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?

I posted my application yesterday and my deferment period ends on 19/5, so I am fully expecting a DD to be taken on the 20th.

It does state, on the cover letter that came with the deferment application forms, that my deferment period ends on 19/5 and to ensure that there are sufficient funds available in my bank account on the 20th of each month. So the information is there about WHEN the DD will be taken but, as yet, I have had nothing about the amount that this would be.

I cut off and kept the DD guarantee that was at the bottom of page 2 of the application forms and if a DD is taken I will claim it back under the DD guarantee due to not being informed of the change of amount being taken, as surely this will be different to the amount that SLC told me would be taken last year.

Ah yes, so it does. Mine says the 10th, so day after deferment it is then.

CCA - copies of original agreements - Has Anybody else had a reply to these yet?

I've had a "holding" response by letter and would be interested to know if anyone else has had same/from same person etc.

Feel free to PM.

Nothing yet not even a holding response. 12 days runs out on 14th May so going by their previous responses except when my mp complained, i didn't expect one, incidentally when he did i got a reply the next day by email followed by a letter the day after that, nothing since.

Although since requesting them i have actually found all of mine lol, not the point i know!

Update: 7 May 2014: Erudio has today confirmed to MoneySavingExpert.com that just over 500 former students had direct debits incorrectly taken. At the time of writing it said only 50 people were hit by the mistake. Erudio adds that all those affected have been refunded, while it's also rectified the issue to prevent it happening again.

This is not a particularly useful post, but I am going to make it anyway. David Willetts had to resign from John Major's government because he "dissembled" (aka lied) to the enquiry regarding the investigation into Neil Hamilton's "cash for questions". With a little luck, he might have to resign over this issue - it is a monumental cock up - so he could become "two resignations" instead of "two brains".

Since he offers no response to any question on this issue, and hides behind a generic letter copy and pasted by civil servants, I just wanted to get this little dig in as a means of stress relief.

Ok, I have had an email telling me my deferment application has been successful. This arrived the day after I emailed them again asking for an update. I've not had anything in the post yet though to confirm this. Has anyone else had this experience?

Hi Tigerbay.

Did you really get a reply in a day? Wow! Congratulations! I have only ever received the standard "We will get back to you in 21 days" automated response to my mails. This arrived over two weeks after I had sent them.

@ Persephone49 - yes - they were well past the 12 days CCA timetable before I received the holding letter - I'm surprised nobody else who says they've asked for their original agreements - many did so long before/weeks before me - have none of them had the same 'Holding' letter?representatives?

I'm losing track of what's what. Can anyone confirm whether, if you're in deferment, Erudio are allowed to set up a DD on your account?

I spoke to them a couple of days ago and the agent said she'd process my paperwork that day and, as far as she could see, I had nothing to worry about (wrt being deferred for the next 12 months). I have checked today and the DD has now appeared, so I just want to be sure that it's allowed to be there. I really have absolutely no desire to check my damn account every day to make sure they haven't taken anything out of 'by mistake'.

@ leica

Yes - it's allowed to be there.

I'm in deferral with Erudio and there is a DD sitting on my account same as there has been for the last 20 years with SLC.

@ emptycoffers

thanks!

So Martin Lewis got it right on BBC radio when he challenged Zach Lewy about only 50 people having their cash taken, or 0.04% as BIS told me, on BBC radio before. So it was 500, a nice round figure...shall we guess it was yet more.

My deferment ends tomorrow. I had a letter from erudio yesterday stating they need my tax return. I emailed them immediately to say it would not be valid as is for year 2012/2013. I have provided bank statements, letter and tax credit notice with my application back in march. I have also cancelled the dd they set up without letting me know.
I just wondered what will happen now as they can't take any money out and whether they really can insist on th etax return?? I filed it online and I am not sure that I can get access to it.
Any advice very gratefully received as it is really beginning to stress me out!

can anybody make a sensible guess what the % is for 500 people. I think it was 46% of deferers on this loan sale but forget the number of loans sold (and many will have 3 or 2 loans)

Article says just over 500.

