Consumer complaint received 2018-07-03
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: NE
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:
I consolidated my Perkins loans from the servicer the university chose to XXXX XXXX so that I may have the same servicer for all of my student loans in XX/XX/XXXX. With this I selected the RePAYE plan. All of my single direct loans already with XXXX were on the PAYE plan. Due to the rule for federal student loans requiring that all direct loans for a borrower be in the same IDR plan, my consolidation completing in XX/XX/XXXX along with my choice of the RePAYE plan for this new loan prompted a change in IDR plans from the PAYE to the RePAYE in every other non-consolidated loan I have. This I have no qualms with ; I know the benefits and exact details of each plan. Heres where the XXXX errors start coming in. With the change in plans on my non-consolidated loans, I received a letter from XXXX XXXX informing me of the approval of the RePAYE on all of my loans shortly after the consolidation sometime in XX/XX/XXXX and reminding me to renew my IDR on time. This letter showed me an IDR renewal date of XX/XX/XXXX. At the time, I knew this was an error because I was due to recertify my PAYE on my non-consolidated loans in XX/XX/XXXX. Upon seeing the error I called XXXX. When explaining all of this to a representative, to say I knew more about student loans and what happened on my account would be an understatement. I was placed on hold for more than 25 minutes without updates and, finally when someone came back on the line, I was provided a confirmed answer from a member of XXXX leadership team in regards to the recertification notice telling me, for sure that my NEW recertification date was moved to XX/XX/XXXX for all of my loans because of the change in plan. Now I argued briefly about how that didnt seem right because of the required 12 month renewal for IDRs, but I was assured this was the case and my recertification was due for renewal in XX/XX/XXXX. Low and behold XX/XX/XXXX comes around and I receive a notice warning me of potential interest capitalization if I do not renew my IDR plan on time. I immediately call XXXX up because of the discrepancy. I escalate to a member of leadership because I am frustrated at this point as I was certain months ago of the error and was advised I was mistaken. Now with a member of leadership on the line Im advised the XX/XX/XXXX renewal letter was an error and I was correct the first time with a renewal date of XX/XX/XXXX. Upon being told this, I ask if they cant expedite my IDR applications processing because it was their error, despite my pointing it out, causing me to submit my documentation in late ; I requested this specifically to avoid the interest capitalization. This representative stated they would submit the account up for review because of the misinformation in XX/XX/XXXX. I told her I would have a completed application submitted that day. This was XX/XX/XXXX. I immediately submitted a complete application ( all necessary adoi included, completely legible, nothing missing, no errors to lead to any delay ). I then followed up by calling XXXX XXXX a couple days later by having a representative verify all the information was there and the application was complete ; she verified it was complete and nothing else would be required. Upon processing, I saw they approved me right after the cut off date of my renewal causing my interest to capitalize on my account. ( Trust, I  am aware of the negative impacts herein, and this was not a pleasant notice to receive. ) I immediately called up XXXX XXXX, and after being placed on hold for another 20+ minutes or so off and on, I was told research request were being submitted and someone would get back to me about the interest capitalization in conjunction with the XXXX XXXX error. No one called me back, emailed me back, sent me a letter explaining, or anything. This was XX/XX/XXXX. I have since emailed in requests for payment allocation instructions, and these have been completed ( though, not at all in a timely manner : 30 full business days to reallocate my payment to one specific loan is outrageously horrible turn time ). I finally looked over my payment history and realized it had been over six months without a XXXX XXXX   follow up, so since Id had luck with email, I emailed in outlining briefly the error XXXX XXXX made with me upon my consolidation ( quite similar to this complaint here ) and got a generic vague non-addressing-the-issue-or-the-XXXX-error email response. This told me I didnt recertify on time and my interest capitalization reversal request had been denied because of this reason. As per usual, I immediately called up XXXX XXXX and inquired about it, requested a member of leadership, and then that members leadership because I didnt feel I could trust the first or second tier of representatives to research or care about my request at all within this company. Upon my request for leaderships leadership I was placed on hold for a while and eventually put on the line with someone who listened politely to my drawn out exhausting story, verified many of the notes on the account matching my description of events, and stated they would look into it and get back to me. As this was the same response I got the first time without any resolution or follow up of any kind in six months or more, I felt a complaint like this one may prompt them to take a further look into their erroring on my account. I am no fool. I am an XXXX XXXX ; I work for a XXXX XXXX XXXX. Please help me resolve this. Please reverse my XX/XX/XXXX interest capitalization. It was not my error, and I shouldnt be punished for it.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation