Need help with "Recovery of Overpaid Grant"

Gazmondo

Enrolled in a course in 2007/2008 for HND computing at a local college, completed the first year although the college dismissed the second year as there weren't enough people for it to be financially viable for them to do. I was given the full maintenance grant of £2765 paid in 3 installments over the year. I never withdraw from the course at anytime during the 1 year I spent there.

I have received a letter today stating my maintenance grant allowance has been re-assessed and I am only allowed a maximum of £1865, and I need to repay the £900, because I have "withdrawn" from the course.

Since I did the 1 year at the college I never enrolled in any other college, before, during, or after, and it was their fault the second year didn't go ahead, so where do I stand with this?? Surely I can't be expected to pay back the £900 when I was entitled to it for that year, and never withdrew from the whole of that year, the college ended the course after the first year! Gonna ring them tomorrow but need some assistance on anyone who's dealt with this sort of thing before as to what I should expect??

Oldernotwiser

What paperwork can you produce to show that you completed the year and the college didn't offer the second year?

Gazmondo

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

What paperwork can you produce to show that you completed the year and the college didn't offer the second year?

None, I wasn't given any.

We had the problem in the first year, so they merged us with the guys who had already done a year, so effectively we did the 2nd year first, then was going to come back to do the first year, but there weren't enough people again. so they informed us verbally (as there were only 2 of us left) that they weren't going to do another year.

Taiko

You need to get that in writing from the university first. Sounds rather odd that situation there, not right at all. Which college was this?

Gazmondo

Taiko wrote: »

You need to get that in writing from the university first. Sounds rather odd that situation there, not right at all. Which college was this?

It was Dearne Valley College.

I'll ring both parties tomorrow and see what's what.

Either way, I can't see any valid reason why I should pay back what I was evidently entitled to.

Oldernotwiser

I'm sure you shouldn't have to pay this money back but you will need to prove it. Was there no correspondence between yourself and the college over this unusual occurrence? They can't have just called you in and said "tough, the course isn't going to finish!"

Surely you received some sort of transcript showing that you had successfully completed your first year so that you could transfer to the second year elsewhere?

Gazmondo

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I'm sure you shouldn't have to pay this money back but you will need to prove it. Was there no correspondence between yourself and the college over this unusual occurrence? They can't have just called you in and said "tough, the course isn't going to finish!"

Surely you received some sort of transcript showing that you had successfully completed your first year so that you could transfer to the second year elsewhere?

It was all verbal, it was 50/50 at the beginning of the year as to whether we would be able to proceed with the course, the only way to do this was to merge with the guys that were already onto their second year. Therefore neither of us (as there were only two of us left after that year) completed all the assignments, which the teachers were fine with as we hadn't been taught alot of what we were expected to do. The plan was to catch up during the next year (which would be the first year, alot easier). Although as there were only 2 of us left, it was looking very likely it wasn't going ahead, and they said they wouldn't be doing another year.

I found it hard to move because it was a university course being taught at a college, all the other colleges required application through UCAS (although I didn't have enough UCAS points) whereas Dearne Valley was just a mere application and interview. Even explaining my situation to other colleges they just said I still have to apply via UCAS, and do the year again.

Taiko

What probably won't help is that on the SLC database, the HND computing is still there for 08/09. I've just checked on there now.

You need something in writing from the college that the course was discontinued. In those circumstances, I'd write off any overpayment. It's very rare this happens though.

Gazmondo

Taiko wrote: »

What probably won't help is that on the SLC database, the HND computing is still there for 08/09. I've just checked on there now.

You need something in writing from the college that the course was discontinued. In those circumstances, I'd write off any overpayment. It's very rare this happens though.

Appreciate that, so the only way to get it written off is if the college has in writing the course was discontinued?

How come this is a rare occurance? Surely they can't lie about it?

Also, wasn't the maintenance grant for that first year? So even if I did withdraw from the course after the first year, I still received what I was entitled to surely?

Poolie

Even if the course was discontinued, you should have not received the grant in anyway.

If you withdraw from the course then you should not have received any financial support for the following year.

Gazmondo

Poolie wrote: »

Even if the course was discontinued, you should have not received the grant in anyway.

If you withdraw from the course then you should not have received any financial support for the following year.

I didn't receive anything for the following year, nor did I apply for anything! Only applied for first year maintenance support, received it, completed the year, then the course was discontinued.