Having Problems?
File a Complaint!

Every day, millions of student loan borrowers like yourself encounter problems when trying to stay on track with their student debt due to no fault of their own. Here are some of the most common problems we hear about:

 

• Dealing with my student loan company (e.g, lost paperwork or delays processing applications)

• Details about my loan account (e.g., inaccurate bills or payment counts)

• Trouble repaying my loans 

• Website or online experience

• Receiving inaccurate information from my student loan company

• Problems after my student loan company changed (e.g., lost payment history or being placed in the wrong repayment plan)

 

When you experience these issues, it’s important that you file a complaint so that they get fixed as quickly as possible and shine a spotlight on the issue to regulators. History shows that if you are experiencing a problem, other borrowers probably are too. To file a complaint you’ll just need to take two simple steps outlined below.

 

1. The first step is drafting your complaint. Here are the most important things to keep in mind when you’re writing your complaint:

 

• Be clear and concise about the problem you’re having. Most complaints are 1-2 paragraphs long.

• As you draft your complaint, document as much as possible. Note any important dates (when you received a letter or when you called them), who you spoke with, and what was discussed.

• Make sure you name the company you’re submitting a complaint about.

• Attach documents that support the facts like account statements and communications with the company. 

 

2. Now that you’ve identified the problem and written your complaint, you are ready to submit them. You can use the same complaint you drafted with multiple regulators, you don’t need to re-write it every time. Here are the websites where you can do that in just a matter of minutes:

 

• Regardless of your loan type: File a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. These complaints are helpful for holding servicers accountable and identifying trends and shaping policy in the future, so your complaint could help other borrowers in similar situations.

• File a complaint with your state Attorney General or state student loan ombuds. These complaints are important because many attorneys general offices rely on consumer complaints to alert them about unscrupulous businesses and harmful practices.

• If you have a federal student loan: File a complaint with the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman within the U.S. Department of Education (ED) who can help resolve disputes and issues with your federal student loans. These complaints can also help ED identify widespread issues.