Consumer complaint received 2025-05-02 00:00:00
Product: Student loan — Private student loan
Issue: Dealing with your lender or servicer — Trouble with how payments are being handled
Company: HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORITY (HESAA)
State: FL

Complaint narrative:
I am writing to formally file a complaint regarding the handling of my student loan deferment by the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority ( HESAA ). Based on written communication from HESAA, I was granted a deferment for the period of XX/XX/XXXX, through XX/XX/XXXX. However, on XX/XX/XXXX, I was notified that the deferment period provided was a typo, and that I would need to reapply, as the deferment was allegedly only valid for XXXX months. At no point prior to this was I informed of such a limitation. 
I relied in good faith on the written confirmation from HESAA to make important financial decisions affecting my entire household, including budgeting for daycare for my XXXX XXXX  XXXX  and managing our overall household expenses. The sudden retraction of the original deferment terms has had a significant negative impact on my financial planning and has caused undue stress to my family. 
Since the deferment was initiated on XX/XX/XXXX, I have experienced ongoing issues, including inaccurate billing, unclear monthly payment amounts, and conflicting information from HESAA representatives. Despite numerous attempts to clarify the situation, I received incorrect guidance, such as invalid support email addresses and inconsistent details about my account. Additionally, I was repeatedly informed that HESAAs systems were down or undergoing technical difficulties, further impeding my ability to manage my account effectively or receive timely notifications. 
The recent claim that my deferment was granted in error and considered a typo is deeply troubling. It raises serious concerns about the accuracy and transparency of HESAAs communication and could potentially constitute deceptive or unfair business practices. I believe this matter warrants investigation under applicable consumer protection laws, and I respectfully request that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ( CFPB ) review and take appropriate action to resolve this issue. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, HESAA responded to my complaint by stating that my deferment is now extended through XXXX. However, they failed to acknowledge the ethical issues involved or take responsibility for the distress and confusion their communication caused. This response is inadequate and reflects a lack of accountability. Given this pattern of behavior, I am no longer comfortable continuing my relationship with HESAA.

Should this matter remain unresolved, I am prepared to escalate the issue to relevant regulatory bodies and legal authorities. I have maintained thorough documentation of all correspondence and interactions with HESAA. 

Ultimately, I am requesting that HESAA take responsibility for their mismanagement and consider full forgiveness of my loans as a resolution. This would allow both parties to move forward and bring closure to this unfortunate situation. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I trust that the CFPB will ensure accountability and uphold the standards of ethical conduct expected from student loan servicers.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation