Please help - student finance overpayment demand

Maximum_Saving

Try to stay calm and phone Student Loans up to get paperwork of your account. I managed to do that with my bank and they did so. See how much you have already paid and look at the interest rate. See someone at the CAB office to see just how much you owe the Student loans. You offer to pay monthly rather than all the money at once. Good luck.

DD265

Don't panic, they're actually very reasonable despite how the letters come across!

For over 4 years I paid £10 per month, then after they'd rung me to review, I increased to £250 until the balance was paid off last year. I was never charged any interest or fees on the grant over payment.

They won't force you to pay more than you can afford, and actually the guy tried to talk me out of committing to £250 a month as he thought that was a really high figure.

I did communicate with them over the phone but I always asked for an email to confirm what we discussed and that was fine.

As for disputing the overpayment? Part of me wishes I had but I felt that, having been paying it for 4 years, I'd already "accepted" it.

Jamie8713

I'd just like to say thank you very much for all the advice I have received. I'm not very confident with matters such as these, and it has helped me greatly.

Luckily I've managed to dig up my old paperwork, and have found copies of what I sent them detailing how much I paid my childminder for the academic year in question. There is a descrepancy, but about £800 less than they say I owe (as they only pay 85% of childcare fees) I am going to ask them for all the information they have that I sent in at that time, and in the meantime will try to negotiate a payment plan - I am very relieved that they are apparently reasonable with this, as I was planning on taking out my first ever credit card if push came to shove.

debtdawg

You'll definitely be able to negotiate a payment plan with them, don't worry about having to pay it in one lump sum.

KirstyO

also don't start paying them until any disputes have been sorted and (if there is a discrepancy) the correct figure has been established. If, as you say, they are trying for £800 more than you think they should be, this is enough doubt to hold the account until it's been sorted (and would also significantly decrease the length of any payment plan you might need to enter into).