erudio student loans

[mrsbug]

Hi, I have an old student loan from 1998 which I have been deferring since then as I have never earned enough to pay it back (there are some advantages to being poor )

I recently had a letter from a company called erudio student loans saying they have bought my student loan from the government. All very reassuring about how the t and cs of my loan won't change, etc.

Now I've had the regular deferral letter from them and it's much more detailed than before. They want my bank details which I'm not really happy to give, and they say my details will be checked with a credit reference agency, which I don't think they used to do - my loan has never shown on my credit file.

Has anyone else had this? Do I have to give them this info?

Irequested copies of my original loan agreement two weeks ago, which is ten working days, and i guess i have to leave a couple of working days either side for the post. I sent them one pound for all three loan agreements.i haven't heard anything back yet.

Hi all,
Am quaking in my shoes reading all of this. I have lived abroad since about 2 mths after graduation and I earn nowhere near the cut-off. I've never had any problem deferring with SLC up to now. BUT I am self-employed (with seriously fluctuating income month to month) and all my documentation is in the other language. My accountant writes a letter confirming my previous 3 months' earnings and I also send in a translation of that letter, plus a print-out of the local national bank sterling rates so they can see how these translate into sterling.
Will Erudio accept this? Is a UK P60 a previous year tax returns form? And given that my loan was a 1996 one, is there any point in deleting the CRA consent bit in light of what littlefox says above?
And the best bit is that I think I have a UK bank acct but it's dormant and the last time I tried to find out if I had a DD mandate on it I was unable to answer the 3 questions they asked you to confirm your identity (one was did I have an overdraft limit on it - I have no clue!) so they wouldn't even tell me! So don't know how to answer that truthfully.
Of course before I read this thread I emailed them with all these questions ([email protected]) including a demand for return notification of receipt but never got one so I believe they haven't read it.
have been ostriching on this but I know I have to do something now. ALso how to send the letter - can't get recorded signed for delivery from here without paying through the nose - how will I know they've got it if they're playing all these tricks? Aaaaaarrrgh!

@^^^

They accept deferral by email so at least the recorded delivery shouldn't be an issue. I'll have to leave the rest up to others with more knowledge on self employment etc.

@mrbug. Well done mrsbug. Please keep us informed of whether they have sent the agreements or not. I would bet they don't have them to send.

@IchibodT you seem like an apologist for Eurodio. Bear in mind that the Edward Snowden revelations showed the government pays people to put up disinfo on forums etc. This subject is relevant to the government, but I'm not saying you are working for them.

When we signed up for the loans we were told we would not have deferment on our credit records. Now Erudio is trying to use putting deferment on credit files as emotional blackmail to try to get people to pay loans they are legally entitled to defer.

Erudio is breaking the law, relevant Acts of Parliament, which I have now read through thoroughly. I'll put up something when I have a detailed piece about it.

Erudio should be treat as opportunist parasitic vampires. Freeloading a*holes. lol

Free123 - I await your piece with interest :)

@^^

Defo not an apologist for them just a realist.

I think you'll find the debate regarding whether or not they have broken the law us still well and truly on. No one knows yet whether or not they can legally register deferrers with CRAs, the only way that could be settled is with a court ruling.

There is enough paranoia on here without you insinuating I am working for Erudio.

I was just as worried as everyone else regarding the sale of my loans, but I see no reason to worry about the stuff I can't change. I will spend my time and energy on the important stuff, making sure my deferral is accepted and making sure Erudio act within the legal constraints which govern my loans.

After receiving a letter from SLC confirming deferment for this year on all my loans (including the one sold to Erudio) I have today received a letter from Erudio stating they received my application for deferment but:

we have not received sufficient confirmation to establish your eligibility for deferment

I sent a copy of my deferment application direct to Thesis and Erudio and SLC with identical documents in all three (as SLC didn't know at that stage who had my fourth loan)

The documents were completely sufficient for SLC to process and grant deferment for this year.

I've just sent Erudio a copy of SLC's letter confirming I have deferment until 2015 and saying Erudio must have made a mistake as SLC have already deferred it with only the information already given

So once you get a letter of deferment it might not be the end of correspondence

IchibodT - Are you sure they accept defferals by email? I have just formally complained to them that they are not responding to any emails that I have sent 8+ now.

I'm overseas, trying to do this all by the book and they are being deliberately obstructive in the process (or at least feels like it)

Interestingly - I have had to deal with the SLC as well (and they were as inept as Erudio with some misinformation that has now caused me issues) and the SLC do not have a secure email address to receive documents at (although I have used one in the past they are denying it exists).

@quirrel

Yup they list the email in the deferral pack somewhere;

[email protected]

I sent in my deferral by email and recorded delivery and they received both. However i wouldn't expect too many responses by email, think i've sent them about 8 emails and had two responses.

Send them the email with everything attached then phone them a day or two later, they'll say they can't see it on their system at which point you tell them when you sent it. They will then go on to say it hasn't yet been scanned onto their system and to give it a week or so.

