Student Loan bullies -Help!

Celegans

Dear All,
The Student Loan Company have been chasing me for a putative dependents grant overpayment they claim was made to me for almost four years now. The amount has ranged from £12,000 to zero and many figures inbetween... the latest figures over this last 7 months are alternating between just over £1200 or £1800... the figures change every couple of months!!!!! I don't think I have been overpaid, and I have been trying to get various details of how they think this overpayment arose etc for 4 years now... all with little info coming my way! You can imagine that I'm not confident in paying this putative 'debt' until I can get specific details and a breakdown of where this all occurred - given they keep making errors and both Student Loans Company and the LEA have admitted many mistakes am I justified?
I will pay if I do owe this money of course... but need to make sure if I even do owe anything or how much it really is !!!
I've had many letters (I replied to all) and even abusive phone calls... I've asked them not to call me because I can't record details and I'm afraid of their bullying ways making me agree to something I shouldn't?
They've just sent a letter saying they're sending my case to 'Smith Lawson & Company' for recovery! What are my rights and what should I do!
Please help me with your wisdom of the Forum!
Thanks,
Celegans

tsimehC

Yeah bullies indeed. They are quick to claim overpayments but would leave you waiting for months for your loan payments. SLC are a bunch of rip offs. I would advise them to give a full break down in writing like I did and work out the overpayment sum from there.

Celegans

Thanks for your support. I've written to SLC many times for abreakdown and many other details, but they never give all the info I ask for and keep saying the LEA are too blame and that it's nothing to do with them how much the figure is... despite them having several figures they keep changing their minds which is the one they wan to chase me for! The LEA are better but still don't give detailed info on where exactly the overpayment happened and why the many mistakes arose in the first place!
How can we all be sure which figure is correct? How much info can I demand before they can force me to pay something that I'm not confident is right? Is there an independent body that can assess all this info from years ago?
A lot of questions I know, but I'm at aloss as to how to proceed really under the pressure they keep exerting.
All help welcome!
Cheers everyone,
Celegans

SarEl

To be honest - I'd suggest that your next stop should be a solicitors. If you can't afford one try CAB and see if they can make a referral. Debt isn't my area, although I know something of it, but it sounds as though they are preparing to move towards debt enforcement, and it's perhaps better to get in a "big gun" on your side before you end up in Court. If you can evidence what you say here is should not be too difficult for a solcitor or other qualified person to set them straight.

Premier_2

Bully! Bully Bully!

The company makes some mistakes and fails on occassions to lend out tax payers money on time, and on others where they believe they have overpaid , have the audacity to reclaim that money.

Unbelievable!

Isn't there someone at your educational establishment (e.g a welfare office) that can explain what you are and what you are not entitled to from them?

robredz

I would take advice from CAB, and even write to your MP, as pinning down any meaningful figures or definitive answer to a query, is like knitting fog.
Try to get anything off them in writing, and be aware that they will pass your account to Scotcall (a rather persistent debt collection agency) at the drop of a hat.
The advice to involve the MP is because in today's budget it looks like they are selling off the Student Loan books to the finance industry this will be to the detriment of many graduates, especially where a paucity of income allows the debt to be deferred.