Chased for old student debt..

blah16

Sorry I might be vague on some parts you just never know who's snooping. Basically I got emailed out of the blue  about 3 years back from an unsaid company (I'm sure you have an idea) I had 3 Student loans 97.98.99. (Scottish)

Now at first I didn't pay attention to it.(as I thought it was some spam company) Then I got a few more I then made the mistake of emailing with a signed letter (although no acknowledgement of the debt was given). 

One of these messages I received was a settlement offer (which has now been deleted off my  file and no other has ever been offered) Then a short while latter I received information on sign in details to there site (as they wouldn't give information over the phone as I wouldn't give them my address) so when I looked (signed in but nothing more than my email address). It was in fact and old student reference. (I don't have any paperwork on these old loans therefore I couldn't cross reference it ). 

I had been deferring from 99 till 2012 I think, as the salary cap was pretty high back then and I was always just under it. I had unfortunately gotten into a mess with debt circa 2010 and I had to enter into a trust deed (Scottish equiv to IVA) but thought this encapsulated student debt (which I later found out it didn't). So between that deferring circa 2011-2012 until 2018 (when this said company contacted me) I hadn't  made any contact with anyone. I think I paid one monthly payment in the entirety of these loans (possibly 2008-2010 unsure of date) as I was a week or 2 late in sending in my deferrment info. 

Now the questions. 
* Where do I stand on this, should I just keep ignoring this ( I am now receiving  periodic account statements). 
*will they just eventually CCJ me. 
 *Im sure they have been adding interest (can they do this ,isn't it suppose to coincide with the actual interest of the original loan). 
* should I ask for the original student load credit agreement 
*As they are only asking about one loan  have the other 2 become statute barred..as I know there are diff rules pre 99.  
* how will this effect my credit file ( has it already). 
*Ive heard if I contact them about a settlement payment (possibly ask for the same original settlement they offered me it was around the 50% mark) if they agree then this gets marked on my file as settled but is still a problem. Could I ask it to be settled (but marked on my file as paid in full). Im just thinking as the debt is so old they would accept this.

*if they don't want a settlement where do I stand.

Apologise as this was pretty long. I was trying to think of every piece of info I could,  so that anyone with sound advice had the full picture. 

I am currently unemployed. (But could possibly get helped in getting together some % of the settlement, if that is the a venue I decide to go down ).

Many thanks in advance for any help given. 

[Deleted User]

The short answer is to contact them, clarify what is owed and come to a repayment arrangement.

Simply ignoring it would be the worst thing you can do.

blah16

No help whatsoever....mmm me thinks you work for one of them...

Thrugelmir

Sticking ones head in the sand maybe your preferred option but isn't going to make the issue go away. Talking to people who are simply doing their jobs isn't so bad. 

[Deleted User]

blah16 said:

No help whatsoever....mmm me thinks you work for one of them...

Yes, I must do.  It's the only possible explanation, isn't it...

jacklaurence

 I recently got contracted by student loan UK and they informed me that I had been overpaid by 1.5K, and that I would have to start paying it back. Is there a way around not paying this back? Cheers 

[Deleted User]

jacklaurence said:

 I recently got contracted by student loan UK and they informed me that I had been overpaid by 1.5K, and that I would have to start paying it back. Is there a way around not paying this back? Cheers 

Short answer: No

Long answer: Well you could just ignore it, get your credit file destroyed, CCJ, attachment of earnings, maybe even bankruptcy but won't have to pay it back - just won't get credit for a long time

TurningANewLeaf

blah16 said:

Sorry I might be vague on some parts you just never know who's snooping. Basically I got emailed out of the blue  about 3 years back from an unsaid company (I'm sure you have an idea) I had 3 Student loans 97.98.99. (Scottish)

Now at first I didn't pay attention to it.(as I thought it was some spam company) Then I got a few more I then made the mistake of emailing with a signed letter (although no acknowledgement of the debt was given). 

One of these messages I received was a settlement offer (which has now been deleted off my  file and no other has ever been offered) Then a short while latter I received information on sign in details to there site (as they wouldn't give information over the phone as I wouldn't give them my address) so when I looked (signed in but nothing more than my email address). It was in fact and old student reference. (I don't have any paperwork on these old loans therefore I couldn't cross reference it ). 

