Strange Erudio letter

[Moon]

On Saturday I had a letter come to my address from Erudio. It said "Thank you for contacting us to confirm your address"

I had to google them as I had no idea who they were. I now realise they have taken over the student loans from 1996 onwards.

I was at Uni from 1996-2001. I deferred payment every year as I didn't earn the threshold. I only worked in 2002 for 6 months. I have a disability and have currently DLA Indefinite award. I was my mum's carer from November 2002 til July 2012. I have been on ESA Support group since due to my disability. I Moved in July 2012 and I didn't inform the Student Loans Company. I genuinely forgot. I also was suffering from undiagnosed Hashimoto's Disease at the time and my memory was appalling.

I had an argument with Student Loans Company about 10 years ago because they kept sending deferment forms and every time I returned them they claimed they never got them. I sent about 4 of them. They stopped sending deferment forms and to be honest I never remembered to chase them up. My mother had full blown dementia and severe physical disabilities.

My mother died in January and I really could do without these jokers causing any problems. I never contacted them, never told them I changed address, have had no deferment pack or even any mention in the letter of deferment, just thanking me for contacting them and changing my address.

What do I do now? Sit and wait it out? By the way I am 46 this year - 4 years off the loan being wiped out.

[Moon]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

Just a bump.

[Nibbler]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

They may well be in contact soon. I would sit tight.

If you have failed to defer on multiple years, as seems to be the case, then it is quite likely that all the loans you have are now 'arrears' on which you no longer have a right to defer or have written off at age 50/60.

That is assuming you at no point got a disability write off though.

[Moon]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

I honestly do not remember if it got written off due to disability. I have no money or assets and would never be able to pay it off in my lifetime. My mother left no money or property. I have felt suicidal since the letter came and I did some research on them. I am on the edge over the loss of my mother so if they started it wouldn't take too much for me to shuffle off.

The question is, why does the letter thank me for my communication with them? I didn't even know who they were.

[Moon]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

If you have failed to defer on multiple years, as seems to be the case, then it is quite likely that all the loans you have are now 'arrears' on which you no longer have a right to defer or have written off at age 50/60.

I always had the SLC send me deferment forms until I had the huge row with them. Then they never sent any more. I couldn't tell you if I had to contact them. They sent me annual statements but nothing more.

[Nibbler]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

I honestly do not remember if it got written off due to disability. I have no money or assets and would never be able to pay it off in my lifetime. My mother left no money or property. I have felt suicidal since the letter came and I did some research on them. I am on the edge over the loss of my mother so if they started it wouldn't take too much for me to shuffle off.

The question is, why does the letter thank me for my communication with them? I didn't even know who they were.

They have been sending out some odd letters lately, some seeming unleated to anything you have actually done, so I would say generally they are having a few admin cock ups this year in that regard.

I always had the SLC send me deferment forms until I had the huge row with them. Then they never sent any more. I couldn't tell you if I had to contact them. They sent me annual statements but nothing more.

OK. Thinking carefully.....

Has there been any period of 6 years after the deferment you did have expired, during which 6 years you did not acknowledge the debt in writing or make a payment?

If so, this could well be statute barred?

See the factsheet here on statute barred debts --> https://www.nationaldebtline.org/EW/...ng%20debts.pdf

[Moon]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

Yes. I think the argument in about 2005/6 was the last time I discussed anything with them. As it was I had received debt collection letters for part of the loan when they "claim" they didn't get the deferment forms in about 2005/2006. At the time I was told to not acknowledge this "debt" because I incurred it due to them messing me about. I believe from some searching that this was a common ploy used by SLC.

So, about 10-11 years ago was the last time I ever acknowledged anything.

I have proof I was on Income Support and Carers Allowance from 2002 - 2012. I have proof of Indefinate DLA award from 1991. I have proof of ESA Support group from 2012 - ongoing. Sad as it seems, I have not worked since 2002 so have not broken the threshold. I have not swindled anyone, just to be clear. But no, no acknowledgement for around 10 years and nothing more than an annual statement from them.

[Nibbler]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

In that case, if they should come after you then there sounds like ammunition to see them off.

Sit tight and try not to worry.

Erudio are a bunch of clowns, and honestly not worth you getting stressed over.

If you hear anything else, let us know.

If you need reassurance, perhaps call National Debtline. Their freephone number is in the factsheet I linked to earlier.

[Moon]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

Thank you for your advice. Sorry I am feeling so down and delicate at the mo. I am usually good at fighting these things but not at the moment.

[FuriousFeline]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

Hi Moon. I have just signed up to legalbeagles because I came across your post whilst searching Google for recent info on Erudio, and wanted to make you aware that you are not alone in having problems with them. I would suggest that you join the Money Saving Expert forums, as there is currently a big discussion about them on there (btw my username on MSE is also FuriousFeline). Here is a link to that discussion on MSE http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...=273#topofpage As you will see, a significant number of people have not been sent deferment application forms (otherwise referred to as DAFs) by Erudio this year, but were nevertheless sent reminder letters. The Guardian published an article about this a couple of weeks ago (http://www.theguardian.com/money/201...r-latest-error), and MSE staff are currently looking for anyone else who has been having problems with them to get in contact. From what I and others have experienced in our dealings with Erudio, they are incompetent, and there are even serious doubts about whether the government exercised due diligence when student loans were sold to Erudio at the end of 2013.

[Moon]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

Thank you. I will have a look.

[FuriousFeline]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

Hopefully you will get quite a bit of support on there. The poster calling themselves erudioed also has a Twitter page where he highlights issues with them. https://twitter.com/erudioed

[Moon]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

Wow! Everyone linking to this thread. Feels quite stalky. Just what a vulnerable person doesn't need.

[Sjbee]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

I sent deferment pack off and included p60 as requested. I work pt for my husband. Then I got letter requesting 3 payslips, statement showing child benefit entitlement, bank statement showing banking of child benefit, p60 (sent...?) and bank statements showing payment of my company dividends. I called and said no because I had sent p60 and had signed their form in which I signed to say the information I had provided was true. The employee said they would pass on my comments and someone woukd email me. Noone has. Just received another letter asking for same things and saying I will have to start making repayments if not received in next 7 days. I am really stressing. I don't know what my legal position is here. Do I need to send them this information? Please can someone help? Thank you.

[FuriousFeline]

Re: Strange Erudio letter

I have also found that Erudio annoyingly insist on seeing proof of income on a bank statement- I encountered this issue the first year of deferring my loan with them, as I had sent them a letter regarding income from a 3rd party, but they wouldn't approve deferment until they had also seen the amount on a bank statement. You have the right to blank out all transactions on your bank statement apart from the ones that they want to see proof of. This year, I copied my previous month's bank statement, used a black marker pen to obscure all transactions other than the one they needed to know about, then made a copy of that so they wouldn't be able to see through the blanked out bits by looking on the other side of the paper. My deferment was accepted without problems.