CFPB Seeks Additional Private Student Loan Complaints

CFPB Dodd-Frank Student Lending

On June 13, the CFPB issued a Notice of Request for Information seeking information on existing private student loan complaints collected by state agencies, institutions of higher education, consumer and legal advocates, and lenders. In addition to its general solicitation, the CFPB specifically invited the participation of state attorneys general, schools, and advocacy groups. The responses received by the CFPB will be incorporated into the student loan ombudsman’s report it provides to Congress pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act. In conjunction with its general solicitation, the CFPB also published the nearly 2,000 comments it received in response to a Notice and Request for Information on private student loans that it issued on November 17, 2011. The CFPB identified the following common themes from the data collected to date in connection with its earlier solicitation: (i) many borrowers report relying on school financial aid offices for information and guidance on which loan products to use, (ii) many borrowers struggling in today’s economy are finding their private student loan debt to be unmanageable, and (iii) many borrowers report finding it difficult to navigate the repayment process.