overpayment (suspend course)

Hi, just want to share my own experience if this could help anyone.

I suspend my course (12-13) due to medical background (with doctor letter).

Later, I was chased unexpectedly by the overpayment (without any warning : I did speak on phone with SLC before I submit my suspend request to my university and I was told it's OK to suspend and back next year, no head up about any surprise urgent overpayment )

I proper naive not thinking something like that (overpayment) as I was not well and my mind always programme everything would be started after my universal graduate eg pay back student loans etc

I was chased with threaten letters (court procedure, bailiff in front door smashing in etc) to pay back now.

it's very hard to get hold the SLC to discuss my case but once you get hold one of them and they did answer you back accordingly.

in the end, I was told
"The maintenance grant is calculated based on 365 days at the beginning of the year. When a student suspends their studies their support is recalculated on a pro rata basis for the number of days they spent in attendance at university."

and

"could be awarded with an extra 60 days discretionary payment as you suspended on health grounds"

For the rest overpayment amount (since I was very poor without any income and other support):

I was told to contact 'Discretionary Payments Team' with medical letter showing that I was not fit for working up to the end of August 13 (the qualifying period). I did not work or having any income.

It did take quite some time to get it sort out and it's very frightening.

Please note every case is different it may not fit in your case.

Reply 1

balotelli12

Of course you must pay back grant pro rata that you are no longer entitled to.

Reply 2

roady38

Original post by balotelli12

Of course you must pay back grant pro rata that you are no longer entitled to.

I do understand, I am not saying I am special.

I just want to share and make people aware for sudden thread (bailiff, court and possibly destroy credit rating), It's very harmful as it might leak to no mobile phone contract, no chance to rent a private accommodation etc

Please note that student loans website not really give out such information until I am in such situation. I did mention I had rung them before on my original threads

Mind you, I still don't know how they calculate final year loans money. I hope you would agree that student loan company don't really very informative.

I just not well at those period and I was naive(and put all my energy to my studies) to think that I don't need to deal with anything until I graduate and pay back to the system.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 3

roady38

Original post by balotelli12

Of course you must pay back grant pro rata that you are no longer entitled to.

Please I did not have a bad word of paying money back (read my thread). .

I am talking about sudden threading letter request me to pay back in a very short time frame repeadedly. It is chaos to me, I did mention I had rung them before I suspend and they never mention anything. I did give out all my details to them on the phone and I told them I have official arrangement to back to my university later.

I did suspend my course during the terms but all the loans money had paid for the rent (non-refundable) and other expenses. So I hope you understand that I am not avoid to pay back but circumstance is beyond my control (no money left to pay back).

The main point is that suddenly without any hints, I was threaded repeatedly to pay up and I had to pay back in a very short time frame. More information, I did have official arrangement with my university to continue my course next term. I had applied and awarded student loans money just before the chasing letters. It would be very easily for the student loans company to deduct from the total help money . I was unwell and such new pressure really eaten me inside out.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

Hedgeman49

Original post by roady38

Anyone suspending their studies will be told this by their university (or if they're not, they really should).

The timing of my suspension meant I didn't have to repay anything, I just didn't receive my final loan installment for that year.

Reply 5

Juno

You get many letters before it gets to the court and bailiffs stage. I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve with this thread, unless you're trying to warn people to read their post - and most people aren't that stupid anyway.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 6

roady38

Original post by Juno

thanks for your insight.

Please do understand a thread is a thread, they have the right to speed up chasing procedures and nowadays lots of firms using private debt companies and we do heard lots of horrible nasty stories about that.

And they could place default on one's credit history any time (you may argue with credit reference to remove it but we know how hard it is) thus it already harm your credit rate ( that means no mobile phone contract, forced to use utility meter or could not rent a place etc, the list is long...)

My intention just to share my story if anyone would find it useful. That is all. And I certainly don't think anyone is 'stupid' at all as you mention

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 7

roady38

it seems I was wrong to post my experience as I thought it might help someone. All the replies seems accused me of something.

so I would not revisit my thread anymore (sorry don't know how to close this thread instead)

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 8

Juno

Original post by roady38

thanks for your insight.

Please do understand a thread is a thread, they have the right to speed up chasing procedures and nowadays lots of firms using private debt companies and we do heard lots of horrible nasty stories about that.

My intention just to share my story if anyone would find it useful. That is all. And I certainly don't think anyone is 'stupid' at all as you mention

No.

Even if they use debt collectors they're not the same as bailiffs, and they don't have any rights. And they would still write to you before that point and give you plenty of time to sort that out.

Reply 9

roady38

it seems I was wrong to post my experience if it might help someone. All the replies seems accused me of something.

so I would not revisit my thread anymore (sorry don't know how to close/delete this thread instead)

Reply 10

roady38

Original post by Hedgeman49

sorry not in my case, I was only told the tuition fee is not refundable

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 11

roady38

Original post by Juno

this would be my last visit to my thread.

I want to add this :

sorry to disappoint you In my case I was demanded to pay back in a very short time frame, definitely not as you mention ' give you plenty of time to sort that out'

And they could chase in any pace they like. Nowadays lots of firms using private debt company to chase 'clients' and we heard lots of nasty stories.

More they could put a default on your credit file easily but hard for you to remove it. Thus one may find it would be hard to get a mobile contract, force to have a utility meter or hard to rent a place etc the list is long. I am not talking about mortgage but daily matters.