ERUDIO student loans help

layanna_jade

Hi

I hope this ok to post here but I've experienced what seems to be a new issue with Erudio.

I contacted them today as I haven't received any forms from them (despite a letter dated 30 April stating that they would be sent under separate cover) and was told that I had to contact Thesis Loans (I have three being managed by Thesis and one now being managed by Erudio) to get the deferment form.

The girl I spoke to at Erudio was adamant that they wouldn't be sending out forms to me but that Thesis would need to send it and that it would need to go back to SLC, not them, and SLC would inform them when received and that they would then make the decision. My other deferment has been accepted.

I'm now thoroughly confused. Anyone else had this issue?

fermi

If you have loans with both Thesis and Erudio, then SLC will be apparently be managing deferment for both. I was under the impression that SLC should be sending those forms and they go back to SLC as well.

layanna_jade

Thanks very much for that. That information is very helpful but doesn't seem to be listed anywhere

Do you have a link to where this is stated please?

Huwbert

Hi all,

I've written to my MP to see if she can help us get some straight answers from Erudio and also Mr Willets MP. See below for the letter text, feel free to use for writing to your MPs too if you think it will help:

As an ex-uni student , I took out student loans, 2 of which have been transferred over from the Student Loans Company PLC to Erudio, when the government sold the Student Loans debtbook to Erudio. I am concerned about the confusing paperwork (see attached) and that Erudio are now sharing customers information even if they had not defaulted with Credit Reference Agencies which was previously not the case under The Student Loans Company. Also, I believe Erudio are forcing customers to set up direct debits after seemingly misleading them over deferment eligibility and then taking money from their accounts without permission, even though customers thought they were in deferment. Over 500 customers have been affected so far, many of whom have been plunged into financial hardship as a result, and Erudio have been lousy so far at resolving people’s complaints. Customers can’t wait for the Financial Ombudsman Service to resolve issues, to just get their money back, that they need quickly.

Martin Lewis (Money Saving Expert.com) has tried to get straight answers from Erudio and the Business, Innovation and Skills Minister, David Willetts, but to no avail. - link to Martin's blog.

Some examples of how customers have been affected are here in the moneysavingexpert.com forum: Link to this forum...

I am very concerned about the lack of clear information from Erudio and the non-response from David Willets. Please could you look into this matter on my behalf, and urge to the Financial Ombudsman to proactively investigate Erudio’s behaviour and force them if possible to clarify the situation, what customers need to do, and make the taking of payments by mistake to stop.

For reference, I enclose copies of my Student Loans Company and Erudio paperwork.

Many thanks

Case

I don't know if this is the correct place to write this, getting a bit bogged down by all that I have read! I was sent the deferment pack about 6 weeks ago, filled it in and returned. I then got a letter back stating that they wanted my bank statements as I don't work nor claim benefits. I rang them to check if this was correct as they hadn't been requested by the SLC. They said that not only did they want my bank statements, but, also those of my wife. I couldn't believe this and questioned it but the man I was speaking to wouldn't back down on it. After the phone call I emailed Erudio asking if this was indeed true. Three weeks later I have received a reply from them that makes no mention of my question regarding my wife's bank statements. So today I have sent them copies of my bank statements with all outgoings and balances blacked out and only showing income. Has anyone else sent off bank statements with everything other than income blacked out? How have Erudio responded to this?

anna2007

@ Case - I'm in a similar situation to you, in that I don't work (I do receive Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit payments into my own bank account though). I initially sent 3 months' bank statements for my own account, showing only the balance and these 2 payments being credited, and also 3 months' statements for our joint account, showing the balance and my husband's salary as the only income into that account (salary amount blacked out though, they don't need to know your partner's income). But after reading comments on this and other forums, Erudio seem to want evidence of any financial support from your spouse/partner (with the SLC, a letter from my husband stating he paid for the household expenses was enough). Also, according to the FAQ on their website, Erudio are challenging any applications where the income declared is nil, presumably because there has to be financial support from somewhere.


So I emailed them the joint bank account statements again, the same day they received my application in the post, this time showing payments for the mortgage, utilities, Council Tax and groceries, everything else blacked out. I took a half (a fifth for the groceries as there are 5 of us in the family) of the total expenditure for each month, to arrive at the amount of financial support. Basically, a lot of faffing about compared to previous years.

I can't say yet if the above approach has worked, as Erudio only received my deferment application on Tuesday, but if it's not enough evidence, I really don't know what else I can give them... a pound of flesh maybe?!

Lucy709

This has to be the worse company I have ever had to deal with.
After sending ramy wage slips off for deferment I heard nothing for 4 weeks. On emailing them the standard reply states that I will receive a response in 21 days, which in itself is not acceptable. Eventually I received two letters on the same day, each contradicting the other. One saying I had been deferred, the other thanking me for agreeing to start repayments!
On ringing I was told it had been referred. I asked when my wage slips were being returned and was told they had been destroyed.
I am so angry as I need these wage slips to provide to another agency.
My loan is supposed to be written off when I turn 50. I can already foresee problems ensuring that happens.

