Consumer complaint received 2018-09-20
Company: HEARTLAND PAYMENT SYSTEMS INC
State: CT
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Received bad information about your loan

Complaint:
My loan servicer is XXXX XXXX, and the loan in question is my Perkins Loan. My loan was formerly with XXXX who then transferred my loan to XXXX in XX/XX/2018 without notice. My complaint is with the customer service and lack of communication I have been experiencing as I apply for my Perkins Loan cancellation for being a teacher at a low-income school.

In applying for my cancellation, I had completed Heartland 's forms on 3 separate occasions. The first time, I responded to an email received XX/XX/XXXX informing me that my Perkins Loan would be eligible for full/partial cancellation as of XX/XX/2018. I completed and submitted my cancellation form at the end of XXXX and received notice of receipt of my application by email on XX/XX/2018. About a month later when I didn't receive notification as to the status of my application, I called and was informed by a CSR that I had to submit my form within 30 days of my final day of work. My work contract ended XX/XX/2018 and I had completed and mailed my application on XX/XX/2018. Again a month later I had received no correspondence as to the status of my application, so I called. I was informed that the federal government had changed its policy and my application had to be sent AFTER a full year 's service. So, I completed the form again on XX/XX/2018. on XX/XX/2018 I received an email from Heartland informing me that my application was incomplete informing me that my employer did not put in the name of the school for which I work. 

I called XXXX that same day to inquire how this was possible. I was informed by the CSR to call back the next day because she was unable to see precisely what the documentation was on my account. I called again the next day and was informed that the stamp didn't read clearly on my third application although it did read clearly on the prior two applications I sent in. I had asked to speak with a manager to understand exactly what it was they were seeing and asked to have a copy of this document sent to me via email. I was then informed that was impossible because XXXX 's policy is to shred the originals and only the staff who work in their processing department are able to access the records which are completely non-transferrable and inaccessible outside of that department 's database. I had also asked why I had needed to submit a formal letter with letterhead when the application does not state it as a requirement ( the school official who signed off stamped the application with an official seal ), to which the manager responded " It's for our records ''.

The manager offered to submit a ticket for the issue and said she would email me within several days as to the status of it. I agreed to her offer and repeated my email address to her. Over a week had passed and I had received no correspondence whatsoever regarding the issue, and so I had called XX/XX/2018. I spoke with the original CSR I had initially spoken with over a week prior and was informed that there was no record on my account to inform me of the status of the ticket issue. She also informed me that my request was deemed impossible to do. I asked the CSR to make note that I wanted contact by email stating exactly this. She agreed to do so.

The egregious lack of communication by my loan servicer is wholly unacceptable. Being told that certain documentation is for private company records and not a necessary requirement in order to receive a cancellation that I qualify for is also unacceptable. As of this date I have until XX/XX/2018 to submit my forms, which I intend to do, or else they will " regrettably be unable to give further consideration '' to my cancellation request. However, I can not escape feeling extorted and having my account held hostage by a company whose policies are as transparent as a brick wall.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation