Students Loan Company, NCO, now colemans-ctts

[BrainAche]

Hi .. sorry I know this is yet another thread on the SLC. I'll outline my situation as briefly as possible. I've had two loans, one in 95, the other in 96. Several years ago, a deferral form for one of these loans failed to arrive. The SLC told me not to worry, because if one loan was deferred, so would the other automatically be deferred. This they denied at a later date. They also told me they'd send a replacement form, which never happened. The actual "arrears" amount to around £175, but with admin charges, the total they're now asking for is over £400. As I said, this was several years ago. Firstly it was the Student Loans Company pestering me, then the so-called Smith Lawson Company, who then passed the case to NCO. Three or four years ago, I spent around an hour on the phone talking to an NCO rep, going through the whole case,. She asked me to send all the evidence I had, previous statements, deferral notices etc, which I did. She then decided there was no case to answer so passed the case back to the SLC. I heard nothing for several months, so assumed they'd seen sense - that if one loan is deferred, then so should another loan assessed under exactly the same circumstances, regardless of postal delays, losses, or whatever.

 

However, the SLC started again from scratch, and a few weeks ago again sent the case back to NCO. Who refuse to even discuss the case because I refuse to give them a contact number. I phoned again just now, in response to a solicitor's letter, according to which I was to ask for a Mr Johnson. And yet again the idiot NCO rep refused to discuss the case without a contact number. According to them, this is for security reasons - absolute nonsense - they've had my name, address, D.O.B. and account number, the only reason they want a phone number is so they can pester the living daylight out of me, which is the reason I actually changed my number a few years ago. These people also called my mother, having obtained her number from the original Student Loans Form without even telling her who they were. I've written to NCO in Birmingham and in Preston, outlining the case (SLC lying etc) and telling them to either get off my back or take me to court - in so many words. if it comes to that then so be it. As far as I am aware, the admin charges are not legally enforcable, and the fact that NCO have previously decided there was no case to answer should weigh heavily in my favour. I'm currently on Income Support, my nerves are shredded (not only as a result of the SLC) and have several legitimate debts, including CCJs. I do NOT regard the amount demanded by the SCL as legitimate, for the reasons already given. I apologise for the length of this post, as I said, this nonsense has been going on for several years. I have stuck to my guns all along, refusing to consider making any form of payment, as have the SLC, refusing to accept the merest possibility of a mistake. Someone from NCO is supposed to be calling next Tuesday, at any time between 9am and 9pm. If I'm in, at least I'll be able to talk to this person. They were supposed to call a few weeks ago, but that time I phoned and the visit was cancelled.But now NCO won't talk to me, even now that they've had a solicitor's letter sent to me - there is no way in this world I'm giving those people my phone number.

 

Any advice would be most welcome.

 

P.S. A further apology because I now realise I should have posted in the Students section, which to be honest I've only just noticed.

[BrainAche]

No replies? I suppose that's what I get for posting in the wrong section. But anyway, I phoned NCO again tonight, and having had enough of their nonsense, was actually prepared to give them a mobile number. To my amazement, this particular NCO rep didn't even ask for my phone number but was actually prepared to discuss the situation with me, or at least allow me to put my side of the story. These people, after all, know very little about the ins and outs of the cases they're supposed to deal with, let alone the law - on one occasion, I was told "you refuse to give your phone number AND you refuse to pay the money? No problem, we'll just send someone round to get the money from you". My reply is not printable, but I digress. The person I spoke to tonight told me he'd make a note (how many times have I heard THAT in the last 6 or 7 years?) and suggest that the case be sent back to the Student Loans Company. And if this is happens, the SLC will no doubt lay low for a few months before starting the entire process again all over from scratch. I kid you not, I have BEGGED these people to take me to court. And still all they can do is huff and puff and threaten and bluster, continuing to waste their time and mine.

 

These people are beyond a joke.

[morrie]

Don't waste your time with NCO - log all phone calls - keep all postcards they send you (these could be seen as defamatory against you and other people at your household as there is no excuse to send an open postcard especially as all their other mail arives in envelopes). If they continue harrasment report them to Preston Trading Standards with copies of logged calls etc.

