a question about 'the grant' (1 Viewer)

[plug]

went home for lunch there to find the missus on the phone to the grant application people in limerick. she's starting in down here in ucc in about a week. anyway, there seems to be a bit of a problem, namely the fact that she lived in one particular place in limerick for about two months, but has no proof in the form of utility bills or any documentation from official sources with her name and that address.

the only thing she does have is a signed and fully complete rent book. everything with the rent book is in order. it's got the address, her signature, the landlord's signature etc. a rent book is, to my knowledge, a legally binding document and proof of residence that stands up in a court of law. am I right/wrong here? the grant people say that a rent book is basically unacceptable and they need some kind of utility bill etc. which, quite simply, she does not have and will not be able to get. now, she should have changed her address when she moved there, but that's easier said than done, and she lived there for only two months. the rent was paid in cash too, to make things worse.

the grant people also said that they could not accept a letter, which I think she has, from the landlord proving her residency at that address either... is this right?

she'll be fucked if she can't get a grant... in short, she won't be able to go to college. she's never gotten one before or anything, and is she eligible, notwithstanding this issue. personally, I think they're trying to fuck with her.

as you can imaging she's really fucking upset about the prospect of not being able to go back to study. does anyone have any kind of advice about this issue? is there a way of reasoning with these people on some level? does the facility to appeal exist in any form? any advice etc. would be very much appreciated. ta. d

 

[ernesto]

tell her to write to her local td

 

[plug]

gracias ernesto.

I've heard about people lobbying their local TD alright... does that actually work!?

also, would that be local TD where she lives now (cork), local TD where she lived (rimlick) or local TD where she's from (sticksville, limerick/tipp border )?

 

[ernesto]

id say the cork one. just a hunch, its in his region like.
friend of mine couldnt get a grant for her new course coz she already had a degree so the college wanted thousands from her. she wrote to the local td near the college and BAM, she got her grant and has started college again

 

[Dr Winston Umbogo]

The Grant.

 

[c0De_n1NjA]

ask "the Phil"

 

[Theseus Mock]

Show them this Thread.

 

[Antrophe]

friend of mine couldnt get a grant for her new course coz she already had a degree so the college wanted thousands from her. she wrote to the local td near the college and BAM, she got her grant and has started college again

Unless your mate was starting a masters, then this is highly suspect.

 

[plug]

heheh... indeed!

I wonder what would the mitchell brothers do in her situation? I'm sure a vicious pummeling could do wonders under the right circumstances!

 

[c0De_n1NjA]

Unless your mate was starting a masters, then this is highly suspect.

"oooo, look at me, i know everything"

 

[ratmonkey]

gracias ernesto.

I've heard about people lobbying their local TD alright... does that actually work!?

also, would that be local TD where she lives now (cork), local TD where she lived (rimlick) or local TD where she's from (sticksville, limerick/tipp border )?

Can't hurt to try them all, county council types as well. Some of them are able to get things done.

 

[ratmonkey]

Also could try take the letter from the landlord to the local county council type in Limerick and try and get something official off them.

 

[ernesto]

Unless your mate was starting a masters, then this is highly suspect.

its not suspect & its not a masters course. some diploma thing.

 

[Antrophe]

"oooo, look at me, i know everything"

This is the internet, not senior enfants. Why don't you go back to giggling over your wacky google image searching exploits instead of poking around the Myspaces of people you've never met.

its not suspect & its not a masters course. some diploma thing.

Usually the grant is only available as you move upwards through higher education and only applicable once on each level. That at least is the experience of most people I know, including those who are taking advantage of the back to education allowance it does not seem to be backwards compatable unless there's a gap of five years between dropping out of a course and returning at the same level.

In the case of the grant and residency proof here, its worth remembering how notoriously slow the process of getting the grant is. That means you can defer college fees and just pay a registration fee for ages until the grant issue is sorted, at least in UCD you could. I ended up having to wait till after Easter until it finally came in as three payments in one. Its odd how if a rent book is a legal document then why its never asked for as proof of address in dealing with social welfare issues. To be honest I can't say I've ever known anyone to use one, its probably one of those pernickty things the welfare system has fallen into habit over and insist on until you point out their own regulations to them.

 

[Gino Padula]

You can apply as a Mature Independent Candidate if:

1) You were living independently of your parents from 01/10/2005 (assuming you weren't in full time education for the last year);
and
2) You were over 23 on 01/01/2006;
and
3) You can prove to the local authority's satisfaction that you were where you say you were.

In the absence of utility bills, the following can be considered:

a) If your parents were living beyond commuting distance from your then place of employment and your independent residence was within commuting distance of that residence you can bring that to the attention of you local authority;
b) If you were registered with social welfare at a particular address, you can get a letter from welfare to that effect to show the local authority;
c) You should show the local authority any other correspondance going to that particular address (anything at all) in order to increase the weight of evidence;
d) Your spouse should not claim to the local authority be so, as the local authoirty may solicit his/her income details also.

Anyone could write and fill up a rent book. The 'landlord' could be your drinking buddy. That's why they are not acceptable. Affidavit's are not worth anything as proof either as a solicitor will sign anything you put before him/her as long as you're paying.

If somebody's grant takes until april to process, it's usually at least partly due to failures to produce documentation on the applicant's behalf. Most grants are paid in a timely manner. The whole issue is emeshed in politics and bulshit, like everything else in this godforsaken land.

A higher diploma is normally considered a progression from an honours degree.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

re: validity of rent book.

I know it's a different situation but if she was opening a bank account then valid forms of address verification would be
- Utility bill [Gas / ESB / Eircom / NTL]. No mobile phone bills
- Bank / credit card statement
- Driving licence
- Electoral register
- Motor insurance certificate

has she any of those?

 

[c0De_n1NjA]

This is the internet, not senior enfants.

this is the internet, not a foam party in a gay bar.

 

[pete]

"oooo, look at me, i know everything"

Photo deleted.

Please don't post photos of people here without their permission, and PLEASE do not use said posts as fodder for "photoshop" threads.

Thanking you.