File a Student Loan Servicer Complaint

Student Loan Complaints:

The Department of Banking pursues complaints against Student Loan Servicers, either federal or private.  Servicer issues can include the following: crediting principal and interest payments, falling behind on payments, misapplied payments, interest rate calculations, requesting a new repayment plan, servicer changes, and loan consolidation.

How do I submit a complaint?

If you fall behind on your student loan payments or experience issues such as those listed in the box above, refer to the following steps:

1. Attempt to resolve the dispute by directly contacting the Student Loan Servicer.  If your issues relate to choosing a new repayment plan or consolidation questions, you may need to state the exact plan that you want to the Customer Service Representative.  You may also need to request that your case be escalated to a supervisor or manager.
2. Once you are working with a Student Loan Servicer supervisor or manager, evaluate whether or not your issue is being resolved in a timely manner.  If it is not, send your questions in writing to the servicer’s headquarters by certified mail.  Give the company a specific time to respond to you.
3. If your servicer does not respond to you in a timely manner, you may also follow up with the company’s Ombudsman Program, if available.
4. If the company’s Ombudsman does not respond in a timely manner, contact the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid (FSA) Ombudsman Group and see if they can provide you with assistance:
   
   U.S. Department of Education
   FSA Ombudsman Group
   P.O. Box 1854
   Monticello, KY 42633
   Phone: 1-800-433-3243
   Fax: 606-396-4821
    
5. If your issue is still not resolved with the servicer, or the company’s ombudsman, or if you believe they are not being truthful about your options, or are being unresponsive, you may file a complaint the Department of Banking using the Online Consumer Assistance Form.
6. You can also determine if the Student Loan Servicer is licensed by the Department of Banking using Nationwide Multistate Loan Servicing (NMLS) Consumer Access.  This website that allows the public to view information concerning the Student Loan Servicer to resolve your dispute.   
7. If the Student Loan Servicer is not listed as licensed in Connecticut in NMLS, the Department of Banking pursues complaints against unlicensed companies that are conducting Student Loan Servicing activities for Connecticut residents.

Online Customer Assistance Form

Note:

In addition to the Department of Banking, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) pursues complaints against Student Loan Servicers.  You may also submit your complaint with the CFPB online or by calling the CFBP at (855) 411-2372.

The CFPB Private Education Loan Ombudsman was created to assist private student loan borrowers. You may file a private student loan complaint using the online student loan complaint form.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
P. O. Box 4503
Iowa City, IA 52244
Telephone: 855-411-2372
Fax: 855-237-2392
E-mail: CFPB_RESPAInquiries@cfpb.gov

Helpful Resources

State Resources:

• Student Loan Information
• Student Loan Repayment Guide, which includes links to other Connecticut and national resources for federal and private loans.  Available in several languages.
  
• Connecticut Office of Higher Education
• Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA)
• CT Dollars & Sense, a one-stop shop for helping to plan, save and pay for college.  

Federal Resources:

• U.S. Department of Education -repayment, consolidation, and postponement options for federal loans
  • Limited Waiver Opportunity for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB):
  • Questions About Student Loans
  • Tips for student loan borrowers
  • Repay student debt - Know your options
• National advocate: National Consumer Law Center
• U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Office:
  • Steps to Take to Help Resolve Disputes
  • Contact the Ombudsman's Office

Questions? 

Telephone Direct: 860-240-8170
Toll-free: 1-800-831-7225, press option 2
Foreclosure Assistance Hotline:  1-877-472-8313

By Email:  banking.complaints@ct.gov

Please Note:

This is an unsecured e-mail address for general questions.  Please do not include personal identifying information such as Social Security and/or account numbers, birth date, user ID, or passwords using this unsecured e-mail address.  To send a Secure Message log into the Online Assistance Form.