Consumer complaint received 2022-01-25
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: CA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
Although they were listed in my XX/XX/XXXX William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note ( FSA reference ID # XXXX ), Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, doing business as FedLoan Servicing, failed to consolidate six student loans ( loan # s : XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ; XXXX ). Those loans have been listed as being in default and held by the U.S. Department of Education Default Resolution Group ( DRG ) all this time, resulting in a record of default appearing in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development ( HUD ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, which makes me ineligible for a Federal Housing Administration ( FHA ) loan. I under contract for my first home with a closing date of XX/XX/XXXX and the six loans I signed a promissory note for in a consolidation in XXXX have created an urgent and nightmarish situation. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I was informed by a very helpful DRG staff member XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ) that those loans were pending transfer to FedLoan Servicing in a special direct consolidation loan. My FedLoan Servicing account number is XXXX. She advised me to contact FedLoan Servicing to determine the loan disbursement date so I could ensure that DRG would be able expedite a XXXX clearance letter so I would no longer be listed as being default on a federal debt, impacting my eligibility for an FHA home loan. On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with FedLoan Servicing staff supervisor XXXX ( employee ID # XXXX ) in a conversation that became internal case ID # XXXX. She told me that there was nothing processing or pending, all of my old loans that they did have record of were transferred to XXXX, and that there was " literally nothing [ they ] can do. '' I contacted DRG and spoke with staff member XXXX and asked to be transferred to a supervisor. I spoke with XXXX, who was unsure what was going on because he said DRG 's system showed him that those six loans had " consolidation tags. '' I believe the reason they had " consolidation tags '' was because they were supposed to be a part of my XX/XX/XXXX loan consolidation for which FedLoan Servicing failed to perform. 

Those six loans have been quietly sitting in this limbo destroying my credit for nearly 2.5 years. Other consequences of this situation are that the new XX/XX/XXXX consolidation loan is going to lower the age of my credit, significantly impacting my credit score ; my protections and rights related to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program ( PSLF ) are impacted ; and I have been unable to enjoy the benefits of COVID-19-related relief for those specific student loans. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted a new William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note ( FSA reference ID # XXXX ) to consolidate the six loans out of default once and for all. I also verbally waived the 10-day summary period with FedLoan Servicing so that the loan would be processed faster. DRG refuses to give XXXX clearance before it receives funds from FedLoan Servicing. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I opened up a complaint with Federal Student Aid ( FSA ) ( feedback case # XXXX ) and requested that it be elevated to the FSA Ombudsman Group. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I have received no response from FSA. I have called FedLoan Servicing, FSA, and DRG numerous times to no avail. I also submitted two emails to FedLoan Servicing ( XX/XX/XXXX and XX/XX/XXXX ) expressing the urgency of my situation with no response. On XX/XX/XXXX, I left a voicemail message for Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agencys Office of Consumer Advocacy. As of XX/XX/XXXX, I have not received a response. On XX/XX/XXXX, I submitted a complaint to the California Department of California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and the casework/constituent services staff of U.S. Senator XXXX XXXX made an inquiry to the Department of Education on my behalf.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation