ERUDIO student loans help

anna2007

Mr_McGuffin wrote: »

Great, it will be interesting to know how the SLC handled deferment applications in cases where borrowers refused to use its form, if anyone did.

I'm guessing that the number of people who refused to use SLC's form will be none (or negligible) and the number who applied without the form and were accepted for deferment will be high?

fermi mentioned already, I also remember one poster on MN who applied by letter to SLC a few times over the years and was deferred no problem. But how likely is it that Erudio will act in the same way?

If the SLC allowed deferment without use of their official form over the last 20 or so years, then on what basis could Erudio legally enforce it (it's the same t&c's)? It seems they're on a hiding to nothing.

BUT... BIS and SLC seem very keen to distance themselves from the !!!!!!-storm they have created, to the extent that anything that has gone before is now defunct... who exactly are they trying to con(vince) with this approach? Me and you? Themselves?? They're probably banking on a majority of us just accepting their tactics, paying when we don't have to. We should maybe think about how to reach the other hundred thousand or so who aren't checking the threads, because that is how Erudio will ultimately win?

I have no idea what was agreed behind closed doors between our greedy government and the loan sharks. Whatever, it doesn't change the fact that our terms remain unchanged - you earn below the threshold, you defer. EVERYTHING else is Erudio clawing for money. I really hope they come to regret their purchase, but that will take a hellish amount of complaining... that's up to us.

Student1983

I had no idea about the cancellation rights due to age or having the loan for 25 years until a year ago. All I knew was this : if I earned under the threshold then I am eligible to defer. Erudio and Bis are acting as if we are purposely trying not to repay if it was the government who set these conditions. We are only complying with this. There mistake in assuming we could have a decent wage is not our fault. The government is to blame and it is they that should be accountable.
Erudio is chancing it but they must have the authority from BI S to do so. This technically is the government passing the buck. I am not endeared to erudio but they are doing exactly what they were given the opportunity to do as a result if the negotiations with Bis. Although we are all aghast at what erudio is doing I blame the government as they knew exactly what this would entail. Whilst we are all !!!!ed with erudio it is suffice to say that that present government knew exactly what the consequences of assigning our loans over. They are responsible for this but believe that they no longer can be held responsible as they have passed it on. No doubt they will deny everything. It is BIS that needs to be shamed. Erudio is doing what they do best and the government endorsed this. Shame on them.

Sarebear78

Student1983 wrote: »

Although we are all aghast at what erudio is doing I blame the government as they knew exactly what this would entail. Whilst we are all !!!!ed with erudio it is suffice to say that that present government knew exactly what the consequences of assigning our loans over. They are responsible for this but believe that they no longer can be held responsible as they have passed it on. No doubt they will deny everything. It is BIS that needs to be shamed. Erudio is doing what they do best and the government endorsed this. Shame on them.

Well this, and other stuff, has definitely changed who I am voting for at the next election....

erudioed

I was just reading a post on mumsnet that just about summarised the situation we currently find ourselves in to me. They posted about talking to an Ombudsman rep, who said words to the effect of:

"The guy I spoke to on the phone was sympathetic, he implied that he thought their tactics were immoral but, unfortunately, legal."

This brings the whole issue of fairness back up again, and although we are chipping away trying to find loopholes, tricks and such things, we need to redefine the relationship somehow. I am aware many maybe suspicious about Anthony Reeves, the lawyer with an interest in this, and rightly so as many of us will i am sure be suspicious about notions we have about lawyers. But sometimes, we have to take a leap of faith, take a chance and see what comes. I would still recommend everyone wanting some kind of change to our 'relationship' with the Erudio vultures, at the very least contacting Anthony Reeves to ask about or waylay issues of concern, as well as mandatorily going through the complaints procedure by complaining to Erudio about issues of concern or bad processes and then the Ombudsman (and very importantly contacting the FCA as they have the power to order changes to dealings and procedures).
If the ombudsman's staff believe Erudio's practices and methods to be immoral then at least we have sympathy on our side, even if Erudio are masters of not breaking the law but taking it as far as they can. To my mind, they have already broken the DD mandate and committed a financial crime on way more than 500 people (that actual, real number would be very interesting to know, especially as they seem to be still taking payments from deferred people on occasion). We just need to find the right bit of information, reach a critical mass of complaints at the ombudsman, the FCA (maybe BIS just to annoy them for selling us down the river and not putting in protections for us) or get someone in the media or the government to focus their attention on this issue.
I go on about the due diligence process continually, and BIS have already answered they will not publish such information in an FOI reply, it does raise the issue of how they can sell so many citizens to the worst kind of financial organisations that already had a terrible reputation before the sale of these student loans. However, with the Ombudsman staff thinking they are immoral suggests that we just need to crank it up a little, and keep cranking it up, especially with the coming General Erection. I have already been contacted by someone running for a seat who knew nothing about this issue, and knowing there are 200k or so of voters out their rightly cheesed off about this (with most alone and not having contact with the 3 or so forums posting good stuff on this) and probably accepting everything Erudio/Capita throw at them, i feel we are both in a good spot as the issue is getting out there and also because there is a general feeling the Erudio vultures are particularly immoral within the financial regulators....how could anyone not conclude that? If anyone lost as many deferment applications as these guys, special action would be taken because the centre of their business, the customer contact forms, keep vanishing. Maybe they have tiny amounts of gold embossed in the paper and Post Office staff have worked out a way to extract that and turn it into a gold bar and split the profits. Who knows, but that is just one issue of many that show widescale incompetence and lies on their behalf because when they say they have sent the forms out or that they havent received them, it is obvious they are lying or trying to hide their incompetence/immoral deliberate debt collector practices.

aloadoflatchikos

Student1983 wrote: »

I had no idea about the cancellation rights due to age or having the loan for 25 years until a year ago. All I knew was this : if I earned under the threshold then I am eligible to defer. Erudio and Bis are acting as if we are purposely trying not to repay if it was the government who set these conditions. We are only complying with this. There mistake in assuming we could have a decent wage is not our fault. The government is to blame and it is they that should be accountable.
Erudio is chancing it but they must have the authority from BI S to do so. This technically is the government passing the buck. I am not endeared to erudio but they are doing exactly what they were given the opportunity to do as a result if the negotiations with Bis. Although we are all aghast at what erudio is doing I blame the government as they knew exactly what this would entail. Whilst we are all !!!!ed with erudio it is suffice to say that that present government knew exactly what the consequences of assigning our loans over. They are responsible for this but believe that they no longer can be held responsible as they have passed it on. No doubt they will deny everything. It is BIS that needs to be shamed. Erudio is doing what they do best and the government endorsed this. Shame on them.

This coalition government comprises of: millionaires, landed gentry, business people and some token academics. They have no idea how ordinary people live, when for example The Chancellor of the exchequer spent £11000 on a Christmas skiing trip, or they send their children to public schools, which cost up £30000. Just to show how much they care about the plight of ordinary people, they awarded themselves a de facto wage increase of 10%, by reduction of income tax bands. 10% of 150k plus is a lot of dosh. Shame and conscience are not in their vocabulary, they have not become rich by having them.

Career6

Hi,


Well I have had same issues with Erudio as many others. My deferment was due in May this year. I sent a covering letter outlining my objections to the extra info they were requesting and putting my deferment on CRA files, I filled in the forms blanking out all the areas I disagreed with, provided them with all necessary evidence including the amount of child maintenance I receive from my abusive ex partner.


But guess what, although I am eligible for deferment due to my earnings, they want a letter from my ex confirming the amount of child maintenance he pays, despite it being quite clear from the bank statement provided how much he pays (and the fact that it hasn't change in 3 years, and same info was enough for SLC, they deferred my loans in 2012 an 2013 with same info).


Then without any warning they took £133.85 out of my account at the end of July.


Erudio state that if your deferral is rejected you will receive notification of when they will start to take payments and how much. I am still waiting!


As I will be 50 in three years time, and due to my current situation as a single parent I cannot see me earning enough to ever repay the loan over the next three years.


Plus when all this kick off with Erudio I was also being threaten via my ex's solicitor that he will take me to court unless I buy him out of the property the children and I still live in. So I was/am already feeling immense financial pressure and have no intention of having to pay more solicitors bills in order to obtain a letter from my ex every year when the info Erudio require is on my bank statement. It is outrageous and I am sure other people who have separated/divorced may be experiencing the same issues with Erudio?!


This prompted me to send a complaint to the ombudsman in August, I provided them with everything I have sent in the last three years to SLC and Erudio. But they are dealing with a high volume of cases (not just Erudio cases I add) so I am still awaiting the outcome.


While I wait however Erudio has since taken two further payments another for £133.85 in August and then once again without informing me they increased the payment and took £136.63 in September.


Anyone else experience similar or had any joy with the ombudsman?


Career6

Pluthero

@Career6

I just give this advice on another thread:

I would email the FCA - http://www.fca.org.uk/site-info/contact - with your Erudio dealings/correspondence immediately. (It looks pretty clear Erudio have failed at customer service/treating you fairly and are totally at fault). The FCA are quite interested in how firms conduct themselves and treat customers. The FCA don't deal with individual customer complaints but if we get enough folks complaining; esp with some back up letters from Erudio which reveals their practices; then hopefully they will DO something ABOUT this horrible shower. Just start your letter :

I understand that the FCA does not handle individual complaints against company’s but I want to put on record my problems with Erudio Student Loans handling of the deferment process of my student loan. I believe if enough people complain about their conduct the FCA may be able to take action. Below is a brief outline of my complaint that I have lodged with the FOS/Erudio....

You may want to check out threads on Erudio/DCA's (debt collection agencies) on the CAG (consumer action group) to find out exactly what you are up against.

Good Luck.

Career6

Thanks Pluthero,

I will email the FCA and check out the other threads. I am becoming fed up of the whole thing. There just doesn't seem to be any justice. I am sure if I had have been able to provide them with a letter from my ex, they would have then ask for something else they don't need or probably have no right to ask for, they are just bullies, who want to force as many of us to pay despite our right to a deferment.

I have been kind of hoping the ombudsman would sort it and preferable before Christmas, and Erudio would have to then repay me!

I will post as soon as I have any news from the ombudsman. in the meantime I'll keep

Career6

Just looked at the threads on the Consumer Action Group website, and I am beginning to think I may go to my MP and write to the PM. If we all did this, surely at some point they would have to take notice.

May try and get some local/national newspapers involved.
I am so tired of all the injustice!!!

Pluthero

Career6 wrote: »

Just looked at the threads on the Consumer Action Group website, and I am beginning to think I may go to my MP and write to the PM. If we all did this, surely at some point they would have to take notice.

May try and get some local/national newspapers involved.
I am so tired of all the injustice!!!

'There just doesn't seem to be any justice. I am sure if I had have been able to provide them with a letter from my ex, they would have then ask for something else they don't need or probably have no right to ask for, they are just bullies, who want to force as many of us to pay despite our right to a deferment.'

Exactly!


Welcome to the fight