Consumer complaint received 2018-11-19
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC.
State: CA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer
Sub-issue: Don't agree with the fees charged

Complaint:
I submitted documentation to Navient for the recertification of my Income Based Repayment plan ( IBR ) on XX/XX/2018. When Navient received this information they miscalculated my payment and charged me too much. Before realizing the payment was incorrect, I made the requested incorrect payment amount of {$250.00} on XX/XX/18 and again on XX/XX/18. I then realized the payment was incorrectly calculated, and on XX/XX/18 I called Navient to have it corrected. I spoke to XXXX - XXXX, who agreed that the payment had been calculated incorrectly. Recalculated the payment for me and estimated that the new payment would be around {$140.00} and would be fixed by my next payment due XX/XX/18. She also said that because it was Navients mistake, I  would either receive a refund for the overpaid amount or I could credit it to my current payment, whichever I preferred. I stated that I would like it credited to my current payment. She said this would be completed within 7-10 business days. She apologized twice for Navients mistake and showed appreciation that I kept a close eye on my account. She was very kind and helpful. 

On XX/XX/18 the account had not been credited the overpayment towards the current payment. The new and correct IBR payment of {$170.00} had been calculated and now reflected on the account, but not the credit for the overpayment amount. I called Navient and spoke with XXXX XXXX who said there was a late fee on the account, however no late payment was ever made. She submitted a request to remove the late fees as well as again requested to apply the overpayment to the current balance. The difference between the {$250.00} that I paid in XXXX and again in XXXX and the {$170.00} that I should have paid based on the correct calculation of my IBR was then {$79.00} per month for a total of {$150.00}. We discussed this, and she assured me that the {$150.00} would be applied to my current amount due by XX/XX/18 at which time I would owe {$16.00}. She was helpful and professional in her interaction. 

On XX/XX/18 the account had still not been credited that overpayment amount to the current payment due, so I called again and spoke to XXXX XXXX who said that late fees totaling {$37.00} were refunded and insisted that there was no other money that Navient was to pay me. She was very unhelpful and unable to understand my explanation of the concerns that I had, she was unprofessional and frustrating to talk with. I requested to speak to a supervisor and was transferred to XXXX XXXX. I explained the situation, as well as what I had been told as described above, and he said that Navient does not have a policy of backdating mistaken calculations of payments on accounts, and I would not receive a credit toward my current payment for the overpaid amount. I was very frustrated and he was not polite or helpful and treated me poorly. 

At this point my concerns are twofold. First, this is Navients mistake. One that their representatives agreed to and apologized for on multiple occasions while making it clear that they would remedy the mistake in a specific way they would credit the difference between the overpayments and the correct payments ( for a total of {$150.00} ) to my current payment due on XX/XX/18. They did not do this and are now refusing. This is poor customer service, poor business practice, an outright misrepresentation, and unethical not to remedy their mistakes as they have committed to do so. It is also unacceptable not to be willing to remedy their mistake at all, stating it is not our policy. Their mistake should not cost me {$150.00} that I can not get back. 

Second, the IBR is a federally directed program with a very fixed means of calculation that is not novel to Navients experience. There is no reason this should have been miscalculated. My understanding from reading online is that Navient has a history of overcharging and mischarging consumers in this manner in order to take more money than they are owed. I am deeply concerned for other borrowers who may not have the time, means, or understanding to make sure that they are being charged correctly by this company. In the past 15 years I have had repeated problems with this loan servicer not charging as they should. Again, this is an unethical and unacceptable practice.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation