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?

@Moraki7 - Thank you he'll try that this morning.

@emptycoffers Yes he's under the threshold. The bank did tell him that the direct debit originated from a company called ESL Ltd, but he didn't click right away that it was the student loan. When he was there he did ask about the DD Guarantee, but the person he spoke too said it would only be done in exceptional circumstances after he had complained to the company that took the money. I see from this thread and the other one that they should do a no quibble refund when no payment information has been provided.

@Whorudio

Banks staff are talking tosh on that. You say the debit was in error and the bank MUST take you word for it. Complain to more senior staff.

whorudio I think you should be able to get the money back from under the direct debit guarantee.
Also, complain to Erudio - that should get your DH loan put onto an 8 week deferment whilst they investigate.
Can I also recommend you notify your MP. Mine was unaware that there were any problems with Erudio and is contacting them on my behalf. I think the more MPs in the know that there is a problem the better. Especially as the government is planning to sell off all the 'new' student loans in the next few months. Bearing in mind that newer loans have a clause that the interest can be changed at the owners whim I would be very concerned if I was a new loan student currently deferring - the government could easily up the interest rates to make the loans attractive to a purchasing company.

Update:
I sent evidence, a letter covering: deferment, logging a complaint and requesting original loan agreement plus a cheque for £1 on 23rd april. I ignored a phone call from them yesterday and have received a letter today (much quicker than I envisaged)

In the letter they confirm that I am eligible for deferral but won't accept deferral until I return their form!

to quote:

"We can confirm with the evidence provided in your letter that your deferment will be accepted upon receipt of your signed Deferment Application Form, you do not need to complete any details other than your name and address on the form.

Without the form we are unable to upload your details onto the deferment module and run it through the acceptance process. We are unable to manually over-ride this."

They say they will not record my information with any CRAs as I "did not sign the Fair Processing Notice" unless I fall behind with future payments if not eligible for deferral. (I have a 98 and 99 loan)

They have sent me an envelope addressed to the Customer Resolution Dept at Leeds.

They have also returned my cheque and state that the loan agreements will be forwarded free of charge as a 'gesture of goodwill' (lol)

Are they talking out of their a**e with regards to using their form? I don't want to sign it!

slightly off topic but just reading the new Money Saving Expert article on erudio. Does anyone believe Erudio (maybe Erudio) when they say that only about 50 people have had DDs taken?

Q: I've had payments taken by mistake. Can I get a refund?

A: Erudio says the 50 or so customers who had payments taken by mistake will have these refunded automatically. You don't need to do anything to get this money back.

Erudio will also reimburse any additional fees incurred as a result of the mistake, for instance if you went into your overdraft. If you think you're owed these, you'll need to ring Erudio on 0845 217 1134 to get your money back. You'll also have to provide evidence of of any fees incurred.

Customers who have a direct debit taken by mistake can also get a refund from their bank or building society under the Direct Debit Guarantee.

also, to test that theory, anyone had any payments taken this week?

@Flossychops That is great news. Did they actually tell you they won't pass your info to CRAs as you didn't sign the Fair Processing Notice, then ask you to sign the deferment application form... which has the Fair Processing Notice? At least they have a sense of humour.

If it were me, I probably wouldn't sign the form. They have admitted in writing you have satisfied the requirements for deferment in terms of the regulations. They have no choice but to defer. There is nothing in law to stop us for requesting deferment by covering letter every year. We are not responsible for their IT failures.

quote=Flossychops: Are they talking out of their ae with regards to using their form? I don't want to sign it!

Talking? They are sing a whole opera out of their a**es with that lame excuse for wanting you to sign the form.

So this is the final trick they have to get you to sign their forms?

As someone just pointed out on the MSE thread, they want your sig on the forms so they can claim you agreed to their changes in the the T&Cs.

Interesting the lies Erudio have told and been forced to back down on?

• You need a P60 to defer? No you don't, they backed down on that fiction last week.

• All loans will be reported on credit reports regardless? Back down on that one confirming only earlier loans and later ones where you agree to it or default will be reported.

• You need a direct debit in place? Backed down on that allowing deferment when is not the case or people refuse to give it.

• Now the "you need to use the forms to qualify for deferment"? Now backed down on that porky pie, with a last ditch feeble excuse as to why they want it.

Sure there are more as well....

