Not a student loan issue, but related. I have been fighting an old Economic Development loan for over a year now. Background: took out a "New Ventures" loan from the Ontario ministry of economic development in 1990 to start a business. Defaulted soon after and was battered by collection calls. Paid the debt with help of a family member in 1993 or 1994 (so long ago I can't remember exactly). I moved around a lot in my early 20's and never gave it any thought again. Fast forward to April 2016 and the debt shows up on my credit report and completely destroys it. Called the collection agency and they want a receipt for the payment 20+ years ago. I don't have it. Called the ministry... same thing. I started thinking "how can they ask me for a receipt from decades ago?", and that led to "there must be some sort of limitation on things like this". Here's where the run around starts. I armed myself with as much information as I could dig up. According to my research, an account from 1990 with a last date of activity from 1994 (at the latest) should be covered under the limitations act of 1990, and therefore should have expired in or before 2000. The new limitation law came into effect after the limitation period ran out which makes the debt barred by statute.
I called the collection agent with this information and was involved in a half hour argument. Getting nowhere with the collection agency, I called the ministry of finance to speak with someone else. After giving her my information and telling her what I had learned about limitations, she hit me with a new one! Citing the "interpretation act of 1990" she quotes " No Act affects the rights of Her Majesty, Her heirs or successors, unless it is expressly stated therein that Her Majesty is bound thereby.", and then says that the province is not bound by the limitations law of 1990 because the law does not name them directly. I'm a bit stumped by this one, but I've started the research. The law was repealed in 2006, but replaced by the "Legislation act". I'm looking into that now.
Another issue I have is a false payment date on my credit report. I asked both parties I dealt with about the payment date. The ministry said they have no information, and the collection agent refuses to admit that they reported it. To me this means that I know that I'm right and that they are breaking the law by making a false report. I just need to figure out how to get the reporting agency to see it. I have drafted the dispute forms and letter and I'm about to send them out, but something tells me that the investigation will not help if both the ministry and collection agency are willing to lie about it. The only thing I have in my favor right now is the false date... that may set off an alarm and have the investigation dig a little deeper.
Any advice would be appreciated. Will keep you up to speed on what I learn from the dispute process.