ERUDIO student loans help

CloudsinSky

ptolomy wrote: »

Well it's a bit of a risk really, it seems from reading this thread that there's something in the T&Cs that says they can recall the whole loan if you get into arrears and obviously I don't want that to happen!
Even if they take the whole rent into account, I'm still only £5 over the limit so I asked about discretionary decisions on that. Surprise Surprise, they don't do those at all at Erudio.

I might need to go to my doctor's for beta-blockers if I read too many more posts like this. I might do anyway, for the 8 or so nights I've woken up with palpitations and my mind has started on a new cycle of worry and trying to understand it all.

Erudio's own deferment guidance says "Only your income is taken into account - you do not need to provide income details of your spouse, partner parents or any other relatives" (beware though, this needs to be checked in our terms and conditions because Erudio give disclaimer at the beginning of the guidance: "These notes are for guidance only and reflect the position at the time of writing. They do not affect any right of appeal".

However (what a useful word), if it's in our terms & conditions that deferment is based on YOUR income, no one else's (it is? surely??) then I would say the fact that HMRC only looks at 50% of the income as YOURS bears rather more weight than what Erudio are telling you.

Shocking. Definitely COMPLAINT territory, backed up by complaint initiated on your behalf with Financial Ombudsman Service.

Erudio also have to consider reasonable adjustments (in terms of fairness in dealing with you and giving you time, etc.) Obviously that doesn't change the T&C's for you. Except check the T&C's specifically regarding disability, they may apply, I'm not saying they would). I don't know how pregnancy comes into it, but your ME condition certainly would.

I have just contacted Financial Ombudsman myself. Given that Erudio are behaving so shoddily towards us and the territory is so difficult, etc. and we have no confidence in them, I think the FOS are accepting that we don't have to wait for Erudio's complaints processes to conclude for FOS to be at least aware of our complaints and to inform Erudio that FOS are aware by the beginnings of the FOS complaint form. The further investigation by FOS can only follow if appropriate when Erudio's own procedure is exhausted and unsatisfactory.

Erudio should be trying to resolve complaints informally where they can, so don't let them tell you that because you've put a formal complaint in the call centre staff can't help you further with that matter. Tell them the nature of your complaint and keep harassing them. That's further evidence to FOS if they continue to be obstructive and unhelpful (I've recorded some of my calls to them myself).

erudioed

ptolomy, you have to contact emmalunn2002@hotmail.com who is looking for case studies right now. If we dont get such stories out there, they will be continually putting the squeeze on for the years to come. I hope you dont allow it to stress you too much...

CloudsinSky

ptolomy wrote: »

Well it's a bit of a risk really, it seems from reading this thread that there's something in the T&Cs that says they can recall the whole loan if you get into arrears and obviously I don't want that to happen!
Even if they take the whole rent into account, I'm still only £5 over the limit so I asked about discretionary decisions on that. Surprise Surprise, they don't do those at all at Erudio.

By the way, Erudio state in their letter acknowledging receipt of complaint (I've received mine in the post): "We confirm that all collection activity will be suspended until we have issued our final response."

On the other point I mentioned in previous post, I'm not sure what reasonable adjustments might apply to you, I would go to Citizen's Advice about that, or maybe through an ME legal advice line through a charity for this condition? But if you are very tired all the time, then you certainly need longer time frames to think everything through, decide and act, and it would surely be a reasonable adjustment for Erudio to make allowances for that. Perhaps you could contact Student Loans Company and see what their approach would have been.

Pregnancy has enough anxieties by itself. Pregnancy in conjunction with a serious long term health condition has more than enough anxieties (both speaking from my personal experience). Add dealing with Erudio's deferment process into the mix, and I think you need more outside impartial support to advocate for you, don't struggle alone with this.