Phone back the next day and ask to check on the progress of your deferral, again they'll tell you they can't see it/it hasn't been scanned at this point kick up a little fuss about how you've emailed it to them, it's impossible that they haven't received it and you want confirmation it has been received.

This is what i did and it was scanned onto their system within a day. You then have to keep at them to get them to look at it and tell you whether or not it has been accepted. It took me about 5 calls in total for them to tell me i've been accepted and they have sent a letter out, still waiting for the letter.

@ mrsbug - thanks for the info on requesting agreements.

Just to say again to all - if anyone gets their original agreements back from Erudio

Or gets deferred successfully

Please post on here to tell everyone else how you did it, how long it took what method you used and any 'issues' you encountered

It really does help everyone else.

@ Free123 - look forward to reading your piece

I don't think IchibodT is an apologist or anything like that - each to their own. I just really appreciate the info she's shared and take it on face value.

I'm sure there are people reading/posting on this thread who disagree with our intentions and who maybe even work for Erudio or their press/pr people.

Just don't say anything on here you couldn't reveal in a public space on real life or that identifies you in real life.

Another piece in the independent about them taking direct debits when they shouldn't

www.independent.co.uk/money/loans-credit/erudio-student-loans-reader-has-cash-wrongly-taken-from-account-by-debt-collector-9264279.html

I posted mine off today with special delivery so it will get there tomorrow. I put a letter stating why I wasn't filling out the forms, crossed out EVERYTHING on the form and didn't sign it. The only part I filled out was my current address.

I'm chatting to someone about the whole student loans sale and what we could do about it. Will update when I find out more.

Dear all,

Thanks again for all your shared info and processes with this Erudio deferment issue. Very appreciated all this different approaches and view points.

Like I mentioned before, I phoned Erudio, explained my concerns about their misleading form and extra personal data and registered a complain over the phone. Just to add on that, that the operator told me my deferment form should be in at the least two weeks before deferral date to be processed. 2 weeks!

Few days later I wrote to them asking for a copy of my credit agreement request with a £1 payment to them, and a written complaint about things stated above, not agreeing to changes of t & c, extra personal info requested and used a template letter already posted here, CRA checks etc.

Anyway, this is the response I got from them in the post today:

Dear XXXX

Acount Number XXXX

Thank you for your letter dated XXX regarding the above account. We are sorry to learn of your concerns. Please find enclosed a copy of our complaints procedures which explains how we will deal with your complaint.

We will undertake a thorough investigation into the issues you have raiser and it may be necessary to contact the originating creditor and/or our external agents for further information. We will confirm the result of aur investigation, in writing, as soon as possible and in any event within eight weeks.

We confirm that all collection activity will be suspended until we have issued qur final response.

In the meantime, should you have any questions regarding your account, please contact us using the following details

Their address and phone number is supplied to contact them
with and atached complaints procedure form about contacting the FCA and CSA.

It seem I've got 8 weeks added to my deferment date -mid May- but still unsure if to use their form or just a letter with all details asked for by SLC previously.

@Erudiospicious - great to know this as I have just spent this evening writing a complaint letter :)

Haha. 17 days after I emailed them askng how long it took the process to defer I got an email from them this morning at 7.25am saying that I did not pass their security processing and I have to resubmit my question along with.. my name, and any previous names I've had, dob, current address, address for the last 3 years, if they were let or mortgaged addresses, my Erudio account numbers.WTF? I only wanted to know what there turnaround time was.

They might have well of asked for my shoe size, what I had for tea last night, when I last went to the toilet!!!

Oh well I think I shall enjoy emailing them this evening. May as well complain and also ask why they have my loan from 1999 too?

Have a good day folks

It's good to see some excellent information being posted here. I have been on the telephone with both Erudio and the SLC this morning to clarify some details. In my case, my deferment ended in the second half of March. I mailed the usual deferment forms to the SLC on the 10th of March, they were received on the 11th, and nothing happened.

Last month a direct debit was removed from my account by Erudio. This was a surprise as I have still had no written confirmation from Erudio that they hold my loans. The direct debit taken out a day late than it should have been, technically something I could complain about under the DD guarantee.

Upon finding this amount removed, I called the SLC who informed me that my file would now be with Erudio. Upon calling Erudio, they said they hadn't processed it yet. Waiting was the option.

Today, the 17th of April, I contacted the SLC again just to confirm that they no longer have anything to do with me. This was confirmed.

I then called Erudio and talked to a chap who sounded less than perky this morning (one suspects they've had to hire a lot more staff in recently). Chap asks me my date of birth three times and makes several mistakes. Confirms that my forms are in limbo and says he will send out a new deferment form that will take 3-5 working days to get there. I inform him that money has already been taken and he has told me that any money taken over the three months from the deferment ending (in my case, from March to June) will be refunded once the deferment has been approved.

How easy this will be is open to debate.

One has been diligent in recording every contact by phone as I fully expect to have to launch a complaint that will eventually end up with the FOS.

Can this be right?

Since this thread started a whole month/4 weeks ago ONLY 3 people have heard they have been deferred!!!!!

