Consumer complaint received 2016-04-23
Company: Navient Solutions, LLC.
State: IL
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Non-federal student loan
Issue: Can't repay my loan
Sub-issue: Can't get flexible payment options

Complaint:
On approximately XXXX XXXX, XXXX, I received a letter from Navient, informing me that a private student loan I have would be due for repayment. I contacted Navient, to inform them that I was still attending school and they told me I just needed a letter from my current school, informing them of my in-school status. I provided the letter, and called Navient again to confirm they received the letter, and was told I was now on in school deferment. A week later I called to verify, and was told once again, I was on deferment. I then received a letter stating I was denied my in school deferment, so I again, contacted Navient. I was told there was a mistake, and to disregard the letter, and that I was on in school deferment. I tried to retrieve the letter from my Navient account for proof, but it no longer exists. I asked the representative if he was positive, that all loans were in deferment and he said " Do n't worry, I assure you, they are all on in school deferment. '' A week later I checked my account to discover this Tuition answer loan was in repayment and the amount due was XXXX per month. I called Navient once again, and they told me that there was a mistake, and that some of the customer service representatives did n't know what they were doing. I was also told on numerous occasions that Navient had a fraud department, where XXXX students could call to get assistance with fraudulent private loans, incurred while attending XXXX University. This was not true, as I called every number they gave me, just to get the run around, and eventually got a number that was the ombudsman for federal loans, which clearly did me no good. After all the time and frustration and inaccurate information, I did a financial statement with a Navient rep. and was told that there was nothing they could do for me. My income and necessary living expenses and any left over money I had at the end of the month was not anywhere near enough to make a payment of XXXX a month. I was also told to rearrange my household expenses so I could afford the payments on this loan. I told the rep. that I had already done that by declaring bankruptcy in XXXX. I can not refinance my home due to my bankruptcy, and my car payment is already as low as possible. I am on a level payment plan with my utilities, I get a discount on my cell phone, and have cut grocery expenses for my family, there is nothing else I can rearrange or cut. I have no luxury items or un necessary expenses. There is no possible way I can repay this loan, and the Navient rep. advised me to put the loan in my available forbearance, which is nine months and then default. Unfortunately, this is my only other option, and in my opinion is completely unfair that I have to ruin my rebuilt credit, face unemployment or even the inability to gain employment, due to being forced to default. I work as a contract employee for the Dept. of Justice, and will lose my security clearance as well as my job, for defaulting on a private student loan. It was difficult enough to even get hired at the Justice Department with the bankruptcy that I have on my record now. I am a former XXXX University student, who was forced to take out private loans to continue my education. This tuition answer loan has an interest rate of 10 % and by the time its paid off, which it never will in my lifetime, as I am XXXX yrs old now, will have cost me over XXXX, on an original amount of XXXX. This is truly predatory lending at its finest, and should be illegal. I can not pay this loan, and it should have been discharged in my bankruptcy. Every Navient rep that I spoke with agreed with me, that this loan was unacceptable, but there was nothing they could do to help me.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation