Student Loans

It is that time of year again. I have noticed in my diary that my student loan deferment is due again. However, due to the incompetence, stupidity, or sheer bloody-mindedness of the Student Loans Company, I still haven't been awarded the deferment for last year yet. I have lost count of the amount of documentation that they have lost, in fact it's so much that I refuse to send originals anymore. Though, of course, they haven't lost anything, indeed according to them, I have never sent these documents and therefore I must be lying.

It has even got to the point where they telephoned my mother to find out were I was living because they had had no contact from me for over a year. That they already had my correct address details and that in the previous week I had made four telephone calls to them (itemised phone bills are your friend) didn't seem to figure. That they upset an elderly lady, leaving her thinking that something dreadful must have happened, whilst calling her a liar that was covering up for me, has absolutely nothing to do with them. That (from talking to their call centre staff) it appears they have several computer systems that don't talk to each other, is irrelevant. That they train their staff to believe their system is infallible and that the company does not make mistakes is regrettable. That the same staff treat loan holders as though they are all liars out to cheat the system is inexcusable.

The worst part of this is that if you are studying in higher education you have to deal with them to get funding. Bummer!