 

I am currently going through the complaints procedure with SLC and the antics of NCO have given me a huge amount of ammo against the SLC.

 

NCO are ulikely to listen.

[BrainAche]

Of course you're right, NCO are a complete waste of time, far more so this time round, so it would seem. Maybe I was lucky, but 3 - 4 years ago, their rep was quite willing to discuss my case fully, with no threats or even a hint of nastiness. Nowadays things are very different. Obviously they can't call me because they haven't got my number and won't be getting my number.

 

No surprise that this Edwards character didn't turn up today. I don't know for sure where this leaves the SLC, but my guess is that NCO will pass my file back to them, that I'll have peace til the New Year, and then the SLC will start the ball rolling all over again. That'll be the 3rd or even 4th time round the block.

 

Of course, they could always take me to court; which I've been begging them to do, verbally and in writing, for a number of years now. In the meantime this is all more of an irritation than anything else.

[Mr. H]

I've just done picked up on this thread by googling Coleman-ctts. You story is remarkably similar to mine.

The key is NEVER to deal with these people over the telephone. Always do so in writing - ideally by recorded delivery.

 

the full details of my story started on my thread 'Mr H v SLC, now Smith Lawson', but is dealt with in detail on my own website.

[BrainAche]

I quite agree. I've had more than enough of being threatened and abused by loud-mouthed bullies who don't even know their own rules, let alone the law.

 

Coincidentally, a letter from the Students Loan Company arrived yesterday, inviting me to apply for another defferral (even though I've returned the form by recorded delivery), and "reminding" me that my account remains in arrears to the sum of £426.17 including £252 worth of (non-enforcible) admin charges.

 

So it seems the Students Loan Company are ready to start all over again, NCO for the second time having decided that there is nothing they can do.

 

I kid you not, I have BEGGED the Students Loan Company to take me to court, if for no other reason, to finally bring this idiotic situation to an end. But they won't do that, will they. For the simple reason that they know they haven't got a leg to stand on.

[BrainAche]

And after all that, several years down the line, after NCO having decided TWICE that there was no hope of getting any money from me, a letter arrives this morning from the Student Loan Company informing me that unless payment is received in full within 14 days, my account will be passed to Smith Lawson and Company Recovery Services. And so the whole damned circus starts all over again.

 

Are they really that stupid? Apparently yes. So what do I do know. Ignore them, knowing they won't see go away, or should it be me that's taking them to court? And if so for what? Incompetence? Harassment?

 

They've also asked me to phone. This time round I won't be wasting my time.

[Mr. H]

Oh what pleasures I have to come (NOT!!!)

 

I assume taht you are going to reply to SLC referring them to the various letters you wrote to them and their agents all those months ago.

 

Although on 2nd thoughts it might now be smarter to instigate action to have the arrears and/or admin charges taken off.

[Mr. H]

hang on...

 

Is this letter for the arrears and charges or have they not deferred you again?

[BrainAche]

They've deferred my account but are demanding arrears and charges. They're not getting either.

 

I don't even know if I'll bother writing to them again. My position has remained unchanged for several years now, i.e that morally and legally I owe them nothing, that I refuse to consider any kind of payment plan, and that the only way I will ever make any payments towards these so-called arrears is if I am ordered to do so by the courts. I've informed them of my position on numerous occasions, in writing and over the phone, and their response has always been the same. "Yes I can see that. Now when can you pay us?" The answer "never" brings threats of legal action that never materialise, despite my pleas for them to take me to court.

 

I've tried bypassing the monkey and writing directly to the organ grinder, but nothing has ever made the slightest bit of difference. We're still stuck in the apparently endless cycle of Student Loans Company to Smith Lawson Company to NDO and back again.

 

I haven't decided what to do yet. Realistically, my options would seem to be to either go to the Citizens Advice Bureau or to wait til my case goes back to NCO and to send them another copy of the letter (still on file) I sent them a few weeks ago, the one that ends with:

 

EITHER TAKE ME TO COURT OR GET OFF MY BACK.

 

NCO got off my back, but it seem to me the Student Loans Company do not know how or when to accept defeat.

[electron99]

BrainAche. It might be prudent to make regular checks of your credit files with CRA's.

