I hate student finance!

don't know if this is the right place or not, so i guess it should be moved if it isn't :tongue:

(sorry for the length of the post, massive rant alert :tongue:

i would just like to say how appauled i am with how incompetant Student Finance are.

Firstly i send in my application online and send in the documents they requested, 3 years of p60's and Birth certificate (all originals), via recorded delivery (in the same envelope). After about 2/3 weeks of waiting i am told that, after contacting them in frustration, there is a massive backlog and that they probably hadn't even opened my letter yet.

A few days later i get my Birth Certificate back in the post. A few days later i get an email saying they still need further documentation. i then ring them up and inform them that they have had everything, so much so that they have even sent me back my birth certificate. i am then told that the reason there is a massive backlog is that the scaning system they have for scanning documents (designed to actually speed stuff up) isn't scaning documents and that i have to send my birth certificate in AGAIN. He also informs me that the birth certificate is all they need as the p60's have gone through ok.

I send the birth certificate back by recorded delivery and play the waiting game again.

2 days ago i check online and it says my application is now processing and i am satisfied that they have recieved the documents and processed them (and actually scaned them this time).

Today i get an email saying they need more documentation. After spending 30 minutes on hold i finally get through to them. i ask them what they need and i am told they need my P60's. having told them that they have had them he calls down to the processing department who claim they have not had them. he then tells me to ring back in 2/3 weeks.

given the fact that this application has been now dragging on about 2.5/3 months now i am majorly pissed off that they still have not sorted it. i also cannot resubmit any further p60s as they bloody well have them.

grr

what the hell do i do now? is them screwing up going to cost me getting any student finance at all?

i am just so annoyed right now, but i don't know if complaining is even worth it. Any advice is appreciated

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Reply 1

Milch

They are one of the worst organisations I have ever had to deal with. The website is useless and today I got a letter saying the details of my loan but there's nothing about the grant! Eventhough I applied for it. They're idiots.

Reply 2

PirateFlag

They screwed up mine aswell sent off my mums tax forms and her decree absolute ( all originals) and they have no idea where it is. I'm so angry.

They've messed up pretty much everyones though.

Reply 3

PirateFlag

Milch

No grant on mine either, and that they never recieved my evidence. :mad:

Reply 4

InconspicuousGuy

so what do we do? just hope that they find them or can we complain in some way?

Reply 5

eve_22

Complain to your MP's, get everyone you know, who has been wronged by SFE, to sign the petition http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Finance-Student/ ...Try making an official complaint to SFE - I did, although for the second time, as they have ignored the first one. I am now waiting to hear back, although I doubt much use is going to come out of that. I am in the same, if not worse, position then the OP and I have applied more then 5 months ago. My application got nowhere so far.

Reply 6

highest element

InconspicuousGuy

don't know if this is the right place or not, so i guess it should be moved if it isn't :tongue:

(sorry for the length of the post, massive rant alert :tongue:

"i am just so annoyed right now, but i don't know if complaining is even worth it. Any advice is appreciated"

1. write to your MP.

http://www.writetothem.com/

it says on wikip that student loans company are part of UK government so MPs can investigate.

2. complain to their complaints office
there's a complaint thing on the directgov site. send any complaints in such a way as to be able to prove it was sent!!!!

3. phone or email financial ombudsman and ask what the situation is with making complaints

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/contact/index.html
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/DG_171624

Reply 7

roubiliac

I complained to my MP and he got it sorted for me in 10 days from writing to him.

Reply 8

InconspicuousGuy

roubiliac

I complained to my MP and he got it sorted for me in 10 days from writing to him.

they miraculously found your stuff?

i think that is my next stop. how did you contact them? online or by writing to them?

Reply 9

roubiliac

wrote to him by snail mail to his office at Westminster.

We faxed some alternative stuff to the head honcho who had phoned us and they used their initiative to 'fast track' it.

Reply 10

lucaha

So tell me what did you write to your Mp? I started my applic. in March.
Last thursday I send my passport 3rd time, so I am waiting.
Now I am in stage thinking about compaining to my MP, cos I've complained to SLC and it didn't really help.
I tried to called SLC services but, they don't know what they doing, each one says something else, and I just pay extra money, as well as special deliveries with my passport.

Reply 11

roubiliac

Just tell your MP your experiences! All you want is your MP to get involved by speaking to their people. Imagine if the Managing Director of your company phoned you about a complaint you weren't doing your job properly. You'd sit up, yes?

Reply 12

InconspicuousGuy

i am going to pen my Mp a letter on sunday and get it off to him asap.

Reply 13

Dubstepper

Milch

this is what i got!!
i rang them and they said when they have got through the backlog and opened my letter with documents in they will put it on the computer and i will get my grant if i can actually get it.. hmph. i hate dealin with them

Reply 14

tjdj89

EXACTLY THE SAME AS ME, and now there is no mention of the grant i applied for, check out my other post.

Reply 15

tea_cakes

All I can say is keep calling them to check on their progress. I asked for my application to be re-assessed which they have done and it's now correct. I'm unsure why they have done this for me and are telling other people that it will be done when non-income assessments have been completed. I hope that others manage to get theirs sorted in time.

Reply 16

tlozoot

I had my final notification back recently, even though I sent off the application a week late. Everything seems to be in order as well...

I'm actually surprised I made it through the other side without some interruption from SF...

Reply 17

Simplicity

You should have done it earlier.

Reply 18

andrew1992

hey i wrote to my local MP and he then wrote a letter to student finance , basically telling them to pull there finger out ! do you think this will help at all? 3 weeks until i start university and still no grant :frown:

Reply 19

hypocriticaljap

andrew1992

Last year I involved my MP. Within 48 hours of him writing to the chair of SFE I had my loan sorted and a letter of apology from the chair and from David Lammy, the Minister at the time.
It can be done!