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?

Hello.
I wondered if you could advise, please?
I have 3 student loans dating back to the early 1990's.
They have always been deferred as I have never earned enough money to pass the threshold for repayment.
I currently receive DLA at the highest rate for mobility and care (awarded without limit of time) although the Goons in Govt have decided to stop my Incapacity Benefit in Sept and force me on to JSA (I have to prove I am looking for work 40 hours a week). This will come EXACTLY when I have to have 2 operations on both legs and both feet. Marvellous.

Anyway, sorry point is:
I got sent a letter from Erudio 6 weeks ago.
For some reason it has only just arrived.
I am partway through a years deferment which will come up for renewal in Dec.
They do not currently have bank details as the SLC didn't have them as I have always deferred.
They have my name and address but not my phone number.

Do I have to provide phone and bank details???

Also, I know that, come age 50, under SLC, I would be able to 'write off' the debt. I will be 47 soon and I am keen to know if Euridio will stick to this or not, does anyone know???

thank you if you can help.x

just a couple of queries:
if an employer does not provide wage slips - legally what are erudio allowed to ask for proof of income. if a deferer was to send a letter from employer and most recent p60 - is that legally sufficient?

also if deferment is rejected - how soon can you reapply if better evidence becomes available or your circumstances change?

@mandakl

Yes, I wondered this also. If their elaborate house of cards was looking like crashing down around their ears after having to back down on multiple fronts whether they have simply chosen to draw a line in the sand.

As ive stated before its all a bit odd really. They could have simply issued say 50% of value offers to those in deferment and made quite a nifty quick easy profit I suspect (surely easier and possibly more than this will?).

@firstchoice, have you tried applying for ESA instead of JSA? The DLA doesn't count for income. Though I've been told the replacement PIP will and we are all meant to be on that by next year who get DLA currently.

I don't have a telephone yet they are insisting I provide a number, which I obviously can't do! I'm unsure regarding the bank details, someone else may help you there.

Hahaha @powerpooh - they tried that "couldn't read the payslips"

Oops. Stupid phone. They tried that on me and I wasn't having any of it so they soon changed their excuse.

Hi Becca.
That's a good thought, but I was on ESA for a year.
They refused to put me in the 'longterm' group despite the lifetime DLA and a letter from my Consultant.
After a year, NO-ONE can claim contribution based ESA.
If your partner earns more than 23hours a week national minimum wage, your income is 'too high' (what a joke!) and it stops, dead.
From September, just as my operations begin, I will lose £450 per month income.
I asked the advisor how I was supposed to feed the children (I spoke nicely, it is not her fault what the Govt do) and she suggested I 'split up from your husband, you will get more money'.
What a world we live in

my deferment officially ends today. rang Erudio again this morning for an update. was told my application is still waiting to be looked at and that they are going to lift a direct debit tomorrow. (never been today what the amount will be)

Girl on the phone was actually nice though, compared to the numerous Neanderthals i have spoken to in the past. The girl put me on hold and spoke to a colleague who said that she would look at my application by the end of today. She also told me to ring my bank and tell them to stop the DD.

I am so fed up.

I can't say it enough.

If you are eligible to defer then remove that DD from your accounts!! 500 people have had money taken in "error". It's all very well saying you're protected under the DD guarantee but on top of trying to get deferred do you really want to chase a couple of £100 as well?!

You are not breaking any agreement if you are safeguarding YOUR BANK ACCOUNT from Erudio's INCOMPETENCE.

I cancelled my DD and nothing has happened. I didn't submit a new mandate and they said nothing and are supposedly deferring my loans for another year. You are only breaking an agreement if cancelling your DD means you put your payments into arrears. If you're not eligible to make a payment you're not doing anything wrong. Erudio are relying on you leaving your DD in place so "mistakes" can happen!

500 people have had money taken when they are in deferment - this is theft. You wouldn't leave your purse open while out in the street so why do it for erudio?

@Qubit - this is one reason i'm not convinced that blacking out sections of the deferment form covers us legally. I think the fact that you signed their form means you consent to whatever was on the form originally regardless of whether or not you have defaced it. I mean why else are they SO bloody-mindedly eager to get us to sign the forms? They admitted to me yesterday they don't need ANY part of the form to be filled in and would grant my deferment if I sent them a blank form SO LONG AS I SIGNED IT.

@halfpricedebt - you say you hadn't filled out their form... but you filled it in at least partially and signed it right?

@Dazzydog - I can't afford it either... I make about £500 a month total... but I have had enough of being bullied and lied to and I know this is the thin end of the wedge.

@halfprice.. yip that was their 1st excuse. I questioned how difficult it was to read a formated PDf document. Lo and behold they managed to read it fine enough when I questioned them then they changed their excuse to say that I didnt use their form. I questioned them again asking them to point out where in the literature they had sent did it state I must use their form, alas no answer.. anyway that's me on my lunchbreak now and I'm about to phone FOS. Wonder what they will say.

The only thing I filled in on their form was name and address. I didn't even sign it.

@powerpooh - funnily enough I phoned them again today regarding the stupid letter they sent me saying I didn't provide details that I was employed. I thought I'd double check on the deferment status seeing as they told me yesterday it would be accepted.

Guess what? There was nothing on my record about that and I had to go through all the same questions again regarding my employment etc. I asked the guy why they didn't update records when somebody calls and he assured me my record would be updated this time and I will get a letter within 7-10 days confirming.

Doubt it but I am finding it all rather funny now. It's like Carry On Debt Collecting featuring Benny Hill!

Hmm, im not too sure what to do at this point. Basically i think ill return the stuff ive got (signed/unsigned?) But i shall prepare myself for reporting them to the FOS I guess.

Well, my deferment ran out last Friday, their deferment pack said they'd start taking payments on the 10th May (unless I deferred). I didn't use their form, sent the template letter (with a few additions), along with 3 payslips etc. I only sent this a week or so before my previous deferment ran out.

They haven't taken (tried to take) a DD payment yet, but equally, I haven't heard anything from them either. No way I'm going to phone them, it'll all be in writing. I'm watching my bank account like a hawk though!

Either they haven't got around to running my DD yet (it's been setup pn my account), they have noted my letter and postponed DD until they get round to processing it fully, or I have successfully deferred using the template letter, and within a week.

Somehow I doubt it's the latter, especially based on other people's experiences so far. If they do try and take a DD, I'll be straight into the bank to get it reversed, then cancelled, then a FOS complaint.

Just off the phone from FOS. Unfortunately when I got to tell someone what these bastards are up to I became a sniffling tearful wreck and the poor guy on the phone didnt understand a word I was trying to say. Anyhow the up shot is

FOS are writting to Erudio on my behalf to lodge a formal complaint and asking for ALL collection activity on my account to be suspended until they had dealt with my complaint to a satisfactory level. The 8 week rule.

Erudio must respond to me personally and if any collecfion activities take place I have to get straight back in touch with FOS immediately.

We'll see what happens come the 23rd May. They still haven't said how much money they will take.

Erudio have deliberately been evasive and had they contacted me on the 17th April when my account was marked as incomplete then I could've fixed it. They have deliberately done this to squeeze payments out of people. Bastards!!! Sorry, but I really have had enough.

I'm leaving my DD in place at the moment to see of they will pay attention to FOS or not and if they don't they are gonna get it so tight from me..

I really urge people to get in touch with the FOS and ask for them to complain to Erudio on your behalf, I haven't gone direct to Erudio to complain other than the wee girl on the phone this morning but she wasn't really interested.

Poor wee man at FOS said he will go back over my telephone call to him to get all the details, bhe said I gave him a lot of information very quickly in a scottish accent that was getting stronger and stronger the more I was sobbing.. poor poor man.

Erudio will get a lettet from FOS tomorrow. .

Sorry this post is so long

Well I just got off the phone with the FOS and they didn't give a shit... just sounded bored and kept repeating that this sort of loan wasn't within their jurisdiction and he wasn't prepared to do anything. When I told him that the FOS had helped a number of other people in the same situation he more or less called me a liar.

@simonpimpernel

Try again.

Unfortunately in any big organisation your will always get the odd ignorant idiot answering the phones.

Okay here is an even more fun thing. I just rang Erudio to lodge a formal complaint (I will also send a letter) and was told that ERUDIO DO NOT FREEZE YOUR ACOUNT FOR THE DURATION OF THE COMPLAINT.

@simonpimpernel

I think they are telling you stories, i have a letter from them after my MP complained on my behalf, i quote "We confirm that all collection activity will be suspended until we have issued our final response."

They give the required 8 weeks to respond so technically that suspension could last 8 weeks certainly until they have supposedly investigated, if i am not satisfied i will take it to the FOS.

I won't phone them anymore everything is in writing as i don't trust them.

Give your MP a go, all i did was email mine and he was only too pleased to help, i have also been in touch with another MP and he is trying to help also, it might be worth a shot.

Just goes to show the lack of consistency from them.

I have a letter as a response to my complaint back in early April stating that

'all collection activity will be suspended until we have issued our final response'

Have sent off again 3 months wages slips because of their refusal to defer. Moreover, they are still persisting with their illegal T&C, namely a P60 plus a letter from my employer, in addition to the 3 months wage slips. I sent another covering letter venting my annoyance at their underhand tactics and requiring them to state in unambiguous terms their refusal to except the T&C of the 1998 act. Naturally, they will refuse to comply. I have told them that I am going to make a official complaint to the FOS. As someone said earlier in the thread, they are trying to wear us down by these tactics, which are illegal. Nevertheless, they are continuing with this strategy. It is about time the FOS made an official statement about this company/companies since it would seem that numerous people on this other and sites must have complained about. Would it be possible to obtain statistics from the FOS concerning this matter?

@firstchoice apologies I wasn't aware you had already gone that route. Yes ESA is only contribution based for a year or so now unless you are in support group.