How to pay back overpayment?

The SLC has emailed me and told me I owe them money for an overpayment of grant (I left uni early). They said I owe them £22.50, but I have already paid £81 in Feb for an overpayment. I only recieved one letter for this (with the £81 on).

I am not in a position that I can afford to pay them back, and feel like it's unfair that they've just sprung this on me randomly without me knowing that I owe them anything.

They take a month to reply to emails and I can't afford to phone them! How do I pay them back - is there a website? All I have found on the SLC website is how to pay back the normal loan (not overpayment).

Thanks!

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 1

EdCohen

12

Call up collections department. Tell them you aren't employed and can't afford to pay however much they want back. They will arrange a payment schedule of £5 a month.

Reply 2

EloiseStar

18

Can't you ask somebody for the money. Somebody not being a loans company or loan shark. A family member perhaps?

Reply 3

EloiseStar

18

Friends? My friend didn't pay hers back immediately and was threatened with bailiffs.

Reply 4

TwinnyP

11

Why have you asked for help, if you provided your own answer?

Reply 5

snowman77

14

Please tell me what you have been spending your money on in the last 6-12 months. Any makeup? Alcohol? Expensive phones? Phone contracts? These are all unnecessary things. Most people end up with no money because they were wreckless with it at some point.

Reply 6

TwinnyP

11

But you knew it was the only option you ever had, even before shooting down every piece of sensible advice given too you. We don't know your circumstances, you do.

I am sure your BF can lend you 20 quid anyway, he's hardly going to let you go to a pay day lender.

And you can't be very bright if you are considering that as an option anyway. Because with you currently being unemployed, how do you plan to pay back the loan with interest on top?

Reply 7

TwinnyP

11

It will be atleast 6 months before the company send bailiffs. You will have letters giving you ample opportunity to pay up. As others have advised, you aren't the first person to ever encounter money troubles. Ring the companies free phone number and ask to speak to their collections department, you will be able to make a payment arrangement that is suitable for paying the 20 quid back.

Of course I will question your intelligence, you are readily being given advice, but choose to ignore it and comment about going to a loan shark instead.

Stop being dramatic. If you and your BF are that poor you can't afford 20 quid to get a company off your back, you certainly can't afford to move out, like you previously mentioned.

Reply 8

TwinnyP

11

0300 numbers are free and covered under most standard mobile phone companies contracts / tariffs. Just like a standard home landline would be.

Ring the company and speak to the collections team. Or ignore it, go to a loan shark / pay day lender.

I know which one I would choose.

EDIT: You just said he has some money spare for emergencies. This is one. Problem solved.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 9

Joinedup

20

ring the free fone number from a landline - e.g. parents... or send sfe a snail mail.

if you ignore them they'll start threatening you with bailiffs - but if you get in touch and explain that you're skint and can only afford £2 per month (or something) they'll calm right down.

don't take a commercial loan

Reply 10

TwinnyP

11

If a company chasing you for money isn't classed as an emergency, then you need to re-evaluate your life. If my car breaks down, or I have a large bill, I class that as an unexpected emergency, as it requires attention to resolve it. I would take money I had saved, or kept as a back up, and fix the situation.

This situation of yours, requires attention.

It's 20 quid. If you are going to keep making excuses not to pay it, then nothing is ever going to come easy for you.

Reply 11

TwinnyP

11

You don't want help, that's your problem.

Your BF is a lucky guy :yy:

Reply 12

TwinnyP

11

So ring the free number then.

He's not your husband if you aren't married yet.

Reply 13

BekahMay

11

If you go to a loan shark you could end up with all of your emergency momey gokng to them on the rediculous interest
i know its hard with no extra money going into the emergency fund but itll be worth paying the £20 vs the interest of a loan coming out of that same fund youre tryong to preserve
Good luck anyway

Reply 14

snowman77

14

Original post by TwinnyP

If a company chasing you for money isn't classed as an emergency, then you need to re-evaluate your life. If my car breaks down, or I have a large bill, I class that as an unexpected emergency, as it requires attention to resolve it. I would take money I had saved, or kept as a back up, and fix the situation.

This situation of yours, requires attention.

It's 20 quid. If you are going to keep making excuses not to pay it, then nothing is ever going to come easy for you.

I agree with this. Why do you need to keep emergency money to travel back to your family? Unless one of your family members has fallen ill or is in danger of dying, it is an unnecessary waste of money to travel to your family as an "emergency". However, a company rightfully requesting money you owe to them is an emergency.

Reply 15

TwinnyP

11

Original post by snowman77

I agree with this. Why do you need to keep emergency money to travel back to your family? Unless one of your family members has fallen ill or in danger of dying, it is an unnecessary waste of money to travel to your family as an "emergency". However, a company rightfully requesting money you owe to them is an emergency.

Thank you

Reply 16

TwinnyP

11

Nice to see you ignoring the advice again. Ring them.

Everybody has family problems. My dad currently works 350 miles away and is prone to having seizures which could kill him in minutes if he's not attended too. But that is a risk he and my family takes.

Everybody has grandparents that are elderly. Because they are old.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 17

martin7

20

Original post by TwinnyP

0300 numbers are free and covered under most standard mobile phone companies contracts / tariffs. Just like a standard home landline would be.

OK, let's get this straight once and for all.

0300 numbers are NOT free.

However, the telecoms regulator (Ofcom) has stated that they numbers beginning with 03 have to be charged at the same rate as 01 and 02 numbers. And if you get a free allowance of calls to 01 and 02 numbers, then 03 numbers also come out of that allowance.

So, yes, calling the 0300 number can mean you run up a bill. But that bill won't be any more than if you'd phoned a number beginning 01 or 02.

See http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/03number for the official line.

Reply 18

TwinnyP

11

Original post by martin7

OK, let's get this straight once and for all.

0300 numbers are NOT free.

However, the telecoms regulator (Ofcom) has stated that they numbers beginning with 03 have to be charged at the same rate as 01 and 02 numbers. And if you get a free allowance of calls to 01 and 02 numbers, then 03 numbers also come out of that allowance.

So, yes, calling the 0300 number can mean you run up a bill. But that bill won't be any more than if you'd phoned a number beginning 01 or 02.

See http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/telephone/03number for the official line.

So if she has unlimited minutes or even 500 free minutes, the call to the 0300 will be free. Thanks :yy:

Reply 19

reckless_llama

1

Can you juggle? Play an instrument? Mime? Run down to a local high street and perform! You'll make £20 in no time!

Or, you can try and use a Red Telephone Box which might let you call the freephone number.

Or, ask a friendly neighbour to use their landline and do as mentioned before (let SLC know you can't pay).

Or, pretend to be a patron of a hotel and use the phone at the concierge desk.

Or, ask a friend to use their phone (assure them it won't cost, 0300 is FREE).

How to pay back overpayment?

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