Being chased (again!) by student finance 5 years after my degree ended

gtt184

I really don't know what to do anymore

I did my PGCE and as I was a single mum at the time, I received grants from student finance which don't have to be paid back

It all sounds great, but ever since I completed by PGCE I am hounded at least every 6 months by them telling me I owe them different amounts for 'grant overpayments'. They start demanding proof of income for that period or proof of payments for my childcare etc. That was FIVE years ago! I don't have it anymore.

I'd like to say, I was not overpaid anything!! At the time of receiving the grants I provided all evidence that was required.

Each time they've hounded me I've managed to sort it out with lots of arguments with heir incompetent staff and complaints to their complaint department.

Last year I suddenly started getting hounded by their debt collection agency for a sudden £2500 that they said I owed them as I hadn't provided proof of my childcare in 2010!! Yes I had!!

I hoped that was the last I would hear from them but today I suddenly get a letter from them saying I owe them £8000 as I apparently withdrew from my course in 2010!! No I didnt!! So I've spent all morning calling my old Uni and making them look up records and send me letters etc.

Then it gets worse, the man told me they'd also had an audit and I need to provide proof of all my childcare payments etc for year 2010/2011 or I will have to pay all that back too!!

It has got to the point where I feel all shaky inside. Why do they keep doing this? It was FIVE years ago. I don't have any of this proof anymore - it was all sent to them at the time :-(

What shall I do? I feel absolutely sick with worry

I totally regret doing my teacher training as student finance have made my life a misery. I have emailed another complaint to them, but it never stops them.

Viberduo

I have a similar issue but it was in part my fault, I left a degree in first year in summer but had to withdraw officially to be entitled to benefits in my case since April onwards was exams and end of march was Easter holidays my last official class was in March, the withdrawal form asked me the date of my last class not date I last attended so I put march so I was told the payment in April was overpaid.

5 years on also for me having issues as yearly get contacted about paying it back as a overpayment! And since the lecturers changed on the course and they didnt take attendance I am screwed.

Angry_Bear

Did you get any confirmation from them that they were in error in writing the previous times?
A Subject Access Request might be the way to go - it should shake out all your previous correpsondence with them and then you can (hopefully) beat them over the head with it.

January2015

Hi Gt184

This is not the answer to resolving your problem, but if you do have provide evidence of childcare costs you must have been using a registered childcare provider. As a business they would have to keep accounts and should therefore be able to provide you with a statement of payments made for childcare in the relevant years. Most business will keep financial records (which is what your childcare payments would be) going back seven years (current year plus six previous years). Of course this does assume you have the contact details and the childcare provider is still in business. If you used a childminder and they've moved you will find it difficult unless they are still registered through the local authority.

Hope you manage to sort this out soon.