My student loan for September was sent to the wrong account number. The Student Loan Company (SLC) told me it would take up to 30 working days to retrieve it and it would make a manual payment if it exceeded that time. I’m now informed there’s no time frame, no chance of an interim payment and that I must sort it out with my bank, Santander. It says it can’t help. I have no other source of income and the stress is affecting my course work. DQ, Canterbury, Kent
You say that you have not changed your account details since your last successful payment. SLC insists that it used the data on your online application, so any typos were down to you. “Once SLC was made aware of the issue, we asked the customer’s bank to trace the funds and we have chased this on a number of occasions,” it says. “SLC has no power to recover the payment.”
It’s remarkable how speedily an impasse dissolves when press offices get involved. Santander has finally discovered who received your money and got them to return it so you have now, finally, received your loan.
If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number.
