If you want to file a Great Lakes complaint, check out these websites to report a problem or problem you are having with the repairer.
FSA Feedback System: You can use this Federal Student Aid Feedback System to file a complaint about your experience with the Student Loans Manager. You must describe the problem you are having and how you would like it resolved, and attach all relevant documents. The Federal Office of Student Aid will respond to your report as soon as possible.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): You can also file a complaint with the CFPB, another government website, where 97% of consumers receive a prompt response to their problem. To file a complaint, the website will ask a few questions to categorize your problem and then have a section where you can describe what happened with the repairman.
Better Business Bureau (BBB): The Better Business Bureau works to solve consumers’ problems with companies. You can file a complaint with them, in which you must include your name, address, and email with details of the issues you are having. The BBB will forward your report to the company and request a response within 14 days. If the company does not respond, it will send another request.
If you have a specific issue that can be resolved by Great Lakes or need assistance with your student loan payments, you can contact the service agent by phone, email, mail, or through their social media accounts. Great Lakes social accounts are a great way to receive general information, as their Facebook page has a one-hour response time.
Common Problems with Great Lakes Student Loans
Compared to other lending services, Great Lakes does not have many complaints filed with the CFPB. Our study found that the repairer only received 310 complaints between March 2017 and March 2018, compared to Navient’s 3,599 complaints, and Great Lakes earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Despite this, the service agent received three primary complaints that many borrowers have trouble with. Some of the major Great Lakes complaints include:
Problem with how payments are handled: Most complaints from borrowers relate to payment issues, including misallocating expenses, misrepresentation of late fees, and overpayment issues. According to the CFPB, all problems were resolved with a quick response. But when you’re working with a provider, it’s essential to track your payments each month, even if you sign up for autopay.
Receiving wrong loan information: Another common complaint is that borrowers receive incorrect information about their loans, especially when they attempt to request a deferment and forbearance. Again, it’s essential to keep track of your payments and requests, especially when trying to stop payments. It is better to contact the repairer as soon as possible when you have problems with your account.
You can’t get other flexible options to repay the loan: Borrowers are having trouble changing their repayment plans with Great Lakes, or the company hasn’t changed their repayment plan properly. The best way to handle this is to document the repayment plan change process, including when you filed your change request and received confirmation. Then you should contact Great Lakes with this information to get everything sorted out quickly.