Student Loan Deferment Conspiracy ? (long)

[welshwizard]

Just a thought? I wonder how SLC, their dogs of war that are the DCA's and the Goverment would look if people started killing themselves because of the distress caused by the complete failure by the SLC et al to function correctly, within the law and in an ethical manner?

There are people here (me included) that are very close to the edge and we shouldn't be!

In Bridgend the authorities are all running around like headless chickens becuase there have been 17 (I think) suicides (Teenagers) in the last year. Would they be running round like this if people all over the UK flooded message boards with talk of suicide and accusations against SLC, the dogs and the Government? And all because someone somewhere failed to do their job right (in a spectacular manner) and didn't process deferment forms timeously (or however it's spelt).

Shall we start a new campaign because I have nothing to lose now.

[daveydavey]

Have courage !!

Breakthrough : remember it seems the Gov't has backtracked or at least softened its position regarding the false arrears generated by 'missing' deferment forms - see the submission to the Better Regulation Executive here :

Better Regulation Executive (BRE): Let us have your ideas:

- & see the response ! Print it out, refer to it when making (a) formal complaint (s) , all stages, use it in Court !! If a judge sees it, written in black & white by a Government official regarding 'better Regulation', that a deferment *can* be 'backdated' for more than 12 months if a borrower can prove his income was below the repayment threshold (when it should have been deferred in the first place) over the relevant period, then any case brought by the SLC & Honours Student Loans etc would be highly likely to collapse!!

So if you're in this position, complain formally, go through all the stages, then complain to the FOS if necessary (you have a right to do this re pre -1998 loans) / or if you are taken to Court print out the BRE's response. If you are constantly hassled by debt collectors inform them the Gov't has clarified the position ... etc etc

[debt4get]

can someone tell me are these loans for courses taken before 1998 or after because on the gov website it states quite categorically
If you started your course in or after 1998, your student loan repayments will be based on your income.
If you earn less than a certain level of income - the 'repayment threshold' - you will not be required to repay anything. If you earn above the threshold, you will repay a percentage of the amount you earn over the threshold.
If you started your course before 1998, you will have a different type of student loan.

[daveydavey]

The problems occur (mainly) with pre-1998 loans. After 1998 , the Inland Revenue started to administer the loans, so those on a low income were automatically deferred until their income reached a certain level. Problems have occurred with an unrealistic proportion of annual deferment forms for pre-1998 loans not being processed for whatever reason, & the consequent unreasonableness & bloody-mindedness of the SLC & Honours Student Loans Co. in being unwilling to correct the 'arrears' figures thus generated, the loan companies then passing the 'debts' onto debt collectors, threatening to demand repayment of the whole of the loan declaring the low-income borrower to be 'in default', harassing vulnerable groups who qualified for deferment into repaying 'arrears' and / or the whole of the deferred loan amount, adding unrealistic & unlawful repeated £20 charges for computer-generated letters sent second class, then falsely claiming the charges had been 'approved' by the OFT, 'moving' & misrepresenting the administration of loans from the 'SLC' (Student Loans Company) to the 'SLC' (Smith Lawson & Company) when the two are in fact the same organisation etc etc.

[debt4get]

thanks for the reply I was wondering as my loans were taken out in 98 on
however, that does not help you or the other thousands like you, why is it from 98 on whether you pay is dependent on income and managed through paye so you do not have to formally declare deferrement yet before 98 you must apply for deferment
have you brought this to the attention of the national press tv radio MPs and just about anyone you can get to listen, this must not be allowed to continue you should have the same rights as pre98 as to post98 for myself there by the grace of god go I if I had been another year earlier I'd be in the same mess I really feel for you all

[Idhoca]

Originally Posted by maybelline

I would say do a S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) under the Data Protection Act 1998, cost £10 and get all your information.

alternatively just do a CCA request, templates in library, cost £1, this will get you a copy of the agreement, ask for a statement of account also and any deed of assignment if they have passed it to a debt collector, although it may be that it is still in house with SLC.

from there you can begin to build a picture of what you want to do, and what to do most urgently.

if you have evidence of illness, benefits, low income etc gather it all up for the relevant periods so you can demonstrate to them why you would not be eligible to pay them if this is the case, and start to think about charges.

good luck

Thank you maybelline for your advice. Could you explain how could I do a S.A.R - (Subject Access Request)? Being abroad and having left the UK several years ago, I find it difficult the get all the information I need plus I haven’t a clue of legal terms etc. Could you also tell me what CCA stands for? Probably not being in there doesn’t help me as I cannot phisically go to the library to get a template. I could get a friend to get it for me but I have to tell exactly what to ask for and where to go.
Once again thank you for your great help. I don't feel lonely anymore

[Idhoca]

Hi again! Through the internet I have managed to find out more information about CCA etc. I probably will do a S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) but I would be grateful if anyone could post here a template and if you could also tell me where to send the request. Thank you all!

[noomill060]

Go here for a template Subject Access Request

Data Protection Act - Subject Access Request Generator *** New ***

You should send it to SLC's Bothwell Street address.

Start a thread so you can keep us up to date.

[maybelline]

stick with it, thanks to all who gave me the support when it was hell, result at last

[Idhoca]

I will do, thank you so much.

[noomill060]

Whats the result, maybelline...?

do tell.

[maybelline]

written off (more later)

[maybelline]

Better Regulation Executive (BRE): Let us have your ideas: