Student grant overpayment - statute barred

Mazzaroosh

Hi all,

I would appreciate some support to prep for future communications re the above. Summary/background below.

Back in 2008/2009 - 2012 I was going a degree. I began the degree pregnant and married. I finished the degree a single mother. During this time I was apparently overpaid some grant payments (NOTE GRANT not loan and not subject to salary deduction).

The alleged overpayment stems from SLC basically being incompetent. They removed an entire years worth of grant entitlement (whilst I was a single mother on zero income) because I could not send them a wage slip from my estranged husband for a period after the time he had left the property.

I always responded to them. Got into 2-3 years worth of disputes with them which was like pulling teeth. I sent them further evidence, repeatedly asked for a letter showing why I was overpaid etc. The case was repeatedly sent to the “dependents grants department” but nothing was ever resolved. No one I spoke to on the phone could work out what the issue was and why I wasn’t being assessed. It was extremely stressful. I did everything I could (with the knowledge I had) at the time.

SLC first requested repayment in 2009/2010. I have always contented that I owe the money. I have been contacted by several debt collection agencies over the years and again have never admitted liability.

My last written contact was January 2013 (over email to an SLC in house collections company) stating that it was in dispute.

This week I received a letter from BPO - quite friendly, bringing up the alleged debt once more. I have emailed them the statute barred letter template from national debt line who I spoke to about this case prior. They agreed it should be statute barred and double checked that student grants did not hold any special powers of retrieval away from court.

BPO responded Monday by email asking me to confirm by address and DOB. I did this as I have nothing to hide and am keen for them to respond and close the case.

I have heard nothing since Monday.

I am opening this thread In preparation of anything further I may receive so that I can be prepared. I’d appreciate your wisdom. Thank you

Mazzaroosh

Contested that I owe! Not contended

Mazzaroosh

BPO have responded today with the following

* confirmed the amount “owed”, to whom, and for when the grant was originally paid

* stated that they have passed it back to the client and will await further instruction from them

Anything I should do?

patman99

If what you posted is correct, then SLC may well realise the debt is statute barred and leave you alone.

sourcrates

Mazzaroosh wrote: »

BPO have responded today with the following :

* stated that they have passed it back to the client and will await further instruction from them

Anything I should do?

patman99 wrote: »

If what you posted is correct, then SLC may well realise the debt is statute barred and leave you alone.

I would like to think that will be the case, but from past experiance do not be suprised if this debt rears its ugly head once more, after been assigned to some bottom feeding debt collector.


There are companies that are "specialist" at buying old portfolios of statute barred debt, then trying to collect on them.


Keep your wits about you for a while yet.

Mazzaroosh

Thanks both.

It’s been with 3-4 debt collection agencies over the years it’s like they will never give up

That said - I’ve never sent them a statute barred letter before. Here is hoping! Fingers crossed and I’ll update when I hear anything

mys1234

:cool:
I found this a very interesting read! Thank you for posting

I have been in a dispute with SLC since 2011, when they started demanding that an overpayment of grant must be repaid by myself of approx £4,000 due to an internal error their end or "mis-classification" of my circumstances if you can say that. It has been years of painful dispute when back in 2015 I contested it with SLC "estranged" department, in order to prove I had estrangement with a family member but had no documents to prove this (why would a parent who disowns you care to provide a letter to this effect? seriously?) and therefore SHOULD receive the bursary. This came back without any luck and they decided I should still repay. Anyways they lost contact with myself upon graduation and I simply decided not to pay anything, as in part this would look like an admission of the overpayment or "guilt" if you can say that.

Since then I receive an email here or there and no more debt collector letters. I have not had a CCJ against me in this time and honestly I wonder what power they have. I'm very happy to negotiate with them until 2099, though I find it unlikely all their records won't be lost or destroyed in some careless fire by their part by then. I have received an email from them today kindly asking for the money. However the logic in my brain says that if they had a solid case they would have taken me to court by now, so clearly they don't.

What do you think?