Student Finance Overpayment - Help!

aspearberry

Hi there, I really need some advice on this situation as I have tried to settle it with Student Finance with no luck.

In 2011 I completed one full year at university, I was informed by my university however in September 2012 (beginning of my second year) I wouldn't be able to continue my course due to poor grades. I didnt drop out, I was told to leave, so I did.

In 2013 however I decided to enroll in a different university. I found out when applying for student finance that my first university hadn't told student finance I wasn't a student there anymore. After a long process I had to get proof from my original university I wasn't a student there anymore, then student finance would issue me with my payments. I received my payment amounts like normal and everything was fine.

Until I got a letter from student finance repayment saying that I had an overpayment of roughly £700.

I have asked them numerous times over the past 3 years what this 'overpayment' was for and none of them have managed to tell me. Note during those 3 years I haven't worked, I have been living off student loans only, yet they have been forcing me to pay.

I was paying £20 a month off that lapsed every 6 months for them to reassess how much I could pay. When that agreement lapsed this January 2016 I called up the student finance repayment service and they told me, even though I wasnt working, that I needed to pay in full. I argued with student finance saying there was so way I could pay off the roughly £300 left since I was a student, I dont work, I dont have family financial support, and they begrudgingly whittled it down to £32 a month. I told them AGAIN I couldn't afford to pay that and the student finance guy basically bullied me into agreeing to pay it saying that if I didnt they would take me to court and send bailiffs to my house.

So for the past 5 months it has been killing me to pay this amount per month and I am now in a position where I am absolutely no way able to pay that amount. I really do not want to call them since I know I will be given the same bullyish attitude trying to force me to pay way more than I can afford or to be threatened with being taken to court.

I really am stuck on what to do.

[Deleted User]

When you left your course did you receive any further payments??

Dxxx

sheramber

As your first university didn't tell Student Finance that you had left did you get student finance for any part of the second year that maybe wasn't due?

if so, it would be repayable immediately

see the link below

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/content.php?r=15913-how-dropping-out-will-affect-your-finances

aspearberry

I didn't receive any payments for my second year, no. I have a suspicion that it may be my first university told them I dropped out earlier than I did, I was still technically enrolled into the course until September 2012 until they told me I either had to retake my first year or leave. Student finance won't tell me what the overpayment is for though so I'm just guessing.

[Deleted User]

Okay, so did you attend for the full first year or did you have any absence towards the end??

If you call & ask them if there was a withdrawal processed for your year 1 they will be able to tell you that.

Dxxx

Starrystarrynight1

It might be the case that your first year student loan, which seems to have been paid to you in full, included the summer period. If your university told them that you left the course in, say, May instead of at the end of August, then it could be the reason for the overpayment.

Taiko

Starrystarrynight1 wrote: »

It might be the case that your first year student loan, which seems to have been paid to you in full, included the summer period. If your university told them that you left the course in, say, May instead of at the end of August, then it could be the reason for the overpayment.

Pretty much correct, although the loans/grants are only payable up until the date of last attendance, so an August withdrawal wouldn't happen.

Feral_Moon

I have a similar situation. Attended university for one year, deferred second year then withdrew completely due to ill health. SLC are now claiming I owe them £700 but don't say why either. Had threatening letters and phone calls. Now they want to see all my finances. I'm not working and unlikely to be for the foreseeable future. What rights to they have to bully a person like this?