Forgotten debt

edindie

A friend of mine has just had a call from the university she graduated from 4 years ago saying she owed them £600. The Council paid £600 towards her fees in the first 2 years but says they never received the form which would enable them to pay the £600 in the last year. She thinks she would have submitted the form, but as it's so long ago she can't be sure.

What are her rights here? She's graduated already and it's not her fault the university didn't raise this earlier. How can we find out who's fault it is (like did she forget to file the form or did the council lose it?) Does it matter?

Can she just refuse to pay; the university has a policy that you can't graduate with debts to them, so since they let her graduate it's reasonable for her to assume that all debts with them are paid, yes?

Thanks for any advice people can give.

Mk14:37

If she simply refuses to pay, it's likely that the debt will be passed on to a Debt Collection Agency. Better to follow up with the Council and insist that she absolutely did submit the forms, that they lost them and that they have to do everything they possibly can to make it right.

edindie

I suppose she's the responsible party and is responsible for making sure any 3rd parties pay her dues?

savemoney

I think they can recover debt up to 6 years

http://www.payplan.com/debt-library/joint-and-several-liability-the-limitation-act-1980.php

pinkshoes

She should pay the £600, then take it up with the council and try and claim it back from them.

Surely 4 years after graduation her degree has helped her into a job where £600 isn't too difficult to pay?

Mankysteve

Its 6 years from last a acknowledgement of debt not six years from the debt forming.

edindie

I told her to get in touch with the University and ask for some kind of proof of the debt (to show how it was missed in the first place), and to get in touch with the council.

Mankysteve, what do you mean by "last acknowledgement of the debt"? Last ever time they contacted her about it? I realise the 6 years wouldn't be from when the debt was taken on (otherwise homeowners would be laughing!) but what happens if she was never aware of this debt, as may be possible. Not sure how they communicated her student fees statement to her, but it's possible there was no breakdown on the invoice.

Judas

The university may also have the right to withdraw her qualification if the debt isn't settled.