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 dont think anyone has said blacking out the forms was a way to get a successful deferral and stop info going to CRAs. People just said this is what they have tried. No one knows yet how the CRA thing will play out, I would imagine any info passed to CRAs will start appearing in the next couple of months.

It also depends on if your loans are pre or post 98. Pre and they can go to CRAs. Post 98 loans shouldn't go, even if you have signed their form as Erudio, BIS and other Gov. depts have all stated Erudio are not changing the original Ts&Cs, and these state post 98 loans cannot be shared.

This has been stated multiple times and the email from BIS categorically stated post 98 loans could not be shared. Signing their form doesn't give consent to change this IMO.

Above post was for Simon

I have four loans... two pre-98 and two post... altho I hear that my two pre-98 loans have been rolled into one apparently. I am fine with the pre-98 ones being shared as they are entitled to do that anyway.

@ichibodt

Well WE know they don't have permission but so far as they are concerned they will be doing it anyway.

It's like I have been saying all along with the Direct Debits and the forms and refusing deferment on arbitrary grounds etc... they have no right to do any of this stuff but they are doing it and will keep doing it until someone with some clout steps in and holds them to account.

I've been following this thread with interest - empathising with all the comments but hoping my deferment would be processed without a hitch all the while (optimistic I know!).

I sent my deferment info via recorded delivery at the end of April (which was received by Erudio shortly afterwards). I signed their form, didn't answer or provide details that I didn't think they needed - but basically provided all info I used to give SLC.

I see today that my Erudio DD has listed a payment of £101 due to come out on the 27th May.

So I decided it was finally time to bite the bullet and call Erudio and see where I was in the deferment process - only to be told they hadn't received my forms! The girl on the phone asked where I had sent the forms - which was slightly confusing as I returned them in the envelope Erudio had provided.

So my dilemma is this - do I;

1. Cancel the DD before the payment is taken from my account (putting me in arrears with Erudio - which would be removed when/if! my deferment is agreed).

1. Let the money come out and take it up with the back under the DD Guarantee.

1. Have Erudio take the money, hope they process the deferment, and then chase reimbursement from them directly.

I would appreciate what your thoughts are on what I should do!

Thanks.

@sim

@simon

Damn ph

Lol

My damn phone is going nuts

@simon

They are indeed making a huge mess of things but just because people on the forums state DDs are taken incorrectly and deferment has been refused incorrectly etc etc doesn't mean that's how it's going for everyone, or indeed it's going how Erudio intended.

I've not even had a DD setup on my account let alone having incorrect payments taken. My deferment was accepted and processed in about 3 weeks in total.

I'm no fan of Erudio and am always willing to suspect the worst from them but I'm uncertain, at this time, regarding their true intentions. I'm sure they want less people to defer and maximise their income but are they immoral or incompetent and uncaring? I'm not sure yet and going by the experience of couple hundred forum posters when over 40000 are in the deferral process is not a smart way to judge how things are going.

Update from me.

No money has been taken from my account. Thanks god. One less stress than I needed.

However, I got 2 written, yes written! letters from erudio today. The first saying they had received my formal complaint and that they had 8 weeks to look in to it. Now this letter was written 2 days after FOS lodged a complaint on my behalf so I am wondering if there is a correlation. Also in both FOS complaint and my complaint Erudio were asked to stop collection activity until it was dealt with. This could be why no payments have been taken. I dont know.

Now the second letter from them was another deferment form. They stated my evidence was fine but I had omitted to sign the form - I hadn't sent a form!! Anyway it looks like Erudio do have us over a barrell on this one no sign form no get deferment. .

Oh the joys!!

Just for info for others...
I finally received confirmation this week that I am deferred with 3 days to go until my current deferment expired. They have set up a direct debit on my account ( I reluctantly provided my new bank details as I felt I had to). The accompanying letter also states that if I cancel this direct debit I am breaking the terms of the loan agreement.

I blacked out the CRA section and stated that I did not agree to them passing info to CRAs, (I have 96,97,98 loans). I am currently registered with all CRAs and check my files regularly. I have noticed today that Erudio did a search on my Call Credit account a couple of weeks ago. It is only on there as a search at the moment, they have not marked my credit file with the loan and it does not appear on the other CRA files as yet. I would be interested to know if others have noticed anything appearing on their credit files.

@simonpimpernel please contact the FOS.

You dont have to have made a complaint to erudio before you do this. This is what I have done and as a result I am past my deferment date, no money has been taken and I got 2 letters from Erudio today. There must be a link between all of this and FOS getting involved..

@IchibodT

All I can go by is my own experience and based on that it seems to me like a) Erudio have had an agenda from the start and despite all the brouhaha from borrowers and the media and despite their assurances otherwise they don't seem to be actually deviating from that agenda and b) Erudio have done nothing but lie to me... I could have forgiven incompetence but I have caught them out in several outright and deliberate lies.

I know this might not be the same experience for everyone (altho it should be noted that most people signed the forms without looking at them properly or giving it a second thought) but like I said I have to base my opinions on my own experiences and on what they are telling me is their policy.

@Powerpooh

Oh I will. I had put all that stuff on hold to concentrate on getting a deferment... but now that I (supposedly) have been deferred I'm going to draft a letter to send out to the FOS and a few others.

@simon

If your loans are before 1998 they have permission.

And I mean on those loans. If they are getting mixed up on which ones they are referring to in any letter that is another matter.

Also what they say or write is one thing. Test is in what they do.

Given the track record that could again be completely different.

I'm writing a letter and I could use a little help please. Where was it stated by Erudio that they have since gone back on their claim that you must have a direct debit set up with them? I think it was a Martin Lewis interview or something? Does anyone have the link?

