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?

If they are treating individuals differently then I think we need to find out about what a low or high risk account means.

I'm of the impression that a low risk account has to do with how you've consistently updated info and always completed the deferment process. I'll be sending the letter back that they sent me detailing the two calls I've had and the two "you will be deferred" outcomes. If I don't get the letter then I'm sending all this info to the ombudsman.

The more I read about this Mickey Mouse company (and that's probably more of an insult to Mickey) the more unbelievable they are.

They really do not have a clue as to whats going on. The 24 hour complaint response I got yesterday has been and gone and surprise surprise no phonecall..

Still waiting on them telling me what my repayments will be however I have a funny feeling they won't get round to it.

In a sadistic kind of way I'm hoping they do attempt to take my money because after FOS agreed to take on my complaint with Erudio they are gonna be right up shit creek with the FOS if they do. I am deferment end minus 8 days!

I will update when I have any more answers or amusing stories from our friends at Erudio.

If those are the criteria for being low risk, I meet them without exception. I'm glad to hear about your experience Halfpricedebt. It bodes well for me having my deferment successfully processed too. Fingers crossed

@emptycoffers Thanks for that, I've already written on the form that I don't consent to the FPN, or agree with the statement on the DD mandate that I must have a DD during deferment, but I'll add your comment on any change to the T&C's to my covering letter, to back that up.

I checked the dates for last year's deferment with the SLC and my application's dated 30 April and SLC's letter granting deferment is dated 15 May. So I've added a comment that I expect to have confirmation of my deferment before the current period ends, using SLC's processing times as a benchmark. If Erudio's sole function is to act as debt collector administrator for the pre-1998 outstanding loans, then they can't justify having a slower processing time, when SLC are responsible for issuing new loans as well as administering old ones.

Thought I'd also copy in the FOS on my covering letter (might follow this up by email so Erudio can see that the FOS have been copied in), and say that if there are excessive delays in granting deferment, I'll be informing the FOS and asking them to step in. It might not have any effect, but at least lets Erudio know that I'm aware of the ombudsman service and prepared to use it if need be.

well I've caved in and phoned them to check the status of my deferment... despite having my application since 9th April (I sent signed forms with sections blacked out & covering letter) they are saying my evidence is incomplete - but they can't tell me why . Person I spoke to said "it may be the dates on the payslips and bank statements". I asked what that meant and he said "they may be out of date". I said that makes no sense as I've sent you the most up to date possible at the time of sending. He then said he would "put my application into stage 2" whatever that means, look into it and phone me back today. I really did not want to give him my phone number but I'm so desperate to sort this I did give him my mobile number (its an old pay as you go phone and I figure I could ditch it if they start harassing me!). Not convinced I will get a phone call back anyway. Am even more worried than I was before now!!

I chuckled at your Mickey Mouse joke Powerpooh :) I'm thinking the same. I almost want them to take the money out. It would give more weight to my complaint.

Is there an email address for Martin Lewis?

Must be a contact email address somewhere on his site?

My citizens advice bureau rang them today, be warned they do not like talking to anyone else on your behalf, which is really really poor if you have a disability that makes using phones difficult.

They got funny with the citizens advice bureau. Why was she phoning as my deferrment was granted last week? No one told me it was granted on Monday, I was told it wasn't as They only got the form middle of last week. They said they don't have to confirm anything in writing or return anything and if I didn't want money taken in 'error' to cancel my direct debit though I may incur a charge if I do so.

They also had the nerve to ask about my inability to manage the phone myself and whether I was really ill or just a bit anxious and the citizens advice woman said both - was not impressed, she had no right telling them that.

I have now cancelled my direct debit and am forwarding my complaint plus this from today to the ombudsman.

So I may or may not have a deferrment but at least the lying thieves won't be getting any of my cash. As the bank and citizens advice pointed out deferrment isn't optional, even though they say it is, they do not have the right to put a direct debit on my account and given the conflicting advice being given to people not to let them have access to my account unless I 100% trust them to behave properly. I did fill in the direct debit part of the deferrment form, but having been told they may still take payment in error I cannot afford to leave it in place.

I don't get why people are saying not to phone erudio.

For one thing erudio (as a financial services company) have a legal obligation to record every call and apply it to the relevant record. Secondly if you phone from your mobile you have an automatic record of when you called them - time, date and duration. This is all evidence you can submit to the ombudsman to back up your complaint, especially if the complaint is about incompetence and lack of communication or effective record keeping by erudio. It all stacks up in your favour - not erudio's. They'd be in a world of trouble if they started harassing you when you've shopped them to the ombudsman.

For my part I don't care what they do now. I've done what I'm legally obliged to do. If I don't get a deferment letter next week then I'm off to the ombudsman.

That's outrageous Becca. So sorry you had to go through that.

I'm now feeling more than a bit confused to say the least!

