Student Loans/Mackenzie Hall?

Hum · 30th November 2007, 10:17

Hello Everyone! Please can you advise.

I have a debt with student loans going back to when I was a student from 1997 to 2001. I want on to do a Post grad in 2000 and presumed in my naivety that as I was still a student and no action would be required. This was not the student loans point of view, who insisted I should have deferred the loan following my undergraduate years. Following this I ignored them for many years as I felt I had been unfairly treated. In 2004 I began working as a lecturer at a college and decided that as I had a reliable source of income I could begin to repay the loan through Wescot credit £30 a week. The government decided that all college lecturers needed to have a PGCE Teacher training Qualification. In passing the course which would normally be subsidised by a student grant, I was told that I would not be eligible for funding as I have arrears on my student loan account. I was unable to afford the course fees, which would basically mean I would have to take a cut in my wage as I would not be qualified.

At this point I handed in my resignation, and following a couple of months I wrote to Wescot credit updating them of my situation and requested that the interest be frozen so that the debt could be paid off. After a month with no reply I stopped the payments. I received a phone call from student loans asking for payment of the full amount, to which I said I couldn’t and they requested I phoned a collection agency. The final chapter in the saga is a letter from Mackenzie Hall who state that they are unaware of any legitimate reason for non payment, and demand the payment be made by the 3rd of December.

Can someone here advise me on how to proceed.

Many Thanks

H

Hippy-chick · 30th November 2007, 15:19

I'd start by sending a CCA request to MH to see if they have the authority to collect. Letter N here: http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...templates.html

Send it recorded delivery. They get 10+2 working days to reply. If (when!) they don't the account is in dispute and the debt is unenforceable.

Hum · 30th November 2007, 21:00

Thank you Hippy-Chick,
I let you know what Happens. Thinking That the Debt is enforceable what would be the next step. Ideally I would prefer that is was taken to court due to the history of how the debt has been incurred. Am I right to think this? Anyway thank-you very much for your advice, and I think Johnny Cash is ace too!

Hum

Hippy-chick · 30th November 2007, 21:07

Well, I'd see if you can get MH to send the debt back to Student Loans. Then you can start to challenge the charges with a Subject Access Request so you can see what the figure they're quoting consists of.

They are bad at not deferring folk. I had a similar situation. I now pay them a pittance a month as I can afford it.

I've just bought Johhny's Xmas album from Woolies - only £3.97.

Anyway, keep posting and let us know how you're getting on.

Hum · 8th December 2007, 10:35

Good morning Hippy Chick,
I received a reply to the CCA request yesterday. I received all three Student loan agreements with compliments of Student Loans Co LTD.
The total sum of the loans which I received was £4180.
Is there a default letter for a subject access request?

Great buy at Woolies! I seem to remember there is an artist singing very low vocal traditional country songs. I am sure you will like but all my CDs are in storage so will have to try and remember the name for you!

Thank you again

zigster · 8th December 2007, 13:08

Last week I sent a CCA to MH - today the agreements have come back, but from the Students Loan Company. I really didn't think that they would be able to find them.....

I too am going to Subject Access Request them, as I think they charge about £20 per letter so would be good to get that figure down. There is a letter in the letter sections and you need to send £10 I think too.

Oh my husband had to put off his PGCE for the same reasons as you - even though he had deferred and never actually earned over the amount anyway. He wasn't even asking for a loan, just the basic subsidy which he is entitled to. Now some of the Local Authorities are working hand-in-hand with the Student Loans co and therefore have given them this power!!!! Absolutely ridiculous.....!!!!

Hippy-chick · 8th December 2007, 15:56

Hi Zigster.

There's a copy of the letter here: 1. Data Protection Act, Subject Access Request letter - List of charges

And yes, it's £10.

Sorry - don't mean to hijack hum's thread.

xx

zigster · 8th December 2007, 22:51

Thanks Hippy-chick,
Shall be sorting out that letter on Monday.

I think I may have slightly hijacked the thread so sorry....

J x

Hum · 9th December 2007, 19:33

Thanks HC,
More the merrier I say! Zigster you must tell your husband I sympathize. It is really wrong of these institutions to expect you to pay in the first place, any other employment would be more than willing to train you to do your job! There are some real issues with how educational facilities are run these days and It's not all the governments fault. Full time lecturers and teachers give so much with very little support, and the saddest thing of all it's the students who end up paying for it!

Hum

Hippy-chick · 9th December 2007, 20:11

Yes - I think there's too much emphasis put on the need to get a degree nowadays. I know so many folk who have graduated only to work in a call centre.

But I do disagree with you when you compare a University to an employer. It's not the same.

Hum · 9th December 2007, 20:51

Yes, the emphasis to get that degree is just a ruse. At the end of the day Universities and and College's are businesses first and foremost. This is why I compare them to an employer. Each student has a number and it begins with a pound sight. I unfortunately now this from experience! Hair and beauty has been a growing industry for a while now, they fill the courses up, expand to capacity, and there is very little work for the poor souls to do at the end of it. Learning institutions need to be more economy/global/environmentally friendly. Sorry lol Il just get my soap box out lol
Cheers

H

Hippy-chick · 9th December 2007, 21:27

LOL - you rant away!

I think students are consumers buying a service, rather than employees. And, like all consumers, they should think about what they're buying and why they're buying it. I go into colleges and talk to students about gonig to uni so that they can make an informed decision (I'm a postgraduate, and tutor for my uni). We don't try to talk anybody into it or out of it, we do try to get folk to think about it.

Hum · 10th December 2007, 05:44

Ah, then you are doing a very valuable service. I have just had to give my younger brother that same talk, who like me at his age had no idea what he is going to do with the work/postgrad dilemma. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I don't use my degrees at all now, though I use the learning skills I have picked up in other areas.

Right I will sort that letter out now!

Keep up the good work!

)

Hippy-chick · 10th December 2007, 05:53

Yes - get that letter done now! Post tomorrow - recorded, of course. And keep us informed.

And get Johnny out of storage.

Hum · 10th December 2007, 06:45

Ahh just remembered! Have you heard Terry Collier. Not much about her on the net but she's out there! Cant wait to get all my music out now, the house is a building site, but not for long hopfully!

Seems I'm not the only one unable to sleep!!

Cheers

Hippy-chick · 10th December 2007, 06:50

LOL - I was nearly sleeping then! Time clock's shot though - had a night out with a few of the lads from Scotland last night and slept the day away as a result. Was just looking at the pics and thinking what a great time we had.

Hippy_chick - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Hum · 10th December 2007, 07:02

Looks like you did have a good time, don't envy your head this morning though lol sorry shouldn't laugh. I'l get back to that letter and let you get some rest.

Hippy-chick · 10th December 2007, 07:09

We had a GREAT time! I've only been here a couple of months - and I've already met pals like that!

Don't laugh - it was icy last night - and I could not stand up coming home.

Nothing to do with the alcohol - of course! Just the ice!

Now get to that letter. I want to see your homework in the morning. And if you're good we might invite you to the next meet (she lies - we regularly try to organise get togethers - no invite necessary!).

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