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URGENT! Should I address a form Complain or wait?

ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED AFTER Isaac's CONTRIBUTION. Thank you very much.

Hello again.

I am experiecing tough time with SFE. I have applied for the postgraduate loan 2019-20 and get approved earlier in June. I noticed that the status of my payments is 'blocked'. Since then I have contacted several times SFE advisors on FB and by phone. Every time I get the same answer 'my NINO should be verified with DWP and that's is due to send this Wednesday'.

I have been waiting 6 Wednesdays and still nothing. SFE advisors just keep lying to me. I firmly believe that this is due to my EU nationality.

So, I am asking you:
-Do you believe it isnormal the verification to take all this time?
-Is there a system's error in my application?
-What should I do in order my payments to get unblocked?

I firmly believe that all this mess will last utill September and will lose my payments because 'they have to verify my NINO and that takes 1 week'.

Has anyone applied for the loan, get approved in June and already verified?

I am seriously pondering to address a formal complaint following SFE procedures and meanwhile to escalate this issue if it's possible to a MP (don't know if will help an EU citizen).
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by political1996
Hello again.

I am experiecing tough time with SFE. I have applied for the postgraduate loan 2019-20 and get approved earlier in June. I noticed that the status of my payments is 'blocked'. Since then I have contacted several times SFE advisors on FB and by phone. Every time I get the same answer 'my NINO should be verified with DWP and that's is due to send this Wednesday'.

I have been waiting 6 Wednesdays and still nothing. SFE advisors just keep lying to me. I firmly believe that this is due to my EU nationality.

So, I am asking you:
-Do you believe it isnormal the verification to take all this time?
-Is there a system's error in my application?
-What should I do in order my payments to get unblocked?

I firmly believe that all this mess will last utill September and will lose my payments because 'they have to verify my NINO and that takes 1 week'.

Has anyone applied for the loan, get approved in June and already verified?

I am seriously pondering to address a formal complaint following SFE procedures and meanwhile to escalate this issue if it's possible to a MP (don't know if will help an EU citizen).


Hi,
We don't require EU Nationals to provide a National Insurance Number. If you have provided one then it can usually take up to 2 weeks to validate. We send them off every Wednesday and they return the Wednesday afterwards. If your loan is approved then I would advise you not to worry as your National Insurance Number will be validated before your payment is due. If you have been approved then you will receive funding.
Thanks, Isaac.
Original post by SFE Isaac
Hi,
We don't require EU Nationals to provide a National Insurance Number. If you have provided one then it can usually take up to 2 weeks to validate. We send them off every Wednesday and they return the Wednesday afterwards. If your loan is approved then I would advise you not to worry as your National Insurance Number will be validated before your payment is due. If you have been approved then you will receive funding.
Thanks, Isaac.


Excuse me for stepping in here, but assuming the OPs post is accurate, then this is the sort of bureaucratic BS answer that gets our institutions hated.

•

We don't require EU Nationals to provide a National Insurance Number. - Then what in the instructions led this individual to believe they had to send one? And if it's not required, why is there any bureaucratic delay if it is given. It should be possible to ignore it, like a middle name



•

If you have provided one then it can usually take up to 2 weeks to validate. See below. This doesn't make sense if you have a weekly send and return, so are you just covering for known administrative failures? is it a weekly turnaround or a fortnightly one?



•

We send them off every Wednesday and they return the Wednesday afterwards. So it's a weekly turnaround then? And the OP has understood that to be the case, and their post here is asking what they do about the fact it's been 6 weeks and they have no progress - Why is that?



•

If your loan is approved then I would advise you not to worry as your National Insurance Number will be validated before your payment is due. Ah, so it's not weekly or fortnightly but 'sometime it will happen'? Why should someone not worry if your rules say one thing, staff bluster about another, and then you say, don't worry it WILL happen. That's not a service that is properly (ie openly, honestly, consistently and coherently) communicating with its customers.



•

If you have been approved then you will receive funding. Then why is there any further bureaucracy and delay about an unnecessary NINO?

Original post by threeportdrift
Excuse me for stepping in here, but assuming the OPs post is accurate, then this is the sort of bureaucratic BS answer that gets our institutions hated.

•

We don't require EU Nationals to provide a National Insurance Number. - Then what in the instructions led this individual to believe they had to send one? And if it's not required, why is there any bureaucratic delay if it is given. It should be possible to ignore it, like a middle name



•

If you have provided one then it can usually take up to 2 weeks to validate. See below. This doesn't make sense if you have a weekly send and return, so are you just covering for known administrative failures? is it a weekly turnaround or a fortnightly one?



•

We send them off every Wednesday and they return the Wednesday afterwards. So it's a weekly turnaround then? And the OP has understood that to be the case, and their post here is asking what they do about the fact it's been 6 weeks and they have no progress - Why is that?



•

If your loan is approved then I would advise you not to worry as your National Insurance Number will be validated before your payment is due. Ah, so it's not weekly or fortnightly but 'sometime it will happen'? Why should someone not worry if your rules say one thing, staff bluster about another, and then you say, don't worry it WILL happen. That's not a service that is properly (ie openly, honestly, consistently and coherently) communicating with its customers.



•

If you have been approved then you will receive funding. Then why is there any further bureaucracy and delay about an unnecessary NINO?



Thanks for your response. We send of information to the DWP every Wednesday and it takes exactly 1 week for that information to be returned to us. We advise students up to 2 weeks from when their application has been approved because:
The application is approved on the 18/07/2019. The National Insurance Number is sent off on the 24/07/2019. The National Insurance Number returns on the 31/07/2019 therefore this is not 1 week. I understand I should of been more clear in my original post and stated 2 weeks from when the application is approved.

The student should not of been asked to provide a National Insurance Number if they indicated they were an EU national, we can't view accounts over The Student Room therefore we give general advice.

If the student would like to contact us on Facebook http://m.me/SFEngland or Twitter http://ow.ly/4Em330nPlau. Then we can access there account and if they are an EU National we can remove the National Insurance Number. We will also be able to fully see what is going on.

This is the second time I've heard a postgraduate customer state that the National Insurance Number has not returned from validation so I'm also going to check into this to see if there are any delays or errors and I will update this thread at a later time with further information.

Thanks, Isaac.
Original post by SFE Isaac
Thanks for your response. We send of information to the DWP every Wednesday and it takes exactly 1 week for that information to be returned to us. We advise students up to 2 weeks from when their application has been approved because:
The application is approved on the 18/07/2019. The National Insurance Number is sent off on the 24/07/2019. The National Insurance Number returns on the 31/07/2019 therefore this is not 1 week. I understand I should of been more clear in my original post and stated 2 weeks from when the application is approved.

The student should not of been asked to provide a National Insurance Number if they indicated they were an EU national, we can't view accounts over The Student Room therefore we give general advice.

If the student would like to contact us on Facebook http://m.me/SFEngland or Twitter http://ow.ly/4Em330nPlau. Then we can access there account and if they are an EU National we can remove the National Insurance Number. We will also be able to fully see what is going on.

This is the second time I've heard a postgraduate customer state that the National Insurance Number has not returned from validation so I'm also going to check into this to see if there are any delays or errors and I will update this thread at a later time with further information.

Thanks, Isaac.


Thanks for coming back so promptly Isaac, especially on a Monday morning. That seems a lot more logical and clear and I hope it helps the OP somewhat. They can at least now pursue the details of their situation more directly.
Original post by threeportdrift
Thanks for coming back so promptly Isaac, especially on a Monday morning. That seems a lot more logical and clear and I hope it helps the OP somewhat. They can at least now pursue the details of their situation more directly.


No problem, I should of been more clear in my first post. Have a good day :smile:
Original post by political1996
Hello again.

I am experiecing tough time with SFE. I have applied for the postgraduate loan 2019-20 and get approved earlier in June. I noticed that the status of my payments is 'blocked'. Since then I have contacted several times SFE advisors on FB and by phone. Every time I get the same answer 'my NINO should be verified with DWP and that's is due to send this Wednesday'.

I have been waiting 6 Wednesdays and still nothing. SFE advisors just keep lying to me. I firmly believe that this is due to my EU nationality.

So, I am asking you:
-Do you believe it isnormal the verification to take all this time?
-Is there a system's error in my application?
-What should I do in order my payments to get unblocked?

I firmly believe that all this mess will last utill September and will lose my payments because 'they have to verify my NINO and that takes 1 week'.

Has anyone applied for the loan, get approved in June and already verified?

I am seriously pondering to address a formal complaint following SFE procedures and meanwhile to escalate this issue if it's possible to a MP (don't know if will help an EU citizen).


Hi, I've spoken with colleagues to see if this is an ongoing issue or error.
If you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter using the link I mentioned above and link this Student Room thread in your response then myself or another advsior on the team will respond back to you.

We need to refer your account to our postgraduate team to get this reviewed and we will provide you with a response quickly.
Thanks,Isaac.
UPDATE: My drama continues.

I called 2 time SFE and spoke on FB.

