HESAA vs. U-Haul

HESAA is the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. This is a New Jersey based company that takes over student loans that have been sent into default. They also provide loans for school and other services related to borrowing money for school in New Jersey.

U-haul is a company that rents trailers, hitches, trucks, storage space and sells packing materials.

I first dealt with HESAA during a bad financial patch and after I ran out of deferment time. They have a 1-800 number to call to ask them questions about your account but only one extention to dial if you are a miscreant and have fallen into default. This extention will often hang up on you. Once there are 10 people in que to talk to a customer service person. This is especially frustrating. You have to go through a voicemail system first and make aproximately 3 selections before you get the option to enter the extention number. The system then says "Hold while we connect your call" and you hear silence, and then it hangs up.

In general, the people they employ aren't very versed in the law, what their jobs are, what the regulations their company has etc (read: they hire mostly idiots). I feel the need to add here that on occasion I have actually talked to a few very helpful people, but again, that is rare.

I was informed of a program that allowed me to enter rehabilitation for a years worth of payment in good standing. I entered the program and made all of my payments for 2 years on time. During this time they garnished my tax return twice. Eventually, I requested information about having my loan discharged twice,(part of the program) and twice never received anything.

I also requested information about having a settlement amount on my loan. I was told by the woman that I spoke with to fax someone a letter stating my reason for wanting a settlement. Two weeks later I got a letter thanking me for sending them a letter and asking me to call the 1-800 number to speak with a customer service representitve.

At Christmas time this year, we fell on some pretty bad times. I didn't pay my student loan payment. I reverted back to square one with the rehabilitation. I was in the process of having my loan consolidated and found out, because of this, I was having trouble. Getting someone on the phone who knew what they were talking about was impossible. They had the wrong lender down as the one that was consolidating my loan. I got hung up on literally 10 times. I talked to 3 different people until I found out what happened and I actually found out through the company I applied for consolidation through. I also found out they sent back an incomplete form concerning my consolidation while they were threatening to garnish my tax return again. By the time I finished finding out what happened, it was a day later then when I started and I was nearly in tears.

Thankfully, I believe my consolidation is almost processed and I won't have to deal with these people EVER again.

I first dealt with U-haul when I was interested in renting a trailer and buying a hitch to move my furniture to Georgia. They were very friendly and I had no problem making reservations. The trouble started when I wanted to cancel my reservations.

I called the 1-800 number to cancel my reservation for trailer and hitch installation because I decided to rent the apartment fully furnished. I was contacted by the local office and told they wouldn't return my deposit because it was a special order hitch. I told this man that according to the reservationist, I had 48 hours to cancel my appointment and they would refund my money. He said to call customer service.

I called customer service later that day. The first person transfered me to customer service. The second person transferred me. The third person transferred me. The fourth person transferred me. The fifth person transferred me. The sixth person transferred me. The seventh person tried to convince me that I needed to call the local office. I told him I didn't want to, I wanted my money refunded. I explained to him that I spoke to the local office already and they told me to call the number that he works for. He told me to call the local office. I told him I already did and they told me to call him. He said "Ok. Well then try this 1-800 number". I told him I didn't want to try another number, I had been transferred 7 times, called the local number twice and I JUST WANTED MY MONEY BACK. Finally I relented and took down the number that he wanted me to call and it turned out not even to be a working number.

I called back, asked for that number again. Got it and waited until the next day to call it. When I called that number, the man I spoke to told me, in a very unkind way, that they have nothing to do with that and to call the 1-800 number. So finally, exasperated, I called the 1-800 number (again) and the man I talked to told me that within 10 days, my money should be refunded automatically to my card. I was both relieved and very irritated. He said that during this time of year they hired a bunch of people and that most of them didn't know what they were talking about. No kidding.

No matter how you slice it, if I never have to deal with either institiution again, I'll be happy.