Ok, hands up if you've received your first quarterly maintenance payment in advance, due on October 1?

My RO is trying to pull a fast one, offering monthly payment in arrears instead, so that they sit on the funding each quarter. I've sent them a copy of the AHRC Studentship Grants Guide 2010, and the terms & conditions for the payment of maintenance 2010-11.

So no-one's been paid then? The outcome of my negotiation is getting the full quarterly payment, but 28 days late. Not impressed, and I'll bet the entire annual maintenance grant that exactly the same thing will happen on a rolling basis each October.