Erudio Student Loans Continued

[halfpricedebt]

Started a new thread following mrsbug's request.

I got an email from Erudio today telling me that an issue I raised with them on 27 March that was then completely ignored even though they asked for confirmation of my details to process the initial email. I gave them the details they requested and seven days later I still hadn't heard anything. So I wrote them a rather threatening complaint telling them if they didn't respond within 7 days I would report them to the relevant financial services. That was on 3 April and today they've told me that my complaint has been forwarded to their Customer Resolutions Team.

I wonder what they do?

For anyone interested in knowing something about shell companies and what Erudio is, the following link may be quite interesting.

www.globalwitness.org/blog/uk-government-announces-how-it-will-end-anonymous-companies/

I find it rather odd, although not surprising, that even though our Grand Mufti, David Cameron himself, seems rather adverse to shell companies, the direction of both student loan sell offs has been to 3 shell companies, including to Erudio, which one may note was after his call for shell company owners to be revealed so that the public knows who they are dealing with and to limit tax evasion.

On a more simple note, here is the short wikipedia entry on shell companies:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_companies

Now we should all know for sure what we are dealing with. Arrow Global and the other vulture investors created a shell company called Erudio Student Loans Limited, which is just an empty shell devoid of employees and tasks, via which they subcontracted the deferment process and all work to Capita. Thats it.

We are only dealing with Capita, which clearly has a rather terribly coordinated system in place with its call center operation and deferment location in different places. Arrow Global have given Capita full control of the process, but to work within certain parameters, and has little influence over operations unless a problem is highlighted, via the media or BIS (who call a few times a day i am told), where they step in and make suggestions to Capita on how it can/should improve its service and to tighten up loopholes. I have this on rather good authority.

Just wanted to say a massive thank you for all you Ladies' Detective Agency types who have been on the trail.

You deserve a big pot of Red Bush for delving into Erudio and co.

Without sharing these type of experiences, we'd be truly up the creek.

Sadly I hadn't read all this before I sent my forms back. Gave them my bloody work number too. What an idiot.

Forms all sent in recorded 3 week of Apr. Defer runs out this Fri, they say in the letter have the funds available for us to collect by DD and I am sure they won't have processed by then.

I rang a few days ago and they said they had a huge backlog. 46 weeks apparently, I did check that! So waiting to see if 100 odd pounds float out. Loathe to cancel DD in case they can somehow use that against me and turn me into a defaulter - even though I am fully eligible to defer.

Interestingly, they have not ever notified me in writing on the amount they will take - only found out as I asked when I rang. That means the DD Guarantee should cover it.

Drafting a complaints letter now. Once they have taken money without the proper process I shall add this to the long list and cc to FOS and whoever else might be interested.

How long should they take to process paperwork - anyone know? 28 days? It is rubbish they are grabbing cash they are not entitled to whilst they fanny about with the papers.

They are either dragging feet and/or woefully understaffed as to make the whole thing a farce - and keep taking the cash while we wait.

Anyone had any responses to them cancelling DD's? Have they said it constitutes a breach? The guy on the phone told me to cancel it, but that just made me more suspicious!

Thought about emailing a complaint straight away, and telling them to put any payments on hold for 8 weeks. By the time they reply, the DD will probably have gone anyhoo.

Keep posting.

i've been following this thread since i received my deferment forms from Erudio. Today on the phone was a nightmare with them. They've had my forms for 3 weeks and each time i call they tell me they are still being processed. Last week when I asked what was going on, the girl said i hadn't sent them proof of my child benefit. I informed her i emailed it with all other items to the deferment email address and gave her the date and time of email. She said to give them 5 days...
So i called today and the guy said that the screenshot of my bank statement wasn't good enough as it didn't show my name or account number etc. So I said id email it again. He said it wouldn't be processed by the 9th (when my deferment ends). I asked why I have had to chase this up and have never been informed that there was a problem with my application. He said they usually send out letters.

SO....now they have let my application sit until the deadline and i know they'll take money out on the 9th. I am in the process of buying a house and cant afford for anything to go on my credit file.
Has anyone had money taken from them wrongly but had it refunded? or am i dreaming. Can I formally complain??? Has this been raised with BBC watchdog?

Hello All, I posted on the first thread with regards to my plan of action for deferment and thought I would give you an update as to where I am...

I sent off Erudio's form but didn't fill in all of the personal details section. I also blacked out the terms and conditions about the contacting of credit reference agencies. I sent a covering letter detailing why. I also sent three months pay slips. I couldn't send a P60 due to only starting in my position last April and didn't have one (I was only receiving carer's allowance for 8 years prior to this) Again, I explained this in my covering letter and in its place I sent a copy of my offer of employment letter detailing my start date and salary. I also sent a copy of my most recent bank statement, I blacked out all the transactions leaving the child benefit credit visible. I also stated in my covering letter that should any payments be taken from my account I would be looking to recover them under the DD Guarantee and would take further action with the FCA. I made a copy of all the paperwork for my records.

