Student Loan Company Issue

Daffodil68

I've got an old style loan from SLC. After I graduated I couldn't get a job where I earned enough to repay it so I deferred it. I then did a PGCE and became a teacher and took advantage of the Repayment of Teachers' Loans scheme that was operating at the time. I had to leave teaching in 2006 to care for my disabled son so I notified SLC and started deferment again. I've filled out the deferment forms every year and sent them with the information they've requested. Last year, without warning, they started taking repayments from my bank account. I phoned them to complain and they told me that I didn't exist on their system so they hadn't taken any money. I got my money back under the direct debit indemnity scheme and wrote a letter of complaint to SLC. They wrote back and admitted they'd taken the money and were "pleased" to see I'd had it refunded. They said that because I'd been on the repayment of teachers' loans scheme I hadn't had a deferment form sent out automatically - although they'd been sending them out previously since 2006! I've had a letter today saying that I've got arrears that total the exact same amount they took from my bank account last year. I phoned them and they said the arrears were because my loan was out of deferment as they were late sending the form to me (this would be the time I didn't exist on their system). I'd returned the form immediately - it's not my fault they sent it out late. They are insisting that I owe them this money but I don't think I owe them anything. I did everything they asked and did it in a timely manner so why should I be penalised because they were late sending out the form? What do you think?

Daffodil68

Just to advise. I've been in touch with SLC again and they've removed the arrears off my account. Happy days