Consumer complaint received 2018-06-05
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: NC
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:
In XX/XX/2018, I filled out a consolidation loan application, hoping to bring student loans serviced by another provider, to XXXX. I wanted to pay all my loans to one provider. 

XX/XX/2018, i received a letter stating that my consolidation was almost complete, but the loans that I wanted to add, were not going to be added per my request. I called XXXX to speak with someone to explain that I wanted to indeed add these loans to my account. They informed me that they were waiting for someone at my provider, XXXX, to respond to them concerning the loans and there was no further action required from me. Once they heard from XXXX, I was supposed to be contacted about the loans and if they could be added to XXXX. 

On XX/XX/2018, I received a letter stating that the consolidation was complete. Upon review of this consolidation, I noticed that the loans I attempted to add, were not included. I called back to XXXX, and was told the reason that the loans were not added, was because i did not fill out the right paperwork, and that the loans I wanted to add were eligible to be added to XXXX. I just needed to fill out the correct paperwork. They told me what form to download, submit, and what code I needed to use. I submitted this form on XX/XX/2018. 

On XX/XX/2018, I received a letter stating that the loans were ineligible to be added to XXXX. I then called back and explained to them that the whole purpose for my consolidation request, was to include these loans, and without them being added, the consolidation request was pointless. It doubled my monthly payment, doubled my repayment time from 15 years of which I had already paid 3 years, to a full 30 year repayment plan. 

I called and requested that this consolidation be undone, or reworked, because it has not benefited me at all. I spoke to several people on the phone, who have transferred me and kept me on hold for over XXXX minutes at a time, and all of them have given me different answers on the consolidation process and my monthly payment. The representative I spoke with last night was short, rude, and condescending. He told me that there is nothing that can be done about the consolidation at this point. It was final. 

When I spoke to customer service representatives during the entire consolidation process, not one of them told me that the main reason I wanted to consolidate was not an option, until the process was complete. They all led me to believe that there was more to be done on their end, and that I could possibly still add the loans to XXXX. It wasn't until the process was complete, that I was given a straight answer. I feel like I was run in circles by this provider, and given false information. 

Timeline : XX/XX/XXXX : submitted consolidation form to include XXXX loans XX/XX/XXXX : Consolidation almost complete, loans not included per my request XX/XX/XXXX : Called XXXX to ask about these loans as I did not request them to be excluded. Was told that they were still awaiting my service provider XX/XX/XXXX : Consolidation complete : Loans not added XX/XX/XXXX : Called XXXX and was told that the loans were not added because I did not fill out a physical form. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Submitted physical form with information provided by customer service representative and XXXX account information. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Loans ineligible to be added. 
XX/XX/XXXX - XX/XX/XXXX : Have called several times asking what options I have to have this process undone, because I was mislead during this time period and the loans I want to consolidate, are not eligible.

Company response to consumer: Closed with non-monetary relief