I had been deferring from 99 till 2012 I think, as the salary cap was pretty high back then and I was always just under it. I had unfortunately gotten into a mess with debt circa 2010 and I had to enter into a trust deed (Scottish equiv to IVA) but thought this encapsulated student debt (which I later found out it didn't). So between that deferring circa 2011-2012 until 2018 (when this said company contacted me) I hadn't  made any contact with anyone. I think I paid one monthly payment in the entirety of these loans (possibly 2008-2010 unsure of date) as I was a week or 2 late in sending in my deferrment info. 

Now the questions. 
* Where do I stand on this, should I just keep ignoring this ( I am now receiving  periodic account statements). 
*will they just eventually CCJ me. 
 *Im sure they have been adding interest (can they do this ,isn't it suppose to coincide with the actual interest of the original loan). 
* should I ask for the original student load credit agreement 
*As they are only asking about one loan  have the other 2 become statute barred..as I know there are diff rules pre 99.  
* how will this effect my credit file ( has it already). 
*Ive heard if I contact them about a settlement payment (possibly ask for the same original settlement they offered me it was around the 50% mark) if they agree then this gets marked on my file as settled but is still a problem. Could I ask it to be settled (but marked on my file as paid in full). Im just thinking as the debt is so old they would accept this.

*if they don't want a settlement where do I stand.

Apologise as this was pretty long. I was trying to think of every piece of info I could,  so that anyone with sound advice had the full picture. 

I am currently unemployed. (But could possibly get helped in getting together some % of the settlement, if that is the a venue I decide to go down ).

Many thanks in advance for any help given. 

I was under the impression that you only pay back student loans once you are earning over a certain threshold.  And this money will come out automatically on your payslips, but maybe it is different in Scotland, but if not, are you sure this isn't a scam?  I don't understand why they asking you to settle unless this is a private loan, and if it is a private, then it should be statute barred by now.
Check you credit files, I think it's unlikely these loans will be on there but check just in case.  
If this is a private debt, isn't statute barred, then if you are unemployed with no disposable income and no prospect of finding a job you could go down the route of asking them to write off the debt if they are demanding it in full?  Essentially, it makes no sense to chase someone for a debt which they can't possibly repay, but you'll have to plan this route out and be prepared to prove you have no money left over to repay any debts.

sleepyjones

Student Loans in Scotland don't get "written off" until you are aged 65 OR 30 years after your graduation date ... so in short, no, there is no way around it unless you manage to dodge them for another 10 or so years.  The current salary threshold for making repayments is £19,390, so if you earn less than that you won't have to repay until your salary reaches the threshold.
Does seem strange that they've offered a settlement though.

[Deleted User]

TurningANewLeaf said:

blah16 said:

Sorry I might be vague on some parts you just never know who's snooping. Basically I got emailed out of the blue  about 3 years back from an unsaid company (I'm sure you have an idea) I had 3 Student loans 97.98.99. (Scottish)

Now at first I didn't pay attention to it.(as I thought it was some spam company) Then I got a few more I then made the mistake of emailing with a signed letter (although no acknowledgement of the debt was given). 

One of these messages I received was a settlement offer (which has now been deleted off my  file and no other has ever been offered) Then a short while latter I received information on sign in details to there site (as they wouldn't give information over the phone as I wouldn't give them my address) so when I looked (signed in but nothing more than my email address). It was in fact and old student reference. (I don't have any paperwork on these old loans therefore I couldn't cross reference it ). 

I had been deferring from 99 till 2012 I think, as the salary cap was pretty high back then and I was always just under it. I had unfortunately gotten into a mess with debt circa 2010 and I had to enter into a trust deed (Scottish equiv to IVA) but thought this encapsulated student debt (which I later found out it didn't). So between that deferring circa 2011-2012 until 2018 (when this said company contacted me) I hadn't  made any contact with anyone. I think I paid one monthly payment in the entirety of these loans (possibly 2008-2010 unsure of date) as I was a week or 2 late in sending in my deferrment info. 

Now the questions. 
* Where do I stand on this, should I just keep ignoring this ( I am now receiving  periodic account statements). 
*will they just eventually CCJ me. 
 *Im sure they have been adding interest (can they do this ,isn't it suppose to coincide with the actual interest of the original loan). 
* should I ask for the original student load credit agreement 
*As they are only asking about one loan  have the other 2 become statute barred..as I know there are diff rules pre 99.  
* how will this effect my credit file ( has it already). 
*Ive heard if I contact them about a settlement payment (possibly ask for the same original settlement they offered me it was around the 50% mark) if they agree then this gets marked on my file as settled but is still a problem. Could I ask it to be settled (but marked on my file as paid in full). Im just thinking as the debt is so old they would accept this.

