wescott /student loans company

[jackster77]

Hey was wondering if anyone could help me I have a number of student loan and one for which I didn't send the deffermwnt forms back in time for
The loan was defaulted (but I don't thinks its on my credit report) and they say I am in arrears of £2500
I got all sorts of threatining letters from them re paying the money back including we will be sending an agent to your door to discuss payment -Fair enough i didn't send in the deferrment form but I'm not at the threshold and object to having to pay them anything

Basically I have made an agreement to pay them £30 quid a month - a payment which i never make until the threatining letters start again then I give them £30 quid then nothing for months and so on and so on


Basically I would appriciate any advise do I have tp pay this cause I didn't fill in the forms even though i am under the threshold
and were to I even begin to sort this mess out

[MRSRWILSON]

Hi

Im in the same boat. Except Im just over the threshold of being able to defer for the first time (since a cost of living pay rise in Jan). Although I had deferreed in the past, I missed sending off the last set of forms and as a result ive got £1940 in arrears - just due to SLC sending letters.
Unfortunately, they have passed this debt on to 2 (?!) debt collectors - one which visited my home last week. (I wasn't in but had a mobile number put through the door) since then I have agreed with Wescot to pay £150 a month (which I can't afford).

Does anyone know if you can claim these charges back - as they seem unlawful to me!?

Any advice?

[tiglet]

Hi
Firstly, send them a CCA and wait for them to supply it. if they do, send them an S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) and wait for your statemenst to come through. Then follow the same procedure as you would for the bank.

I'm doing that now for both mine and my husband's student loans - they basically cocked up when I changed addresses (even though i notified them) and therefore wouldn't let any deferment happen. We have been paying them off, but am sure there are lots of charges on there, so we are seeing what we can do to get this debt reduced.

Or, if no CCA, written off!

[The Lament Configuration]

I had a letter from Westcott because I was in arrears and had missed a payment. Therefore I was under the impression that it was all being handled by Westcott - I have received no further communication from SLC.
I contacted them(Westcott) by telephone recently because I wanted to check the amount outstanding, and it had actually gone up.
It transpired that it was only the arrears that had been passed to Westcott and my original student loan was still accruing charges. This amount was then being passed on to Westcott - it appeared as though Westcott were acting as an intermediary or some sort.
I asked for the account to be investigated and it has now been passed back to SLC

[jackster77]

anyone heard of Brookdale & Walker Associates??? they sent me a lovely letter this morning that they have been instructed by Pennine Debt recovery to recouop £5819.78
My debt was with hons student loans then Wescott who the eff oare pennine anyone heard of them?

Am going to look through student loans threads now and am thinking I should a cca but where should it go -Wescott honours student loans or these new boyo's pennine?

[jackster77]

just of the phone to pennine - I said to them that the last letter I got had about a £3000 balance and this was over 5k how so - They have been adding 99 to the bill each month as they say that it is what I should be paying - well I disagree cause I only will be over the threshold from this year on

Need to get deferrement sorted out for previous years can they keep putting these arrears on saying that I should be paying them £99 per month even though thev've agreed to take £30
all so confusing - good news thought there is no record of this debt on my credit file - but am afraaid that it could appear at some stage in the future

[jackster77]

Originally Posted by The Lament Configuration

I had a letter from Westcott because I was in arrears and had missed a payment. Therefore I was under the impression that it was all being handled by Westcott - I have received no further communication from SLC.
I contacted them(Westcott) by telephone recently because I wanted to check the amount outstanding, and it had actually gone up.
It transpired that it was only the arrears that had been passed to Westcott and my original student loan was still accruing charges. This amount was then being passed on to Westcott - it appeared as though Westcott were acting as an intermediary or some sort.
I asked for the account to be investigated and it has now been passed back to SLC

hey there how did you ask for the account to be investigated???

