I was notified of the debt after a call in September.
This debt was for my first year of university, but because I worked FT the previous year they had averaged my earnings.
I also worked for a public benevolent institution and receive allowances, so they were also calculating those back to April 2016.
I had only started receiving payments for centrelink in Feb 2017 but they were calculating off my wages way back in April 2016.
Furthermore, I hadn't worked from August 2017-May 2017 (overseas for 6 months, and couldnt get work when I returned until May), so I knew that didn't add up.
Luckily my company was a large company and I was able to ring up and request all my paychecks back to April 2016.
For context, I was in an accident of June 2018 and had lost my eye, so when I was dealing with this debt I was unable to study or work and was relying on Centrelink payments to get me by.
Anyway, I rang up the Compliance people and the guy was extremely helpful.
Told me to upload my documents for appeal. Also told me that if I hadn't heard anything by mid-December 1 2018 to ring up and get the repayment date pushed back as they would started debiting me from then, and that if it was in appeal it would be okay to push it back.
I rang up on December 1, and told them this. They told me they knew nothing of the appeal, and I reiterated my story and told them I would like it noted that I had rung up. Got a receipt number.
Check my payments in Feb, 2019. I notice that I am getting debited ~$70/fort for 'Less Debt repayment'.
I ring up and inquire.
Compliance person I speak to says yes they've started debiting and no my appeal hasn't been initiated.
But then checks my documents folder and thats where all my payment appeal pay checks are and he apologises and initiates appeal.
He then puts me through to the debt recovery team.
The lady apologises and refunds me the $240 they had already debited.
However the next week the debits are initiated again.
I then ring up and speak to compliance again.
She says my debt has been revised down to $1000.
I tell her that that can't be true, I've done nothing but report correctly and also upload my pay checks.
She tells me its still in the process. I have requested a full transcript of calculations.
I am happy to repay any debt that I owe, however like I have said I have done nothing but report correctly. This is currently where I am at.
The way I feel is this. The debt period they believe I owe for, I did not work the majority for.
I have always reported correctly.
It is not their fault but as I have stated, I am currently undergoing medical treatment for losing my eye.
I have had to move home (and states) because of this.
I am trying to both continue my study, regain my independence and move out.
This debt is just another thing hanging over my head.
The combination of all these factors has led to numerous breakdowns where I've been left on the floor unable to do anything due to stress.
I often can't sleep at night, I am always anxious.
I've also been through hell trying to continue to get payments whilst I was off medically from studying.
I am terribly anxious that if I am miscalculated to owe $2k when I was studying properly and reporting properly, what are they going to come up with when they see the quagmire that has been created with me moving cities/houses/universities whilst trying to continue to receive payments
In a macro sense - it has been basically ignored or denied.
When I am able to get someone on the phone, they are for the most part helpful.
Getting someone to talk to is the problem.
Understanding the nuances of my situation is incredibly tedious.
My main problem is also with whatever outdated operating system they run. Often when I can finally get someone on the phone and talk about my situation/appeals etc, at the end I'll tell them my updated details. They confirm them, but then online a few weeks later it will still be my old details.
Then when this all comes to a head all the dates etc are off.