Rent issue

Hi,

Due to an error with Student Finance processing my application, I have just been informed that I will only be receiving the basic loan amount of £1,179.75 on the 16th of September.

I should be entitled to a higher loan and also a grant. However, the funds I am entitled to will not be given to me until the 2nd payment date, which is January 13th. According to the man I spoke to over the phone, there is no way that any payment can be initiated in between the two dates.

So I basically have £1,179.75 to live off until January but I have to pay over £2,000 rent before this as well as any living costs which I may incur.

I guess I'm asking WHY SFE cannot just make an 'emergency' payment in between the two dates, seeing as I need to money to a) have a roof over my head and b) have something to eat? Clearly, this is not a case of me having blown all of my money already and asking them to move my 2nd payment forward.

I don't think I am being unreasonable at all, I just don't want to be in a situation where the university are chasing me up everyday asking me where my payments are and not being able to do anything because I will have literally zero funds sometime in October.

Is there any way I can get SFE to give me what I am entitled to as soon as they finish processing my application?

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 1

LukeyJB

SFE are total ****, I feel your pain.

Reply 2

spun29

Why did SF did that in your case? I don't understand...i haven't had anyway huge issues with SF like yours...you can complain or take your case at the Financial Obmission or something...i can't remember....if it doesn't work then why dont you ask your parents to chip in?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 3

HotfireLegend

Original post by spun29

Financial Ombudsman :smile:

Usually their services are free, too.

Reply 4

LeoDiCaprio

Original post by LukeyJB

SFE are total ****, I feel your pain.

TOTAL *****, after months of correspondence they say there was a bit of 'confusion' from their side so they didn't assess me properly.

Original post by spun29

They simply can't afford to...

Reply 5

LukeyJB

Original post by LeoDiCaprio

TOTAL *****, after months of correspondence they say there was a bit of 'confusion' from their side so they didn't assess me properly.

They simply can't afford to...

If you really can't get your grant by then then look into a student bank account - Santander are excellent and will give you a £1,500 no interest overdraft after your first SFE payment goes in, and you get a free railcard. We'll all have to live off of overdraft at somepoint.

I am kind of in your situation, SFE need more evidence from me for my grant, but instead of telling me they thought they would wait for me to contact them.

Reply 6

LeoDiCaprio

Original post by LukeyJB

I made a Santander account on Wednesday! I guess you're right, that's the way to go. 'Overdraft' sounds a bit ominous, even if it is interest free, but I'm not exactly spoilt for choice.

Really? I'm assuming you won't receive the grant on the first payment date - have they also told you that they can't pay you what they owe you until the 2nd payment date in January? I mean SURELY!!! there must be a way that they can pay as soon as they've fully processed an application in situations like this!

Reply 7

LukeyJB

Original post by LeoDiCaprio

They haven't mentioned anything about a delayed payment, I don't understand how it's impossible for them to give you the money at a later date - this is what happens when you let anyone work in a call center.

Reply 8

aesir22

Call sf again. Most of the time they can fix these things but theres always some idiot who doesnt help. Im sure they can sort something out

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 9

Autumn&Cheese

Hi there,
Just thought I'd tell you about my experience with a similar situation last year in case it helps. Similar to you, there was a problem with my application which meant that I initially got a low maintenance loan payment and no grant. The issue was sorted a couple of weeks after I started university and I got the maintenance grant + extra payment for my maintenance loan. The payments were labelled as 'interim' on the student finance payments page.

I definitely think you should be able to get the rest of your September payment before January. Try calling student finance again.

Reply 10

Origami Bullets

I'm not an SFE expert, but I would suggest that if you don't get this sorted out in time then you speak to your uni about the Access to Learning Fund, as they should be able to help

Posted from TSR Mobile