Consumer complaint received 2018-08-01
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: OR
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Trouble with how payments are being handled

Complaint:
This is the letter I sent to the XXXX XXXX center outlining the details of my complaint : XXXX XXXX Dispute Center : I am a consumer with a clean repayment history over 14 years of repayment on student loans both XXXX and XXXX since initial disbursement in XXXX. 
Account # XXXX In XX/XX/XXXX I re-financed my student loan to a private lender to save on my interest rate. In XX/XX/XXXX my XXXX was paid in full by XXXX XXXX. 

During the interim as the bank paid out and you ( XXXX XXXX XXXX ) received and credited the payment, I continued to make my payments diligently. As a result, I accrued a credit of {$2700.00}, due to XXXX XXXX over paying the balance on my account. 

I was told it would take 30-60 days for this reimbursement to be credited back to XXXX XXXX. 

At 3 months ( I waited 90 days to allow reasonable time for processing ) when I had not seen the credit go though, I called XXXX XXXX to inquire. At this time I found out the reimbursement had not even been initiated ( XX/XX/XXXX ) leaving the representative I spoke with confused as to why it was taking so long. He told me if I did not hear anything in 5-7 business days to call back. Because I am an extremely busy professional and my time is valuable I did not have a chance to call back right away. But I have overall spent at least 3 calls with wait times to XXXX XXXX as well as checking with my new loan servicer on a quick and helpful phone call to them to make sure the reimbursement was in fact not received. The representative at my new loan servicing center was shocked to see the reimbursement had not gone through noting we generally would have received it by now. This is further evidence XXXX XXXX did not process my refund in a timely manner. 

MY DILIGENCE. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I spoke with a very helpful XXXX ID # XXXX who took a lot of time researching the refund and didnt seem to have clear records so I had to tell her the situation, but she was able to see that the refund had been initiated on XX/XX/XXXX and should be to XXXX XXXX in ANOTHER 30 days. She tried to deter me by stating there was no way they could authorize and additional refund and when I asked to speak with someone who could she put me through to XXXX at ID # XXXX, XXXX was unfriendly and unhelpful and a brick wall for answers, she told me to write a letter. 

After hours spent on the phone, months of waiting I am asking that you REVIEW MY ACCOUNT, I believe there was negligence on XXXX part on not issuing my refund in a TIMELY manner, costing me at LEAST ( I rounded down my conservative estimate ) {$130.00} of added cost paying interest on money I had already paid to XXXX XXXX and money I had already paid interest on. 



MY REQUEST An additional amount of {$130.00} be issued ( via the same route the {$2700.00} was issued ) to XXXX XXXX to decrease the principle loan amount as owed to me due to XXXX XXXX delay in timely reimbursement. 

If I had delayed a payment to XXXX XXXX for 2-4 months I would have been charged significantly more than this in fees and finance charges. I am NOT asking for compensation for my time nor the amount of income XXXX XXXX likely made on that money over the 6 months my refund was delayed. 

SUMMARY I have had an exemplary repayment history and I request that you reward my diligence by admitting your error in untimely processing of the refund of over payment and providing restitution to correct this error. I believe this request is reasonable and fair. 

This letter has been copied and submitted to Oregon State Representatives and the XXXX XXXX XXXX 


I expect this {$130.00} refund be issued and Credited to XXXX XXXX in an efficient, timely and reasonable manner. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation