Student Loan Company - worse than HMRC??
I've got a hefty Student Loan from my time at uni. It's not spectacular, and it's the only debt I have in my life, but it's there, lurking about in the background, and has been for 7 years now.
When I was first employed after uni I didn't earn enough money to pay it back, so I happily watched it grow into a larger loan (but not too big, just base-rate interest). And then when I changed jobs and I did earn enough I thought 'hhhhmmmm, bugger, shall start paying that back now'. But... I haven't been. They have never asked me to. They've sent me letters saying they know I've changed jobs, and to wait, and letters telling me how much I owe, but never anything saying 'Give us the money!'. And, as such, I haven't. (Particularly as the interest is now 0%).
But today I thought 'grow up, do the decent thing, call them, explain they've gone wrong, start to pay it back.
Obviously this wasn't the best month to do this, as the new year is just beginning and many many students will be trying to get in touch. But never mind, I persevered. Went to the website I was told to on the last letter. Domain now owned by Amazon.co.uk. Hmmm. Rang the number. Number no longer in use. Googled up SLC, found new websites and numbers. First number, open 7 days a week, 8-8...ONLY has info for students who are either applying for their loan or have applied and want to know where their money is. There's a different number for people who are now in work and are trying to pay it back. A number only open 9-5 Monday to Friday.
Yes, that's correct. If you're a STUDENT. And therefore, by definition, have free time in the week, you can call anytime. If you're EMPLOYED and by def, only have free time after hours and weekends, you can ONLY call when you should be doing your job. THANKS FOR THAT THEN.
Utterly, utterly useless. I don't want to pay their shitty loan back anyway, and they're definitely not making it easy to.
GRRRRRRRR.
When I was first employed after uni I didn't earn enough money to pay it back, so I happily watched it grow into a larger loan (but not too big, just base-rate interest). And then when I changed jobs and I did earn enough I thought 'hhhhmmmm, bugger, shall start paying that back now'. But... I haven't been. They have never asked me to. They've sent me letters saying they know I've changed jobs, and to wait, and letters telling me how much I owe, but never anything saying 'Give us the money!'. And, as such, I haven't. (Particularly as the interest is now 0%).
But today I thought 'grow up, do the decent thing, call them, explain they've gone wrong, start to pay it back.
Obviously this wasn't the best month to do this, as the new year is just beginning and many many students will be trying to get in touch. But never mind, I persevered. Went to the website I was told to on the last letter. Domain now owned by Amazon.co.uk. Hmmm. Rang the number. Number no longer in use. Googled up SLC, found new websites and numbers. First number, open 7 days a week, 8-8...ONLY has info for students who are either applying for their loan or have applied and want to know where their money is. There's a different number for people who are now in work and are trying to pay it back. A number only open 9-5 Monday to Friday.
Yes, that's correct. If you're a STUDENT. And therefore, by definition, have free time in the week, you can call anytime. If you're EMPLOYED and by def, only have free time after hours and weekends, you can ONLY call when you should be doing your job. THANKS FOR THAT THEN.
Utterly, utterly useless. I don't want to pay their shitty loan back anyway, and they're definitely not making it easy to.
GRRRRRRRR.