REMO-Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Order

lolo2210 · 6 March 2015 at 9:19AM

I am currently involved in a REMO process to try and get maintenance from my 'British' ex who thought he would move to Singapore to escape maintenance. My son is two and I have never had a penny from him. How long are REMO cases generally taking? He was apparently due to attend court in mid January and I have heard nothing. Even the court here has heard nothing. It appears REMO have no powers whatsoever to find out and force an outcome

This system is clearly run by men who know it is generally women who need it! Any positives stories on here? How long is this process taking?

HelpfulGuy · 6 March 2015 at 12:03PM

lolo2210 wrote: »

I am currently involved in a REMO process to try and get maintenance from my 'British' ex who thought he would move to Singapore to escape maintenance. My son is two and I have never had a penny from him. How long are REMO cases generally taking? He was apparently due to attend court in mid January and I have heard nothing. Even the court here has heard nothing. It appears REMO have no powers whatsoever to find out and force an outcome This system is clearly run by men who know it is generally women who need it! Any positives stories on here? How long is this process taking?[/QUOTE

Remo have no powers of their own. They are just a postbox. The courts in the other country have the powers and they move at whatever pace they move at . It's not a quick process. But blaming men isn't helpful.

lolo2210 · 11 March 2015 at 10:23PM

Not helpful for whom? So does anyone have any experience of Remo in Singapore please?

bettyblueeyes · 28 March 2015 at 11:04AM

Hi, I have tried to get maintenance through REMO since 2011 and its been a waste of time and a waste of the taxpayers money. My Ex dragged the case till he moved again ( from singapur to switzerland) which resulted in having to submit a new application. Back to square one. Because it is Switzerland its a slightly different procedure but just submitting my documents I was told the applicant refused the knowledgement and I am asked to get all 450 pages translated into German. Never mind that my ex is an English solicitor of German origin. The translations will cost me more than the arrears I might ever get. I appealed against the decision that I have to supply translations on the grounds that my ex is a professional English solicitor but it was ruled that's what I have to do. There is no justice and REMO is just for window dressing purposes. Even my MP was not interested but I am assuming my case might have cost the tax payer several £10000.

HelpfulGuy · 29 March 2015 at 2:02PM

bettyblueeyes wrote: »

Hi, I have tried to get maintenance through REMO since 2011 and its been a waste of time and a waste of the taxpayers money. My Ex dragged the case till he moved again ( from singapur to switzerland) which resulted in having to submit a new application. Back to square one. Because it is Switzerland its a slightly different procedure but just submitting my documents I was told the applicant refused the knowledgement and I am asked to get all 450 pages translated into German. Never mind that my ex is an English solicitor of German origin. The translations will cost me more than the arrears I might ever get. I appealed against the decision that I have to supply translations on the grounds that my ex is a professional English solicitor but it was ruled that's what I have to do. There is no justice and REMO is just for window dressing purposes. Even my MP was not interested but I am assuming my case might have cost the tax payer several £10000.

Switzerland and Singapore do have different procedures. The slight problem with Switzerland is that it's not in the EU (of course neither is Singapore). Things would be easier otherwise. Normally you can make an application for maintenance either to a UK court or a court in the other country. Paying for translation work is only required if you want to make an application to a UK Family Court because then you are outside the REMO process and you have to pay for documents to be translated if your ex is not an English speaker and then pay to have them served by a process server in the other country. Conversely if you make an application to the overseas court then REMO handles it for you and translation is not charged. It sounds like you were trying to make an application to the UK court, which has its advantages, but the downside is you are largely on your own.

bettyblueeyes · 29 March 2015 at 8:05PM

I made the application for child maintenance through REMO, not an English family court, to be served in switzerland and it could not be submitted because it needed to be officially translated. I was informed by the judge that the respondent had the right to refuse the application if not translated. I suppose this is the end unless I will pay for the translations, which I could translate myself as my mother tongue is German. But than they won't be accepted.

HelpfulGuy · 29 March 2015 at 8:55PM

This sounds a bit odd so let me ask a bit further.

1. If you're applying through REMO all you have to do is send the application off to them, sworn before a magistrate, and let the other country do the work. The magistrate has no reason to refuse to let you proceed. Are you sure it was a judge?

2. How do you come to have 450 pages in your application? All it needs to consist of is the family details, grounds, and statement of your financial circumstances, along with birth certificates and other evidence of paternity if required. 450 pages sounds way over the top.

3. Who has told you that you can't translate the documents yourself? If you're a native speaker there's no rule against it. In any case you should be able to get the German language forms (which you would use if you lived in a German speaking country) and just complete them accordingly. Then there's nothing to translate. I'd suggest contacting REMO for the German language forms if you can't find them on the internet.

bettyblueeyes · 30 March 2015 at 10:45AM

Hi, I applied for CM and a Lump sum as the whole story goes back as far as to 2010 where my ex was found quilty by the Tribunal Brighton to have diverted income on a big scale. He was ordered to pay the Arrears and CM, but than he secretly moved to Singapour where he said he never got the Decision Notice, than he appealed and was told it was to late and than he applied for a juridical review, which was denied........And than he moved again. The swiss REMO is a procedure under the Hague Convention and works slightly different. So the 450 pages included several Court Orders, all my financial disclosure incl. Bankstatments and Income proof from the last six months, I am self employed with five different Jobs and 5 different Bank Accounts/ CC......so the pages are adding up and the Judge who looked at my appeal ruled that I have to submit my application with official translated documents was a Magistrate Judge. I wish I could tell a different story......

HelpfulGuy · 30 March 2015 at 11:03AM

Sorry to hear that you're so up against it. Funny thing is that REMO used to have a lot of leaflets online about how to enforce existing orders and they always said that translation work, where it's necessary, is done for free. Those webpages have mysteriously vanished. If you don't feel inclined to give up you could call REMO, ask for non-EU section, and query with them who the responsibility for document translation lies with for Hague applications, and why as a native speaker you shouldn't do it yourself. Bank statements are self-explanatory and shouldn't need translating in any case IMHO.

bettyblueeyes · 30 March 2015 at 11:07AM

I agree. REMO does know me already, I have been calling and researching..... no information really. Maybe I have another go at it , I am worn out and the kids are almost 18 soon..... But thanks again.

REMO-Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Order

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