Bank threatening student caught by WINZ bungling

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For immediate release

Bank threatening student caught by WINZ bungling

A bank is threatening to close a student's bank account due to WINZ's mismanagement of the Student Loans Scheme, the Aotearoa Post-compulsory Student Union (APSU) learned today.

The Open Polytechnic Student applied for his loan and allowance more than five weeks ago and in that time he has tried unsuccessfully to contact WINZ on their 0800 number more than five times to establish when his income will arrive.

The student has, due to problems with WINZ, exceeded the overdraft limit on his WestpacTrust account by $253.

This week, WestpacTrust wrote to the student demanding that he return his chequebook to the bank and later verbally informed him that, despite the fact that the fault lay with WINZ and not him, the bank would close his account in the near furture if he did not deposit any money.

"We are extremely disappointed that Westpac Trust, who must be aware of the WINZ problems, is not being more compassionate about the student's financial plight," says APSU National President David Penney.

"This particular student has three children to support and his family is really struggling to survive on only his partner's income."

"We have heard that other students are having difficulties with banks and we are asking banks to show leniency while these WINZ problems are being sorted out."

ENDS

For more comment:

David Penney, APSU National President

04 498-2501

025 756 526

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