The first lady on the phone 'informed me' that is too early to send off my NINO for verification as I start on September. Obviously, lied to me.

Your colleague on FB called Tegan 'informed' me that he 'can see that you have requested evidence of my NINO asking for P60 and Payslips'. I consider his response as misleading, misinformation and discrimination against me. Not only he tried to lie to me, he did provide me with an ILLEGAL request. I have never been requested for further evidence.

The third lady on the phone informed me that will remove the 'block' after 25 minutes on the phone and 2 holdings. Also, clearly stated to DISREGARD Tegans request as there is NO such a request on my account. My block is supposed to be waived within 24-48 hours. At the moment 60 hours has been passed WITHOUT ANY CHANGE.

So, if you really want to help @SFE Isaac give me your number, your team and how can I reach you in order to do the job right.

I did everything right and on time. I applied the FIRST DAY the loan opened, sent everything on time and still struggling to unblock my account.

If no one resolve this issue with 2 days I will escalate this issue far away. I have been told about people who was suspended by their University due to SFE irresponsibility.

I am preparing a formal complaint to SLC which will be sent to MP and the media as well. I would never ever imagine that something really goes so wrong in the British educatonal system.
Original post by SFE Isaac
Hi, I've spoken with colleagues to see if this is an ongoing issue or error.
If you can contact us on Facebook or Twitter using the link I mentioned above and link this Student Room thread in your response then myself or another advsior on the team will respond back to you.

We need to refer your account to our postgraduate team to get this reviewed and we will provide you with a response quickly.
Thanks,Isaac.
(edited 4 years ago)
Hi,
Contact us on Facebook http://m.me/SFEngland or Twitter http://ow.ly/4Em330nPlau - if you link this thread and tell me when you have messaged then I'll personally respond to you straight away.

You can find the complaints procedure here https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/student-loans-company/about/complaints-procedure

Thanks, Isaac.
Original post by political1996
UPDATE: My drama continues.

I called 2 time SFE and spoke on FB.

The first lady on the phone 'informed me' that is too early to send off my NINO for verification as I start on September. Obviously, lied to me.

Your colleague on FB called Tegan 'informed' me that he 'can see that you have requested evidence of my NINO asking for P60 and Payslips'. I consider his response as misleading, misinformation and discrimination against me. Not only he tried to lie to me, he did provide me with an ILLEGAL request. I have never been requested for further evidence.

The third lady on the phone informed me that will remove the 'block' after 25 minutes on the phone and 2 holdings. Also, clearly stated to DISREGARD Tegans request as there is NO such a request on my account. My block is supposed to be waived within 24-48 hours. At the moment 60 hours has been passed WITHOUT ANY CHANGE.

So, if you really want to help @SFE Isaac give me your number, your team and how can I reach you in order to do the job right.

I did everything right and on time. I applied the FIRST DAY the loan opened, sent everything on time and still struggling to unblock my account.

If no one resolve this issue with 2 days I will escalate this issue far away. I have been told about people who was suspended by their University due to SFE irresponsibility.

I am preparing a formal complaint to SLC which will be sent to MP and the media as well. I would never ever imagine that something really goes so wrong in the British educatonal system.
I have sent a message on Twitter referring to this post. Please respond if it's possible by yourself.
Original post by SFE Isaac
Hi,
Contact us on Facebook http://m.me/SFEngland or Twitter http://ow.ly/4Em330nPlau - if you link this thread and tell me when you have messaged then I'll personally respond to you straight away.

You can find the complaints procedure here https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/student-loans-company/about/complaints-procedure

Thanks, Isaac.
I can't see any message from "political1996". I won't be able to respond to you unless I know you name, you can private message me on The Student Room with the name you used so I can find your message if you want.
Thanks, Isaac.
Original post by political1996
I have sent a message on Twitter referring to this post. Please respond if it's possible by yourself.
Just to confirm. I have responded via twitter and will help resolve this directly.
Thanks
I confirm that Isaac is in the process of viewing my issue.
I will keep the post up to date.
Original post by SFE Isaac
Just to confirm. I have responded via twitter and will help resolve this directly.
Thanks
This has now all been resolved.
If you have any further questions, please let us know.
Thanks, Isaac.
For the record:

I just was informed that it was Isaac who requested to remove my NINO and unblock my account.

I acknowledge him as the most useful employee at SFE.

Although, the information you did provide me were utterly controversial I reckon that you tried to help me and sort this out quickly.

*Now I have to pay the bill (100 euros) for all these calls (10-15 calls).
(edited 4 years ago)

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