Erudio already have my bank details and there is a direct debit set up on my account. My deferment ends on May 19th.

I sent out my letter and supporting evidence in good time via recorded delivery on 10th April. This was received and signed for by N. Mellor on 11th April. I have a copy of the signature with date.

I have heard absolutely nothing since then, which doesn't surprise me but I'm really worried now about what my next step should be. I don't want to call as from what I have read people are just fed a load of rubbish. Also, I don't want them to have a record of my phone number.

I am legally entitled to defer. I don't want to cancel my Direct Debit for fear they will claim I am defaulting. Does anyone know what my next step should be? Shall I email them asking what the status is regarding deferment or just wait for them to take money from my account and take steps then? I have not yet made a complaint of any kind yet.

I feel I need to do something to chase it up? I am becoming a little overwhelmed with the amount of information on the thread and any help would be very much appreciated.

I live near the Leeds area so could always drop into the Captia office to ask what's going on!? : )

I dont have answers i know to work but lodging an official compliant would buy you up to 8 weeks and would suspend collection activity. That would give you some time for them to get back to you and tell you that you need to complete their form and give them everything they ask for....and probably time for you to send all that info and sort any issues out concerning info you dont have.

@ MyLifeShinesOn

My approach was almost identical to yours although I probably sent in my stuff 2/3 weeks earlier than you.

Like you I had no intention of phoning - why pay money to learn nothing new!

Just when I was at the point of cracking - I was going to email them - not phone - (4 weeks to the day after submitting) I got a letter confirming my deferral for another year.

My financials were less complex than yours but I think if you hold your nerve it will work out. Remember, you can get any money back under the DD Guarantee and you have proof of submitting the forms.

If you feel you must do something - email them - it gives proof of contact which a phone call doesn't. But bear in mind it takes them a few days at least to reply with an acknowledgement of receipt email.

Stay strong!!!

MyLifeShinesOn I've just been on the phone to Erudio. I sent back my deferment pack on April 7th but from overseas, so it must have arrived at a similar time to yours.

I was told that they had received my deferment application, but that no one had looked at it yet. My deferment expires on May 15th, I asked what I should do and was advised to cancel my direct debit. Alternatively they would take a payment and repay it once deferment was granted.

I'm unsure what I should do now. Is it acceptable for them to take money from my account without notifying me in advance? I don't use the account much and transferring money into it from abroad is not cheap. I'm seriously unimpressed.

I totally agree with Mandaki's take on this. They should have no right to exchange any information with CRA's. We borrowed these loans from the British government when they were replacing full maintenance grants and it's totally immoral and undemocratic that they have sold them to a debt collector. Says mountains about the state of British justice and democracy.

When I find a moment, I'm going to contact every possible political and social institutions possible to complain about this, as I know many of you have done already. We must take a stand on this and try make as bigger fuss as possible collectively. Are there any platforms set-up yet that I can join, or facebook page, etc, etc, ?

All the very best to you all

PS Excuse the typos and other errors - very busy and stressed.

Hi FrauEnglischLehrerin

I posted my deferral form on March 21, from the continent. I sent an email on 16 April too. The only thing I have received from them is an automated response - over two weeks late - telling me that they will respond to my mail within 21 days. As my deferral date is 19 May, I am debating whether or not I should cancel my direct debit and might even close my UK account altogether. Of course, if I do that then I run the risk of becoming a defaulter I suppose.

Could anybody tell me what are the consequences of becoming a defaulter if you live abroad? Would a CCJ really matter in my situation? I have always paid whatever I owed on time, but since I have never earned more than 17k a year in my life, I could always defer my student loans.

I am tempted to let them take me to court so I can present them with all the evidence they seem to be unable to look at right now.

A 46 week backlog! If that is accurate, then it's absurd. They clearly had no idea what they were taking on. Or it's all a deliberate plot -

They are telling us that they will start collecting DD payments until our deferments are processed, and then refund any 'overpayments'

If that takes 46 weeks, then they'll have had nearly a years worth of payments by then. Good luck getting money back from them!

I notice that there is no deadline for applying for deferment - SLC always used to say to return the forms promptly to make sure they had time to process it. I sent my letter and evidence off a week ago (I didn't return the form), so I guess mine is near the bottom of the pile, and my deferment runs out on the 9th.

