Erudio SA100/SA302

TimGS

Hi,

I have some Erudio woes...

First Erudio never sent (or at least I never received) my deferment application form. I requested another on Friday March 4th, which didn't arrive till the 15th (to be fair I suspect a local Royal Mail issue here; another item of post at the same time was similarly delayed). In the meantime I requested one electronically on Monday the 14th, which was emailed to me. I'd have chased it up earlier but the guy I spoke to on the 4th implied it could be some days before I'd receive it.

I sent this back the same day, along with a copy of my tax return (SA100). Four days later Erudio replied saying that my evidence was not acceptable. This is odd, because ever since I went self employed in April 2008, the SA100 tax return has been acceptable, including last year with Erudio.

Furthermore their "how to" guide states:

"If you are required by HMRC to submit a self-assessment return and have declared this in section 4 of the form, you should provide us with a copy of your most recently submitted (NOT DRAFT) return, with all relevant sections showing your income for that year, or if HMRC calculates your income tax liability for you, a copy of the most recent SA302 tax calculation HMRC has sent to you. If you submit this
supporting evidence you will not need to provide any further evidence, unless your income has changed
since the period covered by this return or calculation period."

i.e. a tax return (or a SA302) is deemed acceptable in the guide. Not in reality however.

There is some ambiguity in the wording i.e. "or if HMRC calculates your income tax liability for you" doesn't make clear if this option is instead of or in addition to the tax return option. However my tax return was accepted by Erudio last year and as such I assumed it was the latter.

I have queried this - now with three Erudio staff, who have have all said that:
1) The HMRC will have sent me an SA302
2) That the 'tax return' they mean is not the tax return I sent, but the one 'HMRC send back to me' which is an SA302.

I suspect point (1) is false. I'm sure I've never received one, and as I understand it, this applies to all who file their tax return online, as I do. Is this correct?

Point (2) seems rather odd given the wording in the how-to guide. The how-to states that a return *or* an SA302 is acceptable. Erudio staff say that by 'return' they mean the SA302. This doesn't tally with the how-to guide, which gives two options, one an SA302, one something else, which I'm still interpreting as meaning the SA100 tax return.

I pointed out that a tax return (SA100) had always been acceptable in the past, including last year with Erudio, but the guy on the phone then just said that he couldn't comment and a different company had done it in the past (he implied that Erudio are contracting another company to deal with deferments).

Also available to download from the HMRC's online system is a tax calculation, which appears equivalent to an SA302. I have now sent this to Erudio, but suspect they will reject it because it isn't a true SA302. TBH, I suspect that they will do what they can to reject any application.

My deferment ends in three days. I have done what I can to apply for a further deferment - asked and chased up the missing application form; sent the evidence that has been accepted in previous years and is deemed OK in the "how-to" guide.

I will chase them up tomorrow and go through this again, and hopefully they will accept the online almost-SA302. If not, I'll (a) ask HMRC for a paper SA302 though this won't be likely to arrive in time and (b) possibly pursue a complaint.

Should I be doing anything else?

Can Erudio really change what evidence is deemed acceptable i.e. if an SA100 was deemed acceptable, can they start refusing them now?

I'm sure *eventually* I will get this sorted out, and Erudio have not got my bank details but I am concerned about any impact on my credit rating as I go past the deferment date.

Thanks in advance.
-- Tim.

Brooker_Dave

They will make the process of deferment as tedious and difficult as possible in the hope that you'll just pay them.

If we lived in a proper country they might be some sort of regulation to stop sharks like this, but sadly we just have the FOS who are tootless and disinterested in consumers and their problems.

I'd give up talking to them on the phone - they'll only lie to you, and put everything in writing, send it recorded.

Remind them of their obligations under the agreement, these obligations may not suit their ability to profiteer, but they suit you.

Legal action or the threat of seems to be the only way of bringing them into line.

TimGS

I may be getting somewhere. The guy I spoke to this morning says that the almost-SA302 is acceptable.

I've asked for email and/or written confirmation to be sent ASAP. In the meantime I've recorded the date, time of phone call and the guy's name.

He did say that if the deferment application was not processed by the 24th (when my current deferment ends) there would be no reporting to CRAs. Apparently Erudio do not currently do this (at least that's what was said; I don't have any reason to mistrust the guy personally, but I have to say that I do not trust what Erudio tell their staff to say).

I did say that if what I've sent so far (and bearing in mind it is more than was ever required in the past) was not acceptable that my next port of call would be the complaints department (I'm assuming that it at the very least adds weight to any legal action if you yourself have tried to resolve the issues reasonably by lesser means - though this is very frustrating and requires some patience when at least some of what you are being told is clearly false).

-- Tim.

Brooker_Dave

I think the idea is that if they make enough threats and mess people about enough, a big proportion of those with no need to pay, end up paying.

TimGS

Brooker_Dave wrote: »

I think the idea is that if they make enough threats and mess people about enough, a big proportion of those with no need to pay, end up paying.

I'm inclined to agree.

-- Tim.

GinOClock

I'd email off a complaint to complaints@erudiostudentloans.co.uk - someone there will look into the difficulties you are having. It also means you can complain to FOS sooner.

They need to sort this out. I'd also look at getting some redress for all the inconvenience you have suffered.

erudioed

Fully agree with Gin OClock, you should definitely make an official complaint for each issue. Its the only way we can stop these deliberate tactics. Concerning the DAF issue, mailing out as late as possible is clearly a house rule, so if you dont complain, we will never be able to stop it, and Erudio will continue to take the pizz. Its already less than 7 weeks for most deferers and the DAF's still havent arrived. I wouldnt 100% blame the post, that is what Erudio relies on when explaining why it hasnt arrived...but you are not alone, so assume it is deliberate. This is the best time to stop these tactics when the majority of us are deferring, filing a comapliant, seeking compensation and then complaining to the Ombudsman if Erudio say no is the only language they here. In Erudio's eyes we are just cows to be milked now theyve managed to purchase an IV drip into our bank accounts, so we have to complain about every issue where we are right but told something different or sent chasing our tails by Erudio.

TimGS

Breaking down the issues, and assuming my application now goes through properly, I think I have...

1. No deferment application form sent i.e. the annual mailout did not happen.

2. Deferment application form requested on the 4/3/2016 arrived on the 15/3/2016, though I do have reason to suspect a Royal Mail issue.

3. Inconsistent information from staff on electronic/email application. The guy I spoke to on the 4/3/2016 said I couldn't do an electronic/email application unless registered for Erudio's online system, whereas the one who I spoke to on the 14/3/2016 happily emailed me the form and "how to" guide. I'll guess this is down to individual incompetence or lack of training as regards the first guy.

4. Incorrect information from Erudio staff who claimed that HMRC routinely mailout an SA302 that I would have received. AFAIK this is false for those of us who file tax returns online. This claim was consistent over three staff, so I infer that all such staff are receiving incorrect information / inadequate training from Erudio.

5. The "How to" guide doesn't appear to match reality. If a tax return is not acceptable in reality to Erudio, why are they saying in the "How to" guide that it is?

6. Inconsistent attitudes to "evidence" over time. If an SA100 has been adequate before, why is it not now? Has Erudio any right to dictate what they deem adequate? Surely a precedent has been set in previous years?

The staff I spoke to said that Erudio accept the SA302 because it says on it that your tax return has been '100%' completed. The SA100 does not (even though the fact that the thing exists in a filled in form demonstrates clearly that you have completed it - 100%!)

Paradoxically, it would be at least as easy, if not easier, to fiddle the figures on the almost-SA302 than it would the SA100 that they don't accept.

-- Tim.

erudioed

I would list those all in an official complaint, but dont try to make excuses about why they may have done something or what might have caused something. In my experience so far, and i have had quite a few, they have a script but more importantly, are trying to guide you down a path of paying when you are entitled to defer. I was even asked if i would like to may a voluntary payment at the end of a call about deferment. Lodge the complaint and wait for some compensation from all your legitimate issues. And if they dont concede any points or offer you at least £100, go to the Ombudsman. You have been messed about and only complaining will make any difference...and make you a profit on this pathetic loan sale due to their terrible approach to customer service!

Forever

I'm self employed too, and for the last 3 years, Erudio has made my deferment as difficult as possible. I have just started my fourth year deferment process, and I'm not expecting anything different.

I now only communicate with Erudio via email (including submitting my scanned in deferment form and a copy of my tax return). The minute they start to mess me about, I put in a complaint to Erudio. Any further complaints just gets added to the initial complaint as time goes on. At the appropriate time (you have to wait 6 weeks for Erudio to deal with your complaint), I go to the FOS if necessary.

I have made cash due to compensation via this complaints process. Although I am short of cash, I would still prefer Erudio to just process my deferment properly.

JonBiel

For anyone else:
HMRC website clearly states that the online calculation is an SA302 (not a almost-SA302 but an actual SA302!)
see here: https://www.gov.uk/sa302-tax-calculation

I include this in the covering letter to Mr Gary Burns:

As requested on page 14 of the ‘Deferment: How to Guide – Providing Proof of Income’ I enclose a copy of my most recent Self Assessment Tax calculation (SA302) [Details of why this is an SA302 can be found here https://www.gov.uk/sa302-tax-calculation].

I also print out the webpage and send it along too.

Worked last year.

All the best
JB