help.

I'm not on Facebook or Twitter, but have been umming and ahhing about the latter for ages, so maybe now is the time! Agree SM contact seems to get companies taking complaints more seriously.

Does anyone know, though, are you on their system if you went to university decades ago?

I had this - it was because I had once looked into teacher training (but never actually applied however my email was in the system) I simply did a "forgot my password" reset and was fine from then on

My husband had this problem last year. It turns out it was because he had a student loan back in the early 90's and was on the system already despite never having had an online account. They did sort it out on the phone for him though when he could tell them his home address when he was at uni!

Boppers, good to have that confirmed - that must be the cause of the problem for DH and me then. Don't know why it couldn't be sorted over the phone, but hopefully the forms (whatever they are) will do the trick.

My husband has had this issue from having a student loan in about 1990. It takes ages to get through on the phone when trying to sort it out too!

I had this, from my 1991 loan. I don't remember it being a problem at all (though this was three years ago: it may be more hassle now with more occurrences and people wfh). It should get sorted out ok.

It's sorted out now, though took ages for me and very little time for DH when he got round to it - some of the call handlers at Student Finance definitely know their stuff more than others!

I was sent a password through the post in a letter stating I'd already been sent a customer reference number: the latter never arrived, so I had to ring again - another half an hour's wait - and was given the reference number over the phone. Nice and straightforward after that.

DH only had to call once and was emailed the different bits of information there and then.