*if they don't want a settlement where do I stand.

Apologise as this was pretty long. I was trying to think of every piece of info I could,  so that anyone with sound advice had the full picture. 

I am currently unemployed. (But could possibly get helped in getting together some % of the settlement, if that is the a venue I decide to go down ).

Many thanks in advance for any help given. 

I was under the impression that you only pay back student loans once you are earning over a certain threshold.  And this money will come out automatically on your payslips, but maybe it is different in Scotland, but if not, are you sure this isn't a scam?  I don't understand why they asking you to settle unless this is a private loan, and if it is a private, then it should be statute barred by now.
Check you credit files, I think it's unlikely these loans will be on there but check just in case.  
If this is a private debt, isn't statute barred, then if you are unemployed with no disposable income and no prospect of finding a job you could go down the route of asking them to write off the debt if they are demanding it in full?  Essentially, it makes no sense to chase someone for a debt which they can't possibly repay, but you'll have to plan this route out and be prepared to prove you have no money left over to repay any debts.

This is not a private debt it is student loan debt. The OP took out student loans in 97, 98 and 99 so was/is on plan 1 not plan 2 or 3 which is what you’re describing with repayments being deducted from your salary. Plan 1 student loans should be paid by direct debit unless you are able to defer payment but the OP didn’t bother to do that after 2012. 

[Deleted User]

blah16 said:

Sorry I might be vague on some parts you just never know who's snooping. Basically I got emailed out of the blue  about 3 years back from an unsaid company (I'm sure you have an idea) I had 3 Student loans 97.98.99. (Scottish)

Now at first I didn't pay attention to it.(as I thought it was some spam company) Then I got a few more I then made the mistake of emailing with a signed letter (although no acknowledgement of the debt was given). 

One of these messages I received was a settlement offer (which has now been deleted off my  file and no other has ever been offered) Then a short while latter I received information on sign in details to there site (as they wouldn't give information over the phone as I wouldn't give them my address) so when I looked (signed in but nothing more than my email address). It was in fact and old student reference. (I don't have any paperwork on these old loans therefore I couldn't cross reference it ). 

I had been deferring from 99 till 2012 I think, as the salary cap was pretty high back then and I was always just under it. I had unfortunately gotten into a mess with debt circa 2010 and I had to enter into a trust deed (Scottish equiv to IVA) but thought this encapsulated student debt (which I later found out it didn't). So between that deferring circa 2011-2012 until 2018 (when this said company contacted me) I hadn't  made any contact with anyone. I think I paid one monthly payment in the entirety of these loans (possibly 2008-2010 unsure of date) as I was a week or 2 late in sending in my deferrment info. 

Now the questions. 
* Where do I stand on this, should I just keep ignoring this ( I am now receiving  periodic account statements). 
*will they just eventually CCJ me. 
 *Im sure they have been adding interest (can they do this ,isn't it suppose to coincide with the actual interest of the original loan). 
* should I ask for the original student load credit agreement 
*As they are only asking about one loan  have the other 2 become statute barred..as I know there are diff rules pre 99.  
* how will this effect my credit file ( has it already). 
*Ive heard if I contact them about a settlement payment (possibly ask for the same original settlement they offered me it was around the 50% mark) if they agree then this gets marked on my file as settled but is still a problem. Could I ask it to be settled (but marked on my file as paid in full). Im just thinking as the debt is so old they would accept this.

*if they don't want a settlement where do I stand.

Apologise as this was pretty long. I was trying to think of every piece of info I could,  so that anyone with sound advice had the full picture. 

I am currently unemployed. (But could possibly get helped in getting together some % of the settlement, if that is the a venue I decide to go down ).

Many thanks in advance for any help given. 

As you’ve discovered insolvency doesn’t tackle student loans. You really need to find out when you last acknowledged this debt (made a payment) to find out if it’s statute barred yet. In Scotland debts become statute barred after 5 years so my suggestion would be to write to the student loans company to get a Subject Access Request to see all the information they hold on you.