1991Graduate
TazFrank1
IchibodT

and NOBODY has yet received a copy of an original agreement from Erudio!!!!!

What's going on?

Given how utterly and irretrievably incompetent these clowns are, and the undoubted nightmare of a headache the forums threads and publicity on this has no doubt caused them, I'm not really surprised emptycoffers.

SLC were frequently a shambles, but this lot have taken it to a new level.

Ibreakwindinerudiosdirection, as well as commenting that you have the most appropriate name, your story seems to be of the kind that simon read at the independent would be very interested in. Send him a quick mail, tweet or such and then contact as many other people as possible, as well as file an official complaint with Erudio because that should stop everything for up to 8 weeks whilst they seek to answer your question. Your complaint is rather serious...a company just helped itself to your bank account without even contacting you before hand...is that not theft? Maybe even complain to the police...

As a general comment, i can only guess at what the answers to our complaints will look like...we havent even started going to the ombudsman yet. I am sure gross incompetence and total lack of faith in handing personal information over to Erudio should also be strongly emphasised when the ombudsman gets involved. He could be handing out so many fines, all our loans could be wiped out.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I have had nothing from Erudio telling me just how much they intend to remove from my bank account. If any money is taken by them without notice I will be treating it as theft and informing them as such.

taking money from ones bank account is surely theft and something that should be referred to the police if one has not been notified before hand and the company doing the taking has not followed the correct procedures. If an internet conman acquired the bank details out of a pensioner and took money from their account, would the police be interested, i think they would because it is theft amongst other things. Especially if you have not heard from the company before they do the taking.
They seem to be very good on reaching out of their call centers to take money from peoples accounts but very poor on sending out letters and such things confirming things they have said over the phone. It makes one think this is their modus operandi and as such very newsworthy.

Have been reading this thread with horror and I thought my experience might be a useful contrast example. I have three pre 98 loans which were sold ages ago to Honours Student Loans. My deferment is still done through the SLC. I received the forms in March - requiring one signature, my bank statement or child benefit award letter, address of employer and three pay slips. I returned it by registered post 7th April and it was signed for on the 8th. Yesterday I received my notice that my deferment was accepted - dated 10th April.

Now - if my experience can be that straightforward and effective why are my fellow nineties graduates being subjected to such difficulties? How can this possibly be allowed? Good luck to all and I hope Erudio get their backsides kicked!

This is going to be very interesting for Erudio.

My letter from Erudio told me WHEN my period of deferment ended and WHEN I should have money in my account for a DD payment. (I am below the threshold and have a valid right to defer).

There is a total balance outstanding given in one letter - NO MONTHLY AMOUNT specified.

Under the terms of the Direct Debit Guarantee - we should all be notified AT LEAST 10 WORKING DAYS in advance of the first payment of the AMOUNT being taken.

That means that by Friday 28th March - (if I still haven't been deferred) I should have had notification in writing of the amount they intend to take on the 11th, 12th April etc

IF NOT - I can cancel the direct debit and the bank should refund me.

I will not be in breach of my agreement to Erudio - Erudio will simply have broken the terms of our agreement and the DD Guarantee.

There are some really important deadlines rolling up for Erudio and it looks like they are heading off the edge of a cliff.

Anyone speculate as to what their intentions are?

Has anyone else been told the monthly amount of the DD payment?

www.directdebit.co.uk/DirectDebitExplained/Pages/DirectDebitGuarantee.aspx

mainly because Erudio are the first private company to control the deferment process. Therefore they arent answerable to anyone unless that 'anyone' are made aware of whats going on. And in this case, 'anyone' thus far includes 2 significant journalists, a number of website and debt helplines, a host of MPs, the NUS and those with quite a lot to lose if it is exposed as being tits up...and by that i mean BIS. Maybe others have something in the pipeline yet to enter the stage.
Honours Student Loans have the same registered address as Erudio and seem to be virtually the same company as a matter of interest, if you are! That address is The Wilmington Trusts UK HQs.
Here is the wonderful about us page from its website...i like the "Expert tax planning and wealth transfer strategies". You may also like the dupont connection if you care to search for that and its parent company M&T bank. Anyway, direct from The Wilmington Trust's webpage:

About Us

With roots dating back to the founding of Wilmington Trust Company by T. Coleman duPont in 1903, Wilmington Trust has been serving successful individual and institutional clients for generations. We bring a unique blend of knowledge, experience, and resources to every client relationship that we serve, offering the highest caliber of service from a team of nationally recognized experts.

Institutional Client Services

International client base with clients in more than 90 countries
Specialized trust services for capital markets financing structures
Trust and custody services for retirement plans
Customized institutional investment capabilities 

Wealth Advisory

Clients in all 50 states and 35 other countries
One of the largest personal trust providers in the United States
Expert tax planning and wealth transfer strategies
Investment management, private banking, family governance, and family office services 

We are proud to be part of the M&T corporate family, one of the most financially sound and successful companies in the U.S. financial services industry.

Yes I noticed that about the address - made me a bit twitchy but all fine with mine this year. Makes it all the more dire that their 'sister' company is making such a Horlicks of it.