I daren't cancel the DD in case that gives them more ammunition, but I'll reiterate what the bank clerk (Barclays) told me the other day:

It's much easier to get a DD returned on the day it is taken, so keep an eye on your account and go into the bank the very same day. It's a pain, but I think it's the safest way to play it. If Erudio do take that first payment, then I'll get it overturned and cancel the DD at that point. And they'll be getting an official complaint from me about it.

I can't believe people are still trying to deal with Erudio by telephone - keep it all in writing, and keep copies of everything you send them. And don't expect to get it all sorted out in one phone call, be in it for the long haul, because this mess'll take years to sort out.

ekim unfortunately I didn't find this thread until after I sent off the deferment application and didn't use registered post, so at least I have confirmation from the phone call that they received it. I'm not planning to phone them repeatedly and I know to take any "advice" from them with a large pinch of salt.

My next step is to wait until they take a payment from my account and then kick up a fuss. As others have said, I have no written confirmation from Erudio yet detailing the exact amount of the payment, which is due to be taken next week.

dazzy I have wondered about the consequences of having a deferred loan noted on my UK credit rating (I really wouldn't want the black mark of a default on there). It depends a bit I suppose on how likely you think you are to return to the UK permanently at some point.

It is frankly astounding that we are in the position of either having to pay a company for being too incompetent to process our paperwork within a reasonable timeframe, or becoming defaulters.

I am not sure if I will ever return or not. I do agree that it is astounding that we have been put in this position.

I got so worried at one point I considered offering them a lower monthly repayment, just to get rid of this extra stress. Then my wife pointed out to me that as a stay at home father, whose only income is apparently child benefit (!!!!????) I really shouldn't make such an offer.

Simon Read's on our favourite subject again:
www.independent.co.uk/money/loans-credit/student-loan-sale-is-a-mess-9330503.html

I am seriously hoping @kisstheteapot that is a misheard 4-6 weeks rather than 46weeks! Otherwise words completely fail me but needs definite chasing with Martin Lewis etc who are saying that service shouldn't change with the takeover (although it obviously has)

dazzy I've just been reading back through this thread (read through the first thread a few weeks ago, but hadn't kept up with this one). Your financial situation sounds particularly tight and I agree with your wife that you certainly shouldn't offer any sort of repayments when your income is so clearly below the threshold.

Have you formally complained to Erudio (or whoever they are) yet? I'm waiting until they take a payment because it won't cause me any immediate financial worry and it will give me ammunition to contact the FOS. If I was going to struggle financially as a result of them taking payment, then I would probably register a complaint now in order to get the 8 weeks payment collection suspension.

Hi Frau

Thanks for the post.

I am currently working on a complaint letter. I am trying to keep it calm and not become aggressive. Very difficult not to with these people.

What annoys me is that (and many people will groan when they read this) I just completed the form and sent them what they asked for, sending further information by e mail. At least this shows that they can't cite incomplete forms or non-standard requests as the reason why they are woefully dreadful at responding.

They have had my form since 27 March so there really is no excuse.

here is a tweet from an independent journalist i just saw. If anyone has a good case, and i think we all have in our own way, maybe you could contact her and tell her about it. Here is the tweet:
Emma Lunn ?@emmalunn

@simonnread @MartinSLewis Hi Martin. I am in need of a Erudio case study if you have anyone please?

Someone earlier said 46 weeks backlog too. Its an absolute shambles. I have decided that if they have not deferred me or replied to any of my recorded delivery letters or numerous emails I have sent them the The DD they set up is getting cancelled before they take any money out of my account.

They are completely incompetent and have a total disregard for anyone stuck in the middle of this pile of crap. They obviously thought we would bow down and pay up!!

I think it is high time David Willetts made some sort of statement. He is the government minister responsible for this mess. I can't think how he got the nickname "two brains" it doesn't look as if he has two brain cells.

ha, yes, and one nut judging by his silence...

Guardian journalist wanting people for case studies here

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=65458971&postcount=480

@whomever said this:

"Just wanted to say a massive thank you for all you Ladies' Detective Agency types who have been on the trail."

I'm only a lady in the same way Lola by the Kinks was a lady! :D

I'm struggling to see how Erudio can claim to have a 46 week backlog. They took command of the loans on March 1st.

@FrauEnglischLehrerin

That's exactly the policy I am taking. I am currently about to provide them with more information so my account has been suspended. If they take anything out on May 20th then a) they've taken it out on a date they've never informed me in writing would be my DD date (SLC had it as the 19th) and b) it gives me the ammunition I need for a complaint to Erudio and then the FOS.

My deferment end date was always 9th April under SLC. Erudio put it back by a month to 9th May (to give them time to get a handle on deferments apparently). But I've never been informed of a DD payment date by either of them. I don't know how it links to the deferment end date - same day, a few days or weeks later?