[CAGisforME]

Hi, I would recommend pming a MOD and asking them to move this thread to the Student forum.

 

If you visit there you will see many people are having the same problem with these muppets.

 

Have you noticed the co-incidence that Smith Lawson and Co are acting for SLC ? *grin*

 

I was in EXACTLY the same position with regard to charges etc on my loan account. I was lucky (or unlucky - guess it depends on how you look at it) to be able to get my loan deferred for 3 years on the grounds of disability and I'm awaiting their response to my application to have it written off now on the grounds I'll never be able to return to work.

 

Meanwhile I recommend this:

 

Send a £1 Postal Order and a CCA request. This puts them in the position of having to send you the signed and properly executed Credit Agreements. They have 12 days to do so before they are in default and then, if they take another 30 days after that (and they did with me and many others) then they are committing a criminal Offence.

 

Once they have defaulted they are simply not allowed to chase you for this money, refer the case to Debt Collectors etc.

 

My recommendation is to do that and then sit back and wait to see what their next move is. Meanwhile the good people on here will help you with any on-going correspondence from their in-house rottweillers.

 

[caro]

Thread moved to student forum.

[BrainAche]

Hi, I would recommend pming a MOD and asking them to move this thread to the Student forum.

 

If you visit there you will see many people are having the same problem with these muppets.

 

Have you noticed the co-incidence that Smith Lawson and Co are acting for SLC ? *grin*

 

I was in EXACTLY the same position with regard to charges etc on my loan account. I was lucky (or unlucky - guess it depends on how you look at it) to be able to get my loan deferred for 3 years on the grounds of disability and I'm awaiting their response to my application to have it written off now on the grounds I'll never be able to return to work.

 

Meanwhile I recommend this:

 

Send a £1 Postal Order and a CCA request. This puts them in the position of having to send you the signed and properly executed Credit Agreements. They have 12 days to do so before they are in default and then, if they take another 30 days after that (and they did with me and many others) then they are committing a criminal Offence.

 

Once they have defaulted they are simply not allowed to chase you for this money, refer the case to Debt Collectors etc.

 

My recommendation is to do that and then sit back and wait to see what their next move is. Meanwhile the good people on here will help you with any on-going correspondence from their in-house rottweillers.

 

Great stuff. I did actually apologise at some stage after I'd realised that I'd posted the thread in the wrong section. As for Smith Lawson, they not only share the same initials as the Student Loan Company, but have the same Fax number. Every time I've pointed this out to one of their reps, the silence has been deafening.

 

Thanks for your advice. I may well do that, rather than continuing to push/demand that they take me to court, as promised. And yes I do mean promise rather than threat. Without being cocky about all this, I feel very confident that if they ever did take up the so-called threat of legal action, there would only be one winner.

[CAGisforME]

I've no doubt that you would win and that you are determined.

 

However, the information from the CCA and the SAR would be vital to any defence you had against action taken against you by them and also vital evidence if you take them to Court, so, as well as halting all proceedings, that's where I would start as you are going to need this information eventually.

 

[BrainAche]

Point taken, and thanks. I think what I'll do is to take up your suggestion and pay a visit to the Citizen's Advice Bureau, which I admit I've so far delayed because of the time it usually takes to get an appointment.

[CAGisforME]

The CAB is a good idea, but, to be honest, I doubt they'll recommend anything more than we will recommend on this site.

 

I would get the CCA letter off to them. You can find it in the library on this site. You are requesting the signed Credit Agreement, basically.

 

Until they provide it the debt is unenforceable in law.

 

They have 12 days to comply before defaulting and not being able to take further action. 30 days after that they go into criminal default.

 

If you get that letter (and a £1 postal order) off to them as soon as possible it will buy you some time (if only to get into the CAB!) and should you receive a response, come back and we can help further.

 

[BrainAche]

Update: I've just received a letter from Banner Jones solicitors informing me that:

 

"We have received details of your account and we are now preparing the case for legal action".

 

So I called the number provided. However, the person I spoke to told me was working on behalf of Banner Jones, which leads me to believe that this may be just one more scare tactic.

 

I went through the case yet again, outlining the facts (SLC misinformation, changing their story and so on), and will now sit back and wait for their response, if any.