University debt passed to DCA, but amount disputed

[Caesium]

Hi,

 

My girlfriend took up a Uni course at Aston last summer but withdrew in October.

 

We are aware of, and perfectly willing, to pay tuition fees of 1/3rd the total that would be due, as is outlined on their website for this situation.

 

The catch is this

- she was entitled to DSA (disabled students allowance) which should cut the yearly fees down from £9k to £3k.

 

For a variety of reasons, internal communication breakdowns most likely,

the DSA-adjusted fee was never actually applied and to this day her account is still at the non-DSA amount.

Thus, we now have debt collectors asking for £3289 (a third of £9k give or take).

 

We've been in touch with the Uni over this and have received confirmation from her disability advisor there, that they do have confirmation of her entitlement to DSA.

 

For some reason this never made it over to the accounts department so I'm now fighting against time to get the account updated

to the lower amount by trying to get the departments to speak to each other before the DCA starts knocking on the door.

 

So, my question really is,

 

does anyone have a template to send to the DCA which says "we're disputing the amount (but not that there is something owed),

and we're trying to get proof, which we'll send as soon as we have it)" -

 

I had a look through the templates but none really seemed to fit

and I'm not entirely comfortable with drafting one from scratch in case I say something wrong.

 

We could send the DCA a photocopy of her DLA (living allowance) but I'm not sure that'd really be enough, it's the DSA proof I'm trying to get.

 

Thanks in advance for any replies, advice, tips

[PGH7447]

Dear Debt Collecotr

 

As you may not be aware this debt is in dispute with the Original Creditor and until such times as this dispute is resolved I will not be dealing with you or any representative you may try to use.

 

I trust this makes my position clear.

 

Yours

 

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[dx100uk]

dont worry about the DCA

 

they have no legal powers to do nowt anyhow

 

dx

[Caesium]

Cheers guys, I'll send that off to them - and then pretty much ignore them while I sort it out with the Uni I guess.