Can i claim back my student loan charges or will they blackmail more money from me?

[ihatethestudentloanco30]

Can i claim back my student loan charges or will they blackmail more money from me? Heres the situation:
I have £350 student loan ""arrears"", made up of £200 charges ( mostly all from letters) and £150 from loan repayments.

I have disputed the arrears as I was assured by their staff my loan was deferred. It wasnt. . .I am now liable to pay almost 3months of repayments + charges.

I pay £20 per month towards this direct debit.
From this the slc takes the £7 interest from my total loan amount and pays £13 to the arrears.

I am furious about this and think I have good grounds to at least get the £200 charges refuned.
BUT.....

When I asked for an independent review the slc threatened to take me to court and repay my entire loan amount unless I made an arrangement to pay. Threatened with this I made an arrangement to pay. However I was sent to a debt collector. After a struggle my account is now back with the slc. and Im paying my £20 per month.

So what can I do? Will they just demand the full loan amount and cancel the loan agreement if I try to reclaim my charges?

I think its blackmail!

Can anyone help ?

[Thepower]

Originally Posted by ihatethestudentloanco30

Can i claim back my student loan charges or will they blackmail more money from me? Heres the situation:
I have £350 student loan ""arrears"", made up of £200 charges ( mostly all from letters) and £150 from loan repayments.

I have disputed the arrears as I was assured by their staff my loan was deferred. It wasnt. . .I am now liable to pay almost 3months of repayments + charges.

I pay £20 per month towards this direct debit.
From this the slc takes the £7 interest from my total loan amount and pays £13 to the arrears.

I am furious about this and think I have good grounds to at least get the £200 charges refuned.
BUT.....

When I asked for an independent review the slc threatened to take me to court and repay my entire loan amount unless I made an arrangement to pay. Threatened with this I made an arrangement to pay. However I was sent to a debt collector. After a struggle my account is now back with the slc. and Im paying my £20 per month.

So what can I do? Will they just demand the full loan amount and cancel the loan agreement if I try to reclaim my charges?

I think its blackmail!

Can anyone help ?

Who did you talk to? Collections? These monkeys earn 13k a year plus bonuses so the bonus depends on how much they can collect. So they lie….. in my opinion

The changes are unlawful, and can be claim back via the same process as bank charges. See previous threads. Your “arrears” seem quite low for court action but if you have time do it.

Make a formal compliant, ask to speak to a collection team leader and explain the situation. Imply your going to make a formal complaint. Ask for names of the Team leader tell them you going to include their name in you formal complaint, tell them you have been subject to harassment, unlawful practices as set out by the office of fair trading by their collection team ( sit back and watch them run). If they refuse to help you! Make your make a formal complaint . IT’S YOUR RIGHT!

I think you’ve made a mistake with you interest calculations. So check again.

I’d all so send a Data Protection Act letter to see what’s going on. This will also have the effect of letting them know you mean business and know your rights. They hate that…


Good luck the power!

[ihatethestudentloanco30]

Thanks. I have recently been told by one of their employees that the slc is not under the same guidelines as banks as it is a "non profit organisation".

Has anyone been told this?


Was also told that I am liable to pay towards the full account interest until i clear my arrears.

Its infuriating! And I've been charged £200 for several identical letters!

Im going to seek some more advice. Keep you posted!

[Thepower]

All the pre 1998 loan are covered by the 1974 Consumer credit act. just like the banks.

you claim all you charges back using the same system as bank charges!

you have the power!

[emmaf01]

I have a court claim in process at the moment to reclaim SLC charges and the statutory interest.

I also have arrears of approx £2K, I think. They will try to say the charges are lawful but, as with the banks, they will not supply info and the letters are automated. As are the phonecalls on the auto-dialler. Also, they try to say their costs are such and such but won't supply proof, and their estimates for employee time do not balance out with job adverts which quote salaries.

Have you deferred your loans? If so you are not liable to pay towards them.

I'd dispute the account, ask them to refund the charges (prelim letter), if you have already done a Subject Access Request.

Just shout if you need some help/support.

[ihatethestudentloanco30]

Thanks for replying guys, it makes me feel better! My loans are from 97 and 98 so I hope Im in with a chance. Will keep you posted!

[noomill060]

Hiya!

I claimed my charges back in the same way as from a bank.

They sent an Offer of Settlement for the full amount claimed, on the day they had to respond to my claim.

(£212 in £12 and £20 letter charges, interest on these charges @ 8% and my £36 Court fee)

Sorted.