The Student Room Group

Loan overpayment (not my fault) - demanding repayment - is this right?

Hi,

I graduated 2 years ago and in my final year was apparently awarded too much in student loans. I was honest and filled in all forms etc for student loans correctly and honestly. I just assumed that the amount I was awarded was the amount I was entitled too that year (although admittedly it was higher than the previous two years - around £1,800 more).

I have been repaying in instalments over the past year or so, at £20 a month. I don't earn a huge amount of money and feel that this is as high an amount I can repay at this time. They are now making me fill in an assessment form outlining my incomings and outgoings to assess if I can in fact afford to pay more each month.

Firstly, this overpayment was not my fault and student loans have, during phone call conversations, admitted this. So, do I in fact have to pay it back at all (outside of the usual payment from wages system)? Like I said its not my fault.

Secondly, if I do have to pay it back in this way, can they make me pay more than that each month?

I already repay money through my wages on the portion of my loan that was correct and not overpaid. It seems unfair I need to pay even more outside of this system for something that was not my fault.

Thanks in advance any advice appreciated!
Going to move this to Student Financial Support.

I would have though (I'll have a look later) they'd have policies on what happens if you're overpaid and it's not yur fault. (ie, you filled in the forms properly)
Original post by chickenpie12
I have been repaying in instalments over the past year or so, at £20 a month. I don't earn a huge amount of money and feel that this is as high an amount I can repay at this time. They are now making me fill in an assessment form outlining my incomings and outgoings to assess if I can in fact afford to pay more each month.


I would say that £20 a month is definitely an excessive amount to pay. I've never filled out one of these assessment forms so I have no idea what they look like. On the assessment form state that you have bills to pay, family members that are financially dependent on you or even that you have a smoking habit - absolutely anything will probably suffice. If you do that then I'm sure you could bring it down to something like £5 a month. Having said that, you might not even have to pay anything back. Have you tried speaking to student services at your old university or the citizens advice bureau? If not, I would do that before filling out any forms.
Remember that form you signed and sent back when you first got a student loan.
It ha a lot of small print among which was your agreement to pay back any overpayment.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by balotelli12
Remember that form you signed and sent back when you first got a student loan.
It ha a lot of small print among which was your agreement to pay back any overpayment.



Its not that Im not willing to pay it back. It just seems unfair that this is outside of the normal system of collecting payments from wages once you earn over a certain amount. Like i said i know i filled in the forms correctly, and so did nothing wrong.


Original post by OU Student
Going to move this to Student Financial Support.

I would have though (I'll have a look later) they'd have policies on what happens if you're overpaid and it's not yur fault. (ie, you filled in the forms properly)


If you could have a look at policies that would be great! Thank you. If not where would I find those?

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