Hi CAG, My gas and electricity supplier has been EDF since 2001, and I need urgent help to resolve some of the issues I’m having please. There are arrears on the account, but based on estimated readings over several years, these cannot be accurate. EDF have attempted to setup monthly direct debits of over £400 and have twice taken, without warning amounts of over £1000. On every call to EDF I am required to give meter readings and it appears that these readings have not been recorded accurately. In addition to the incorrect billing, my electric meter has a zero as the first digit. EDF insist this zero is not relevant. Is this correct? Every time I call, they “recalculate” and give me a different amount for usage and arrears. Over several phone calls they have lost, found, and disputed sets of meter readings. This has just added to my confusion. I have also tried to setup payment plans and EDF are making this impossible. They will not accept my payment plan offers and always pressure me into accepting an unaffordable arrangement. I make payments as often as possible but can’t meet their demands. As a vulnerable customer who is also on a low income, I have only recently been added to a Safeguard Tariff. EDF have been aware of my circumstances and have failed to add me onto this tariff from its commencement. They’ve threatened bailiffs and a PAYG smart meter, they have also threatened court action and a warrant to change the meter. There are also vulnerable dependants in the property who would be traumatised by someone forcing entry. I have already submitted a SAR request and received 6 months of incomplete records. EDF agreed to my request to give me 90 days to investigate my account. However, they have now sent my account to Themis Debt Recovery. Having begun to take readings manually, the gas and electricity usage is far below their estimated bills. I really need to find out: · how much I owe them · how I can pay for my usage plus a small affordable amount for arrears. · How to deal with Themis and get the account back to EDF

From previous correspondence they have asserted that the rules don't apply since I defaulted with deferment disputes resulting in unpaid fines etc

I am not sure how I can ask them to resolve this, should I ask them when I send the sb letter? I am 53 yrs old

Thanks, I will take your advice and send them a SB letter with the additional details recommended. I guess this will mean no further finance available.. as I can't see any way past any of this; but it will hopefully get them off my back?

So.. after my calls to slc.. strangely since allegedly they have 'nothing to do with each other', a letter from Drydenfairfax came today: they are willing to settle for £769.66 (the original debt without madeup charges and fines) the possibility of a repayment plan with completed financial statement and my offer of repayment, which they will consider 'and if acceptable seek instructions from their client if a Tomlin Order is needed; thus preventing a ccj from being entered against (me).' If I don't reply they have again threatened to apply to the court to lift the stay on the proceedings in order to progress legal action "without further notice. It is also likely this will include an Application For Summary Judgment, given the evidence which has been provided.." So there is no ccj erudio.pdf

I have contacted slc on multiple occasions, they always insist: they have nothing to do with it anymore; that they can't open my "file" as they don't have it, and have no info regards how to resolve it. How can I get past these lies? They have even pretended to pass me to their "legal dept" which turned out to be D Fairfax! I haven't moved since the disputes started: this would mean that they would have knowingly used an old name or old address if there is a ccj. I have lived at the same place with the same name since 2003. I can't afford £275 to set aside any ccj. As far as I am aware there is no ccj in my present name and address. It seems that I will have to pay for a search in case they used a previous name and previous address. Is this the only tool to find out? TrustOnline Search SEARCH.TRUSTONLINE.ORG.UK

Hi and thanks to Dx and Brassnecked for your replies. In March 2021 my solicitor said: Drydenfairfax had written to him looking to resurrect the student loan claim. They said they have a load of documentation but were unable to send hard copies of “due to the Covid-19 situation” but could to provide it via their portal. They wanted settlement without need for further legal action. They assert outstanding amount is £1,043.80. Their last letter to me was 5 Feb, looking for payment by 19 Feb. My solicitor advised that: To go further that trying to get a response by letter, they would need to apply to the court to resurrect the proceedings and apply for summary judgment. And to ignore them. As far as I know this claim was stayed ie no progress was made beyond this application to the court by DF Re possible ccj, I will find out if this was done using my maiden name and previous address. But if this was done, wouldn't it have been unlawful given the fact that they had my updated name and address? Also, I don't understand the rules around statute barred debts and student loans - is it sb after 6 years have elapsed since it matured? Or 6 years after last payment? The rules for my old style loan were till it matured or I reached 50 yrs old.. NB Student Loans have said they don't know how to resolve matters so that my account can be reactivated, as my "file" is with Dryden Fairfax. DF do not know about my student loan account. They want payment and to do a income expenditure form to assess what I can afford to pay (I have refused). They will not accept a payment plan without this assessment (I really do not want to give them any personal financial info and have told them it is not a legal requirement). I am very reluctant to give them money but would if it meant my sl account would be opened so I could access the finance I should be eligible to apply for.

Hi dx, Yes the deferment was messy but I sent in all the ridiculous extra bits of info they needed including my partner's finances.. letters etc; they refused to accept the bank statements which I screenshot and sent, allegedly there was not sufficient proof it was mine (despite account numbers and other very specific details inc dwp letters matching the account, which was in my name). That deferment request wasn't resolved and there were multiple issues re the fact that they didn't ever send deferment forms in time or at all - they said it was my responsibility to know when deferment was due (quoting their rules re 6 wks notice did not make a difference).

Thanks for your responses - I have not paid any money since around 2000, the debt was statute barred??!! Is this applicable for student loans? If it is, then.. I can ignore the alleged outstanding debt, and would except for the fact that I have no way of applying for further finance for a Masters degree; since my student loan account is frozen. Is there a way round this seemingly intractable situation? I am extremely reluctant to set up a payplan with any of these Arrow DCA vultures, since they can't be relied upon to reactivate the account and let me access gov finance - even if I paid the alleged debt. Any suggestion or info gratefully received, regarding how I should approach this.

I took out a Student Loan in 1995/6, an old style fixed-term “mortgage” loan for a course that ended in 1998. This matured at the end of March 2017 During the loan term I did not ever reach the threshold for repayments. A few voluntary repayments were made between 1999-2000 Deferment was successful until around 2012. Erratic deferment request forms and disputes regarding evidence of eligibility lead to multiple contentious fines, which I refused to pay on the grounds they were unfairly applied. This created a stalemate and no further deferment request forms were issued or completed after this. Erudio served a claim against me 08/06/2019 (ie 0ver 2 yrs after it had matured) to the County Court Business Centre (town??) This claim was for payment of Student Loan total £913.80 The total claimed was not a fixed sum, and different letters stated wildly different amounts I lodged a defence through my Solicitor The claim is currently with the debt management company that bought the unpaid loan Because of deferment breaches, I am eligible to pay the debt, even though it has matured; and even though it is 5.6 years post this date Currently it remains unpaid without any payment plan, I am not eligible for post graduate finance to do a Masters course If they really want to apply to the court to re-instate proceedings after all this time then I suspect they’ll be concerned at wasting their money, and I think the court might take a pretty dim view of an application. Can’t see any point in putting a head above the parapet." DF would need to apply to the court to reinstate the proceedings and apply for a summary judgment. They assert outstanding amount is £1,043.80 They also assert further costs would be payable by me, presumably on the basis that such costs are recoverable under the student loan contract given that they can’t claim legal costs other than the court issue fee in the ‘small claims’ court, which is what this would be My solicitor advised ignoring them. However because I want to study further, I need to find out how to apply for further student finance: Should I set up a payment plan with Dryden & Fairfax, to pay off the alleged sum owed? And if I start making payments, when will my student loan account be open for further applications for post grad finance? Is this a reliable way to become eligible for further student loans or will they take my money and refuse to allow me further access to finance for further study? What is the best way to reactivate my student loan account?