[jackster77]

Originally Posted by MRSRWILSON

Hi

Im in the same boat. Except Im just over the threshold of being able to defer for the first time (since a cost of living pay rise in Jan). Although I had deferreed in the past, I missed sending off the last set of forms and as a result ive got £1940 in arrears - just due to SLC sending letters.
Unfortunately, they have passed this debt on to 2 (?!) debt collectors - one which visited my home last week. (I wasn't in but had a mobile number put through the door) since then I have agreed with Wescot to pay £150 a month (which I can't afford).

Does anyone know if you can claim these charges back - as they seem unlawful to me!?

Any advice?

hey there I think that your arrears are regarding the payment that student loans co think you should be making every month - I found this out today when I phoned a debt collection agency as at first I thought these were charges been added on
am not really sure what direction to go with student loans - but am definately going to send a cca
were you able to find out anything more?

[jackster77]

can anyone help me my loans are all pre 98 and therefore is assume that they are under the regulation of the CCA bu I've received statements from honours student loans not student loans company couls itbe that they've sold my debt to honours student loans and are not thefefore governed my the cca even though my loans are pre 98?

[tiglet]

They may well ahve sold them to HSL - however, they are still responsible for providing you with a CCA if requested.

[jackster77]

ok then thanks Tiglet
Have my letter drafted so will pop it in the post tomorrow - Fingers crossed

[emmaf01]

I've sent them both a CCA and S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) letters.

I received CCA agreements first of which one was not signed by the SLC.

I received a second set with my S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) response- and the unsigned agreement was now signed. I have sent a formal complaint to the SLC chief executive and the Information Commissioners Office about this possible fraud.

In have sent them the lba this week, so in less than 2 weeks I'm filing with mcol. I am looking forward to this, immensely. And putting the accounts in dispute means they cannot phone/hassle me. A welcome breather!

If anyone needs a hand in taking on these people, just shout!

[jackster77]

Hi Emma

I made an arrangement to pay pennine £30 a week then sent them a CCA on Friday - I didn't send them a S.A.R - (Subject Access Request) because I don't really think that they are puttin any charges on my account
anyway they rang me today looking for their payment of £30 and I'm sure they have received my CCA - Do you think I should go ahead and pay them or is the account in dispute yet
Wud really appriciate your imput - thanks in advance

[tiglet]

Hi jackster

They have not defaulted on the CCA request until 12 working days + 2 for delivery from the day you sent the CCA. Did you send it recorded?

[Erica_The_Penguin]

Jackster,
If you default with the SLC it won't show on your credit file. This is because student loan debts (i.e. payment history, amounts and defaults) are not registered with them.

(This may change in the future).

If you were taken to court and received a CCJ then I believe it would show on your credit file. This is because credit ref agencies are required to show public records of court action for debt.

I don't know whether the regulations are the same for honours - they might be a private company operating under different rules.

[Erica_The_Penguin]

I would also like to add that you do NOT have to pay them anything you can't afford.

I went to the CAB, they did a budget statement for me, and told me that I was on such a low income that £8.00 was all I could afford to pay my creditors in total. (Four creditors)

They gave me a letter to sent to the SLC along with budget sheet.

The SLC had to accept my offer of £2.00 a month - forever!!! Unless I managed to get a better job.

If you are having hassles, go to the CAB. Ask to see a legal advisor (not one of their volunteers). They will tell you what your rights are and help you sort it out.

When you have sorted out the basics - i.e. deferred all your loans and sorted out a repayment schedule, come back here for info on how to make sure they have your credit agreements and how to get back the money for letters they have sent you etc.

The CAB rocks!!!!

[Erica_The_Penguin]

PPS Make sure you send all your letters by 'signed for' and then check on the internet that they have been received, especially deferment forms. They are notorious for throwing peoples letters and deferment forms 'in the bin' and unless you can PROVE you have sent them, it will be your word against theirs.

[emmaf01]

I am NEVER again going to send them anything that is not recorded delivery.

On all mail I have sent them, both CCA, Data Protection Act S.A.R - (Subject Access Request), prelim and LBA, plus my complaint letters, I have started every letter with, in large capital letters, PLEASE NOTE- THIS ACCOUNT IS NOW IN DISPUTE.

I like to think they can't be able to ignore that, but it is the SLC so you can't guarantee anything!