This company is running out of excuses, thanks to threads like this exposing their fibs. :)

They can't need a form completed in law, surely. I suppose you could put name and address on it and sign it and cross everything else out on it and write - refer to our letters dated XYZ, keep a copy and return that.

It really is laughable.

I won't be signing their form. They have already admitted I am eligible for deferral, they don't have a direct debit for me (a fact this latest letter never mentioned) - what can they do??

@JessicaMary

No they don't. It's their last ditch pathetic excuse.

Make sure you make a formal complaint that they are refusing a valid and legal deferral, and that you will be taking them to the FOS about it in due course if they continue to refuse.

Of course Mandakl, just composing my letter now :-)

Hi was wondering if anyone can help. I sent off my deferment at beginning of March hadn't heard anything so I called and got told I had only sent two payslips instead of three and positive I sent all three and that I also had to send a copy of my bank statement showing child benefit paid in.
I sent all information including a copy of my P60 by recorded delivery I have now received a letter stating that I still haven't sent enough information. They said they have January, February and Aprils payslip but not March - it turns out my March payslip is dated 2 April. My deferment runs out on 9 May and Im terrified they are going to take money from my account as I don't have it. I now email all the info and I have to call this afternoon to see if they have received. Can they refuse my deferment due to my payslip being dated wrong? Thanks

Hi Dons

I am beginning to think Erudio honestly believe that everybody with loans from the 90s and who are still deferring have evidently been using cunning tricks to dodge repaying all this time. In your case, they must think you were paid a vast fortune in March!

In all seriousness they might try, but they cannot legitimately refuse your deferment on grounds that a payslip is dated incorrectly. Could you ask your employer for written confirmation that the date is misleading?

I am no sure what is happening to my request to defer as I am one of those people who genuinely earn £0.00 apart from child benefit (which goes to the kids, oddly enough). My wife is very low paid and tighter than two coats of paint anyway, so I don't get a penny from her!

I read on Erudio's FAQ that they are challenging those who claim to earn £0.00 to "provide an accurate reflection of your current circumstances". Although I have heard nothing from them at all, I did provide more bank statements that they would ever need.

The problem for Erudio is that they had the idea they were going to be able to recoup £890million on debts for which they paid only £160 million. Now that they have noticed this isn't going to happen, they are doing all they can to make everything awkward for everyone.

Since it is likely somebody from Erudio reads this site, I have a few questions for them to include in their FAQ section:

1. Why does it take so long for us to answer an email?
2. Why are we attempting to turn legitimate deferrers into people with "bad debts"?
3. Since absolutely no item of post arrives at our office at all, then what exactly are we snowed under with?
4. Did we really think we were going to be able to make hundreds of millions from these loans?

Just got an email from erudio, 12 days after I demanded to be refunded.

They confirm that I have been deferred until 2015 but also said...

Please be advised that a payment for £84.52, was returned to your bank as the direct debit was cancelled, therefore no refund is due. We can also advise that we do not have a direct debit mandate set up on your account.

I didn't cancel the direct debit and have just checked my account and it is still active!?!
All I did was claim back my money through the direct debit guarantee.

They are absolutely useless.....I will watch my account next month to see if they help themselves again.

@flossychops

How long did they take from the time you sent your evidence till they replied?

from Simon Read at the Independent today:
www.independent.co.uk/money/spend-save/erudio-student-loans-time-to-complain-to-the-ombudsman-9304826.html

@Moraki

Are they claiming that the amount was returned to your account as a result of you making a claim through the Direct Debit guarantee?

Did you get any money back?

It is hard to find the words to describe how useless these people are.

@flossychops. That was a really quick turnaround. They've had my letter and evidence since 10th April and I've heard not a jot from them. They have until I get home this evening and they will be getting another letter from me.

They are really starting to pi$$ me off. But I find it funnny how they are getting themselves tied up in their own $hite tactics.. from the looks of the mse threads Martin Lewis is teying to do something about it at least.

The thing Erudio obviously haven't realised is that they are dealing with educated people who do know whats acceptable and whats not and that we willl be and have been standing up to their bullyboy tactics.

@dazzydog

Yes I think that's what they are meaning which is fine because it's what I did but it's the fact that they say they have no direct debit mandate set up on my account...?
I ask the bank when ESL set up the direct debit and they told me 6 March, it's still showing as active on my account now.

educated enough to not even know if it is erudio we are even dealing with?

@Dazzydog

Sorry meant to say, yes I got all money back but from the bank not erudio