JeLaw

anna2007 wrote: »

Erudio are insisting that deferment won't be granted without a signed deferment form, so if you use the template letter, you may well have a long, drawn out fight to get your loans deferred, and in the meantime Erudio could start taking repayments.

I like to think I'll have the stomach for that fight come September. But it's easy to say now when I don't have the urgency.... It might depend on my financial situation at the time. If I don't have much in my bank account, I don't suppose I'll want to risk the stress of them taking repayments - and the ensuing battle to get a refund...

You said that your current deferment period is up in September - Erudio stated (in the MSE article I think) that they are in the process of redesigning the deferment form - IF they get it right, hopefully you won't have to deal with these issues by the time you have to apply for deferment.

I think I'd be forgiven for not having any faith in them getting it right.... I'll just have to wait and see for now - and continue to follow this thread (and others on this mess) closely.

rizla_king wrote: »

Goes without saying that unless forced by the FOS or similar Erudio are never going to voluntarily admit the truth that you don't have to use their form.

It would be an embarrassment and climbdown too far for them to admit that unless they have no choice.

I wonder whether I'd be able to take this up with the FOS now? Despite not having faced this claim personally yet. I'm thinking of writing to them, explaining that my deferment period is still current but that I've been made aware (through this forum and others) that Erudio are trying to insist on using their form. I would like to go to the FOS before I have to battle Erudio.

anna2007 wrote: »

Also, according to the FAQ on their website, Erudio are challenging any applications where the income declared is nil, presumably because there has to be financial support from somewhere.

Oh dear.... more to worry about.... I'm working at the moment but have a long-term illness that flares up from time to time. Last year I wasn't working at the time I renewed my deferment. It wasn't for very long and I couldn't face applying to ESA - so I used some savings until I was well enough to start working again. With SLC, I simply sent bank statements and a cover note explaining I was self-supporting using savings. This was on the advice of SLC when I called them. I didn't have to send any evidence of my savings. I have a horrible feeling that if I'm ever in this position again, Erudio will make things extremely difficult for me....

So I emailed them the joint bank account statements again, the same day they received my application in the post, this time showing payments for the mortgage, utilities, Council Tax and groceries, everything else blacked out. I took a half (a fifth for the groceries as there are 5 of us in the family) of the total expenditure for each month, to arrive at the amount of financial support. Basically, a lot of faffing about compared to previous years.

I can't say yet if the above approach has worked, as Erudio only received my deferment application on Tuesday, but if it's not enough evidence, I really don't know what else I can give them... a pound of flesh maybe?!

Good luck with getting your deferment sorted! I hope there's no further delay or problems for you.

JeLaw

Huwbert wrote: »

Hi all,

I've written to my MP to see if she can help us get some straight answers from Erudio and also Mr Willets MP.

I hope you get a decent reply from your MP. Perhaps the one plus for us is that now might be the best time to write to our MPs. With their eyes on the general election next year, they're more likely to want to be seen to be responsive to queries and concerns from their constituents.... Perhaps less so for those of us in safe seat areas but it's still the best time to contact them.

Lucy709 wrote: »

This has to be the worse company I have ever had to deal with.

It's awful isn't it. Still so annoyed that we've been sold to them.

My loan is supposed to be written off when I turn 50. I can already foresee problems ensuring that happens.

Me too. It doesn't bode well. But they absolutely can't refuse to write the loans off if we continue to abide by the (original - unchanged) terms and conditions. But I expect delays, attempts at confusion, etc, etc.

anna2007

JeLaw wrote: »

I wonder whether I'd be able to take this up with the FOS now? Despite not having faced this claim personally yet. I'm thinking of writing to them, explaining that my deferment period is still current but that I've been made aware (through this forum and others) that Erudio are trying to insist on using their form. I would like to go to the FOS before I have to battle Erudio

There's nothing to stop you from going to the FOS now - usually you have to follow the complaints procedure first (can take up to 8 weeks), but if there's the threat of payment being taken, you could go straight to the FOS on the basis of your income level, others have done this, no reason you couldn't do the same.

You don't have to say you've been made aware of the issues, you're already affected if you've received the deferment application pack. If you're taking it to the FOS, you have to be very clear about your grounds for complaint, i.e. the change to t&c's/!!!!!! customer service, otherwise your claim doesn't stand a chance.

Edit - FWIW, I'm getting the deferment out of the way first, that surely has to be the priority if your income's low. Will let battle commence after that, as the grounds for complaint (barring how they deal with the application) won't change.