In light of your experience I phoned them again to make sure my account has updated. Apparently a letter confirming my deferment was sent out yesterday so will update when I get it.

anyone actually had a phone call back from them when they've said they will or am I deluded in thinking they will call me back today?

Interestingly have heard from 2 more people who after much badgering of the SLC have now had it confirmed that as they have a loan with both Erudio and Thesis/Honours, then the SLC is going to stay in complete control of doing the deferments for thsoe as they have always done.

Makes sense otherwise you would have to do deferment with 2 companies, and that could potentially lead to the unacceptably bizarre situation where you are refused deferment by one and deferred by the other on the same evidence. Plus it would be unfair to make people to it twice anyway.

So potential good news for the small group of people who have loans split between 2 companies.

If they want the form for the signed declaration - I doubt it, as sounds another feeble excuse- no reason why you cannot copy the declaration out and sign that. ;)

I copied and pasted the declaration almost verbatim into my letter and they still refuse to process my deferment so...

@ bobsyouruncle

Im still waiting on them replying to emails, phonecalls, complaints, letter etc for over 4 weeks now..

Good luck though, you might just be the one exception.

That confirms they are just doing it to be awkward then, or because they they can't bring themselves to admit the truth that the form isn't required. Not for any faintly legitimate reason.

Unbelievably pathetic company.

^ that to simonpimpernel

Well i now have an update on my deferment.

my deferment period ends today 14/5/14. I rang again today and after a LONG ... wait on hold i have been my application has been accepted. She seemed very surprised because she kept checking her computer and kept reconfirming that i have been approved and my account is now in deferral until 14/05/2015.

She has also said that a direct debit has been requested from my account and that it will go out of my account tomorrow. she advised that i contact my bank asap and tell them i want to file an indemnity claim.

thoughts so - deluded . Oh well I will phone tomorrow and see if there is any update... 5 days until deferment ends.

Hi all. Been a keen observer of this thread for some time and cannot thank everyone enough for their help, thus far with these scoundrels!

My plight, and latest is: having always deferred no problem (still well below the threshold) I received their ridiculous deferment forms. I chose NOT to fill this in and instead use the template cover letter kindly provided on here, plus my 3 months payslips.

Sent 1st class recorded, it was signed for 1 day later by Erudio. A month passed with no news. I called their 0113 no. and spoke to a nice lady who stated my application was being processed and not to worry. My deferment date ended on 9th May, having sent my details on 7th April. Yesterday I returned home to find a letter from Erudio stating all was ok, however until they receive my SIGNED application they cannot process the deferment.

Just called them again, spoke to someone who sounded half asleep, told him the reasons why I shouldn't have to sign something that was never needed to defer in the past, but he kept repeating what he was obviously being fed - without a SIGNED form they will not process. I asked to speak to supervisor.

After speaking to him (to be fair he spoke pleasantly) he repeated the mantra but assured me nothing would be reported and it would not affect my credit rating IF I remained in a deferred state, which I would be in once I return the signed form. He also claimed that SLC also held the same rights to contact CRA's but 'chose not to make it public', like they have.

After me stating it's all well and good communicating this verbally with no comebacks, he now claims he is not getting one of his minions to draft me a letter confirming that I will not be affected negatively via CRA and ratings by simply signing the form and being in a deferred state.

He also stated that I don't need to fill out the rest of the application as I have provided enough evidence (my 3 payslips) to show I can be deferred - they just want a SIGNED form back.

So....what to do now? Wait for this letter, then return the form, signed? Not sign it? To be honest I'm really fearful of it and it's all wearing me down - exactly what they want, but I'm hoping to apply for a mortgage in a month or so and don't want anything to jeopardize it at all - should I sign and be done with it?

This is an awful weight which has been unfairly placed on our shoulders!!

Any help/advice greatly received!

@ mandakl @ simonpimpernel

I copied and pasted the declaration almost verbatim into my letter and they still refuse to process my deferment so

I'm no fan or apologist for Erudio but ... the clue may well be in 'almost verbatim'...

There are loads of people on this and other forums implying you can avoid debts entirely by doing this or saying that or signing signatures upside down in native american burial grounds and none of that is even remotely true.

BUT... (and I've worked in a major form processing centre handling thousands of forms per day) when you have to go through everybody's UNIQUE letter just to check whether they have made a valid statement - word for word - you soon see the point of simply asking everybody to sign the same standard form - it's unrealistic to expect customer service staff to have the legal know-how to process all of our individual and uniquely pedantic takes on what is and isn't right - in the end these forms have to be electronically scanned and conform to some retrievable, standard document format - and it's quite likely that is at least one of the reasons Erudio (like SLC) would like the signed pages returned - in the same size, the same font, with the same searchable text etc etc

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar...

ps. apologies if I sound like a pompous smug fecker - don't mean to.