Don't recall seeing them admit it in any official article. But Erudio have been telling people that consistently that now from what has been said.

Two weeks I received a letter from Erudio, who refused to defer my mortgage style student loans. They required a further 3 months of payslips showing gross pay. I had previously done this along with a request for my original student loan document, and, additionally my complaints about their conduct in this matter. In order to try to get deferment, I sent them to Erudio, along with another letter of complaint and another request for my original loan documents. Furthermore, I followed this up, for good measure, with a secondary letter of complaint. Now, I have just received a reply, stating "how sorry they are about my concerns", and could I use their official complaint letter. Not only this, they are indicating they inform the Credit ratings agencies. Finally, they said" if I am not satisfied with their response, I can contact the F.O.S after 2 months. Despite sending them my letters of complaint, they want me to use theirs. Which poses the question why? It seems to me it is a further example of delay. What do they hope to gain from procrastinating? It seems to me that at the moment Erudio is in the glare of publicity. By delaying: they hope to kick the problem into the long grass, the media will focus on other problems, politicians will lose interest and the general public at large. Then they can continue trying to wear us down through psychological tactics and continual harassment. As I have wrote earlier in this thread, their goal is long term. The moment you push the envelope, they will continue pushing, just as most bullies. They are deliberately using divide and rule tactics to achieve their ends. Moreover, by deviating from the original T&C of the 1998 act, will encourage them to pursue their goals. These debt companies have absolutely no scruples, even in business, whatsoever. Someone earlier in thread wrote about our children, when they go to University, maybe at the hands of they these despicable scoundrels. That is why we need to fight these Latchikos.

Yes a delaying tactic. The want the 8 weeks to start later than when you actually complained for the first time.

im new here after feeling a little worried i hadnt heard from them i found this forum on thursday evening before i knew it i had read 35 pages and it was 4.30 am friday and ended up feeling very worried stressed and sad to what erudio (and our gov for selling the loans) has done to everyones anxiety and stress levels !!
My situation is filled it all in and signed it 3 weeks ago (wish i hadnt ticked the homeowner bit now as own a house outright my mum gave me some years ago) i live on the poverty line self employed with 52 tax credits a week the form said copy my self assement tax form be enough, friday i get a letter saying they wanted payslips (being self employed i dont have any) and because i included some christmas and birthday cash presents on form they wanted a letter from third pary support hahaha they really think im going to get my 87 year old mum to write a letter for that and them haha!!! anyway i rang them on the 011 number (i never ring a 085 number unless really have to. He said what someone said on here that they have suspended the first payment date by 28 days he also said one can cancel the direct debit i think thats a trap but we cant be sure. I only 2 years to go to be 60 before was dreading 60 as being getting old now i cant wait and get this student loan off my back ! So iv sent them now 3 months of bank statements and the proof of my tax credits reward payments iv sent 1st class registrated post if after they have signed for it the next day will ring if i am not deffered at that point i will make the offical compliants etc. Now today iv had a letter from them about the DD wanting me to confirm if the details are correct and the amount to be debited is 171.26 on the 20th may the letter has no mention of my defferal or that theres 28 days suspension on accounts like mine they want more info. The letter is signed by a P.Thompson so im going to write to him on tuesday registrated post and tell him that if my account is debited i will be holding him personelly responsible for any overdraught charges i might incuer and be charging him 35 for the time i will have to spend getting the DD guarantee process.

Powerpooh - my deferment was up last week (15th) and no money has been taken from my account. The only contact I have had with them is one phone call, in which I was told they could not extend the deferment deadline despite the delay in processing being down to their backlog. I assume they have added an extra month automatically now to May deferments, probably down to the media/FOS pressure.

Of course I'm abroad and there may be a letter crawling its way towards me confirming deferment, but I suspect I won't get away that easily.

@Frau.
They certainly are not quick in sending out informartion. I got 1 letter from them on saturday dated 15th May and another dated 20th. To be fair the one dated the 20th was about a fornal complaint that both myself and FOS had made. So they jumped on that one quick smart.

As for them giving us "an extra month" for May deferments I don't think they are that nice or understanding to be honest. It is in their interest not to let us defer when we are allowed to. At the end of the day they are debt collectors and they will no doubt have some shocking tactic up their sneaky little sleeves to try to get us to pay up.

@dropdeaderudio.

Please contact the FOS. They are there to help us, the little people in this murky pile of poo that Erudio have made.

That is truly shocking what they have said/done to you. I know I keep harping on about the FOS but I think having them on board is the reason why Erudio have now got their finger out and are responding to my complaints. My deferment ended Thursday and no monies have been collected, yet!! I'm still waiting to hear about my deferment.

The more people who contact FOS the better. Tell them Erudio are failing to respond to you and they are giving conflicting information. Request all collection activity be suspended until your complaint is dealt with and you are deferred and have it comfirmed in writing.

Yesterday I wrote about Erudio rejecting my letter of complaint and insisting that I follow their complaints procedure, which is a delaying tactic. Having examined their letter in a cooler frame of mind, they state at the end of it " The Financial ombudsman only has jurisdiction in respect of Eligible complaints as defined by the Financial Conduct Authority and we cannot guarantee that you are an Eligible Compliant"
It appears to me this is a tactic to dissuade people with legitimate complaints from appealing to The F.O.B and, in addition their is a large reservoir of complaints ready to be poured on to their heads from the F.O.B. I have checked the database at the FO.B for upheld complaints against them from April until now and none has appeared yet. Has anyone received similar letters when their letter of complaint was rejected?