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Alwyn Horscroft writes about his frustrations with the student loans office.

Those of you who know me, or used to read my column will have heard of our problems with the Student Loan department of CIBC.
About five years ago my daughter, Gwyneth, ran into problems with the student loan department because they seemed unable to keep track of her when she moved. This was rather surprising in view of the fact that they used to phone here quite regularly and I would update them with her phone number and address.
Nonetheless, in 2004 she somehow found herself answering the phone to a collection agency person. When she was faced with a demand for instant payment I agreed to extend her the money.
That worked out reasonably well. However, in the spring of 2007 after the usual phone calls in which CIBC Student loan department refused to tell me the problem, I finally got another call from Gwyneth.
The bank had passed her Ontario loan over to a collection agency and they were demanding instant payment. I went to the bank and they called the student loan department, but they said there was nothing they could do. They had passed it over to a collection agency.
The amazing thing to me is that the bank was always incapable of contacting Gwyneth, and yet the collection agency got hold of her the day it was passed over.
Anyway, we made arrangements with Gwyneth to increase her personal loan from me, and I paid the whole student loan off - I thought.
The bank was given her correct address.
Yesterday I received a call from Gwyneth who said that she had phoned the income tax people to find out why they weren't sending her 2007 rebate to her after a two month wait.
She was told that, while she was in default with the student loan people, they couldn't pay her.
She had phoned the student loan office previously, and had been told that her federal loan was all clear - paid off years ago.
When she called to confirm that she owed nothing, she was told that she still owed a bit after it was paid off and they had notified her by mail in August 2007. They had sent it to the wrong address and had then passed it over to a collection agency.
Her GST rebates had been taken in payment but she still owed $81.
In view of the fact that the income tax people were withholding a rebate of over $1000 she had no options but to pay the $81. But this is frustrating.
I was assured back in 2007 that this was everything. I had paid it off. Personally, I think the bank owes her something for all of this inconvenience.
The strange thing is, that I have a very good relationship with CIBC. They've just revised my mortgage to pay for repairs to the foundation wall - no problem - but that student loan department!!!
I had always wondered if the problem was with Gwyneth not keeping in touch with them, although I had met others who had similar problems.
It makes you wonder, when will her credit rating get to normal? She even had to pick her latest home according to whether the rental company wanted to investigate her credit. This sort of thing costs her money.
How does one deal with it?

Alwyn Horscroft