BaffledByErudio

So, the actual figure for incorrectly taken repayments was 500?
Assuming each payment was in the £100 ballpark, that's a pretty hefty £50,000.
A large figure. Maybe not so large for a global debt recovery firm, but still pretty chunky nonetheless.
How the hell can this be happening? All the confusion, the mixed messages, the garbled and delayed responses?
I'd really love to know what Erudio was given the green light to do behind closed doors when the deal was struck.
I guess the CRA argument is by the by now. Not good, but there's nothing we can do.
But just WHAT is Erudio trying to do? Are they convinced they're going to get legitimate deferrers into payment? Are they intending to confuse others into defaulting through a technicality? I'm not saying they are, just asking the question. But if it is indeed the case, BiS must have advised them they can do when the deal was signed.
I'm now fearful of the consequences of cancelling the DD today. I really have been told (both over the phone and in a letter) that the DD isn't a condition of deferment, but I just don't know what to believe anymore.
When written confirmation of anything takes 21 days, it leaves us on shaky ground if we take Erudio's verbal advice on the phone.
This whole scenario is horrific. I have worries in my job currently, and this tangled mess is making the rest of my life miserable and panic stricken.
When will we get a full set of answers from the government?

rizla_king

Read the loan agreements posted here and elsewhere. It is quite clear. While having a DD in place is a minor term of the agreements, it is not one that allows them to refuse deferments or recall the loan if you do not. That is why they are having to give way if pressed on that issue.

erudioed

BaffledByErudio wrote: »

I'd really love to know what Erudio was given the green light to do behind closed doors when the deal was struck.

I guess the CRA argument is by the by now. Not good, but there's nothing we can do.

When will we get a full set of answers from the government?

Well, BIS stated to me that Capita is Erudio just a few days ago and that it is a shell company, so i am assuming they are quite close on this, to try and make it work and pave the way for future student loan collaborations between effectively ARROW and BIS. I have been saying all along, we need the due diligence test by BIS to award the contract to these clowns to be made public, then we will know exactly what has occurred. If someone knows how to file a freedom of information request, they could be doing the whole situation a huge favour, not forgetting all future students who will have it much worse than us guinea pigs.
The CRA argument i think has been opened up a little now actually, because now we know at least 2 huge companies are sharing our info and god knows how many CRAs...before it was just Erudio having our info, but as they dont exist for all intents and purposes and are just a shell company, now 2 huge companies with many sub-companies and partnerships might be passing our info backwards and forwards.

CloudsinSky

erudioed wrote: »

Well, BIS stated to me that Capita is Erudio just a few days ago and that it is a shell company, so i am assuming they are quite close on this, to try and make it work and pave the way for future student loan collaborations between effectively ARROW and BIS. I have been saying all along, we need the due diligence test by BIS to award the contract to these clowns to be made public, then we will know exactly what has occurred. If someone knows how to file a freedom of information request, they could be doing the whole situation a huge favour, not forgetting all future students who will have it much worse than us guinea pigs.
The CRA argument i think has been opened up a little now actually, because now we know at least 2 huge companies are sharing our info and god knows how many CRAs...before it was just Erudio having our info, but as they dont exist for all intents and purposes and are just a shell company, now 2 huge companies with many sub-companies and partnerships might be passing our info backwards and forwards.

On the subject of Freedom of Information, at first I thought that would be an avenue to try with Erudio, until I realised that they are not covered by FOI, which only applies to governmental bodies. I found that difficult to digest, because Student Loans Company are covered by FOI.

wowsers

Evening all,

Just spent the late afternoon chasing round getting together the relevantinfo for my deferment. Had to go to thelibrary for photocopying and printing with two under 10’s in tow. Finally madeit to the Post Office before it shut at 5.17 to find Erudio hadn’t put a postaladdress on the letters or forms they sent me. No mobile signal round theseparts so I had to rush home to log on to get an address. Muppets
Anyway I sent it registered post and await their best shot.

Cheers

Sarebear78

ptolomy wrote: »

Well it's a bit of a risk really, it seems from reading this thread that there's something in the T&Cs that says they can recall the whole loan if you get into arrears and obviously I don't want that to happen!
Even if they take the whole rent into account, I'm still only £5 over the limit so I asked about discretionary decisions on that. Surprise Surprise, they don't do those at all at Erudio.

Surely if they have not allowed deferment when you have provided all the evidence (as per the t & c) then they are in breach of the contract before you will be!
How does that work? Can you take THEM to court for breaching the contract?

erudioed

CloudsinSky wrote: »

On the subject of Freedom of Information, at first I thought that would be an avenue to try with Erudio, until I realised that they are not covered by FOI, which only applies to governmental bodies. I found that difficult to digest, because Student Loans Company are covered by FOI.

I thought BIS is a government body?