Can the Student Loans Company Break into my Flat?

pentiumofborg · May 8, 2012

Can the debt recovery people used by the Student Loans Company legally break into my flat and take away my belongings?

Can this happen?

Under what circumstances can this happen?

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

A bit of background:

I am in arrears to the tune of about £1400 (not including the original loan), of which about £400 are letter charges.

I moved recently to get away from nasty neighbours and the Student Loans Company ran a trace and found me within 8 weeks.

Before I moved, I got data using the Data Protection Act letters but the charges don't even add up properly and they haven't included all of the annual statements.

I didn't correspond with them further before I moved.

I've just received a letter telling me that they have found me using an "Autotrace" for which they have charged me £10.

I am not in a position to repay my debt because I have recently started my own business and am still finding my feet.

I'm on a really low income at the moment but can't really prove it as I haven't yet done my accounts for the year.

What kind position am I in as regards repayment given that I am self employed but on a low income?

I'm expecting a nasty debt collection letter any day now.

I especially want to know if they can take away all of my computer equipment - I use this to make my living. Can they actually break into my flat?

Edited May 8, 2012 by pentiumofborg

**dx100uk** · May 8, 2012

who is the debt recovery people - not LINK is it?

nNO THEY CANNOT

they are a DCA - they have NO LEGAL POWERS AT ALL>

they are NOT BAILIFFS AND NEVER EVER WILL BE.

the ONLY people that can are COURT[HCEO] bailiffs

an thats AFTER its been to court and AFTER you fail to pay.

as for the PENALTY letter charges and NY OTHER 'fees' for this and that

GET RECLAIMING.

tell us about the loans please

dates amounts etc etc.

NEVER EVER blieve what any DCA says on the phone

you should never discuss your debts on the phone anyway

dx

pentiumofborg · May 13, 2012

Thank you for your advice. I'm trying to avoid talking to them over the phone but I really would like to know if they have already obtained a Court Order and sent it to my old address. I won't ring them though. The letter I got actually says it's a "NOTICE OF DEFAULT SUMS", and only mentions £10 for the Autotrace fee. It also says "This does not take into account of default sums which we have already told you about in another default sums notice, whether or not these sums remain umpaid.". This suggests me to me that they are about to go to court if they haven't already. Even if they have already gone to court, would they write to me here at my new address before bailiffs arrive? How does this work? Would they have to go to court again because I've moved? I've got to sort through all the paperwork before I can come up with the total amount owed - what they are asking for is wrong by about £50 anyway by my calculation based on the figures gained through the incomplete Data Request. I'll fire off a non-compliance letter next. Expecting some horrible demand for payment any day now, or bailiffs if they have already been to court and sent all the paperwork to my old address.