On their current record Erudio's idea of just over is probably 1,000s

Nobody else had a 'Holding' letter in response to CCA original agreement request?

Sorry for banging on!!!

@tigerbay.

When did you apply for deferment? Did you fill in all their form etc or did you write a covering letter?

Sorry for all the questions but it helps others in the same position. Eurdio have had my applocation for deferment for 4 weeks now and I've heard nothing apart from a standard email saying they will get back to me within 21 days when I chased them. Might fire off another email tonight. Just for a laugh!!

Mon - The Erudio booklet says if you tick the box saying you were required to submit a self-assessment tax return, then you must send them a copy. Later on in the booklet it says if your earnings have changed since the tax return you must also send three months' bank statements. Whether or not this is something they may decide to back down on is anyone's guess.

Do you not receive some sort of statement from the Inland Revenue after submitting a tax return? I'm not in the UK, but it is this document (from the equivalent authorities) that I have always sent to SLC and now to Erudio. I don't have the original form either, as our accountant files it on our behalf.

Persephone - what I'm still not clear on, is whether a direct debit taken when the period of deferment ends and further deferment has not been granted because of the backlog in processing applications is deemed to have been taken "incorrectly".

It is clear from reading these threads that a number of people have had money taken despite having confirmation of deferment - there's no question that this is a major fuck-up. But what about those of us who submitted applications in good time, but who are being told by Erudio that money will be taken until deferment is granted (unless we cancel our DDs)? Dare we hope that this new development might mean that they will suspend collection until they have cleared their backlog? After all, it is reasonable to assume that everyone applying for deferment believes their income to be under the threshold.

@Frau

I am not clear either, all i can say is if they don't notify you under the DD guarantee i would think you could claim it back under the DD guarantee. There was a really good leaflet i will see if i can find it so you don't have to trawl the whole thread.

I have given them details of a dormant account

1. so it doesn't affect our joint account and is easy to monitor and 2)so they can't claim i have broken any agreements and its easy to get evidence.

I have also contacted my MP who managed to get an immediate response where i had been failing miserably, if you feel you want to, the more MP's who are involved the better, mine has been really good, and because of this they have told me my payments are on hold while they investigate, i also am eligible to defer, still waiting on that!

Frau
Thank you for replying. I don't recall receiving a summary only something to say that I am not liable to pay any income tax due to my low income/profit. I think I will probably need to somehow access my last tax return and try to print it off and send to erudio. Do you know if there are any consequences of cancelling my direct debit? Will my account be marked as a default account even though it is erudio who have held things up?

Right for some reason i am struggling to get the link working, if you do a google search for DD guarantee leaflet its the first link that comes up its a pdf, its a very good leaflet it was recommended further up the thread.

@Ibreakwindinerudiosdirection

I did laugh when I read that you are a lady just like Lola. And after these last few weeks I've needed all the laughs I can get.

(It did cross my mind as I posted! Alright then, Clovis Anderson - it still stands - after all what does Mma Ramotswe and co. stand for it not the fight of the honest and the decent against sharp practice and money grabbers?)

PS If we ever DO get this mess sorted we certainly bloody well will be drinking champagne like coca cola!

Back to business -I have it on good account that phishing for your phone number is going on. Dial 141 if you really have to talk to 'em.

I am bored of verbal tripe and have told them all correspondence is to be in writing.

No news on my deferment, may well email them to check.

Like others, am unclear whether DD taken during the 'decision making/them sorting out the teetering piles of our forms period' are legit.

Common sense says not, but who will make a ruling on this? FOS? Would have been clearer cut had there been a deadline to submit paperwork - and a specified time for them to work to also. Sorry, that's assuming it was a fair, transparent and above board operation...

I do know that most of us seem to have not had a specified DD amount in writing 10 days previous. This seems to invalidate it in any case, so I will be claiming under the DD Guarantee. Its a PITA having to watch you bank account though.