Student Finance- Stressing out parents

Casati

I would suggest he talks to the NUS, his University's own branch should be able to help even though he has left. Most Universitys have a long waiting list for accomodation, maybe speak to the Housing Officer to check if this is the case.

Actually I do sympathise. I went to University as a Mature Student 03-06 and certainly then the whole grants/loans/tuition fees system was about as transparent as a brick wall.

charleyc

My brother actually wrote to the accommodation service in January and they didn't reply to him.

Oldernotwiser

charleyc wrote: »

My brother actually wrote to the accommodation service in January and they didn't reply to him.

Well, did he write again and did he write to the LEA and the SLC? There's a lot to sort out when you drop out of university - it's not like leaving a Saturday job!

charleyc

Yes, thankyou oldernotwiser, this is the point, we have contacted all parties involved.
We're not idiots, the reason I posted on here was for a financial advice, not to have my family analysed.

Lokolo

You're asking for loopholes, there aren't any. I said that in my post. I gave you 'advice', you can't get out of it.

We're not going to say "Oh its fine you can do X and Y to get out of it" if its not possible....

charleyc

I appreciate that and I have have taken on board all your advice.

Oldernotwiser

charleyc wrote: »

Yes, thankyou oldernotwiser, this is the point, we have contacted all parties involved.
We're not idiots, the reason I posted on here was for a financial advice, not to have my family analysed.

I'm not trying to analyse your family but many people don't realise, for example, that the SLC and others won't normally discuss financial matters with someone who is not the borrower. YOU were the one who said that your parents had applpied for the loan and were worrying about paying it back, not me!

charleyc

Well, thank you all who gave advice on this thread.

Lokolo

Also with the base rate today, if banks follow we get a nice reduction in the interest rate woop woop!

whitfreak

charleyc wrote: »

Hi all,
I'm new to this so, I'll try and be brief.
Basically my younger brother started a university course in September 2008, obviously its very different to when I went 10 years ago, mainly fees which have trebled and costs.
So here we go.
His fees for the course were £943 a term- and his accommodation was £84 per week- quite pricey!
My parents could never afford to pay this money straight out, (and couldn't when I went to uni) so took out a student loan.
My brother had £543 grant from the loans company and the reast was a loan at £1183.38.

There is all the money side of things, basically my brother realised after a couple of months that he wasn't enjoying himself, he found the course really hard and hadn't made many friends so decided to quit. He spoke to the uni and they told him if he quit before the 1st of december he would get a refund back from his fees back to the student loan. He did all the paper work, quit and came back home. He was then told he would not get a refund because his fees were meant to have been paid in full (althought this was not mentioned at the time) plus, because he was not in University on the 1st of Decemeber, when the figures from the uni were sent to the student loans company, obviously my brother wasn't present, thus he did not receive his student loan installment, and his fees were not paid.
Then we received a letter saying that the "GRANT" had been overpaid by £182 and needed repaying asap( I thought a grant was a grant not a loan).
And now the Accommodation company wants the full £2400 paid by June (alhtough he's not living there, he is still paying £84 per week, and trying to re-let his room), and the university want the fees (£943) paid by the 1st of March!
My parents do not have the money to pay these at all, hence the reason they took out the student loan in the first place, these people are not being very helpful at all, and its causing alot of stress.
My brother is working as much as possible to get some cash together but will be having an op on his hand and will be off work for a month.
What can we do? Are there any loop holes where they have to take a minimum payment?
We realise university isn't free, and we realise there are probably people in similar situations.
Please send me any information that could lighten the situation, look forward to hearing from you! :mad:

Did he get a tutition fee loan? or did he pay it out of his own money? Either way the university should have a clear policy on fees liable by students withdrawing. Mine had the by 1 December no fees, after that date the full years fees were payable. It should be in the paperwork he's reseived and will be binding. But other universitys will have different policys. If he's got in writing that no fees would be liable then I'd imagine that a short disgussion with CAB will get the uni off his back.

As to the repayment of grant, you should be able to agree a repayment plan with them. They rather that than a straight default.

The maintainance loans will become be repayable on the normal terms of 9% over 15K/yr.

As he's still paying the rent, I dont know quite why the accomidation company are getting all arsy about it. Read the contract see what it says about leaving. Unfortunately most student lets are fixed term, and quite hard to get out of in comparison to normal lets. Make sure he keeps a record of what rents he's paid, just incase there is a dispuit on that front. I hope that letter is just stating that the full rent is still owed, even though he's not there and nothing more serious.

Good Luck