Student Loan Company problems - should I send CCA or Subject Access Request request first?

[nat01]

Hello All,

I am new here and my problems with the SLC have led me to this very useful site. Please can you help me as am unsure exactly what I should do next.

I have trawled through the threads but am still unsure whether I should send the SLC a CCA request first or a S.A.R - (Subject Access Request), or both at the same time? Or do something else?

My situation: (sorry it’s long but at least you’ll have all the info)

I have 4 loans: 95 at one university then 97, 98, 99 at another uni.

Since then I have never earned enough to pay them back and have deferred. This year I forgot about the student loans until I noticed repayments (Dec 07 & Jan 08) going out from a direct debit from an account I hardly use. So, rightly or wrongly in feb 2008 I stopped the d/d as could not afford for the payments to come out.

I contacted the SLC in Feb 2008 to ask for deferment forms as had not been sent them previously. In the meantime I had to go into hospital for emergency surgery. Whilst I was in hospital the slc rang and my partner told them I was in hospital. The week I came home from hospital the SLC then started hassling me over the phone for arrears on my account (one month!). I said I was waiting for the deferral forms which still hadn't arrived but as I was still very vulnerable as recovering after my surgery and still quite ill, although I argued that as I didn’t earn enough I shouldn’t have to pay it, I agreed to pay the one month arrear in my words ‘ to stop you harassing me.’ Anyhow the deferment forms finally turned up in second week of March and I sent them off with enclosed evidence of income (foolishly I now know just using normal first class post)

The SLC then started ringing again a few times a day in April (didn’t answer but did 1471 to check the number) presumably as another month’s arrears had come up.

So I rang the slc to see what had happened with my deferral application and of course they hadn’t received it. The guy was okay and said he’d send some new forms. As I knew they’d take ages to come I sent a letter with all the relevant details and again evidence of my income for the last three months from my current employer (recorded delivery) to them.

In the meantime (3rd week of April 2008) I received my original deferment forms back from the slc and payslips etc with an enclosed standard letter saying they had made copies of the documents I’d sent. So clearly they had received it after all despite denying it!

I thought that was it and thought great I’ll get the deferment now and will ask them to refund the last 3 months payments. No such luck as this week I received a letter from Smith and Lawson (who I now know are the slc) saying I owed £80.15 and should pay in 7 days. This 80.15 does not correspond with any of my loan monthly amounts as far as I can tell either so unsure what it is for.

I rang the slc (not smith and Lawson) didn’t mention the letter or the alleged arrears and asked what was going on with my deferment. She said she couldn’t access my account as it had been flagged as ‘with collections' as the account is in arrears. I asked her what the arrears are for and she couldn’t/wouldn’t tell me.

I said I thought it was a bit odd that she couldn’t tell me what was happening with the deferment. She then tried to give me the collections phone number but I basically just interrupted her said thanks for your help and hung up.

So here I am and not entirely sure what to do next. Send a CCA, Subject Access Request, both or something else

Thank you.

Nat

[summer30]

Wont Hurt to CCA first, the years yo went to uni are those vague years where the credit agreements got scanned then binned, we got ours in feb and we couldnt read it.

This bought us some time then we sent a S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) request as it tells you all the phone calls letters received etc.

My OH did both these but his charges amount to over £2k

at the moment because they didnt provide a legible CCA it sohlud be in default but theyvve started to take money from my Ohs wages

the students forum is very quiet at the moment i've not got any help on if they can do this, just fingers crossed these charges get lifted