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CSA - enourmous amount of backpay to pay back £98 aweek!
ajw129
Posts: 2 Newbie
Please help someone! need advice!
We had a letter on Friday waiting for us, we thought it was all sorted, we paid £20 a week and had done for a couple of years after having our son as backpay, it was enough for us after paying £80 a week before it was ahuge relief, I work part time now and my husband works many hours to pay the mortgage and all the bills. We have got into debt many times cos of the huge demand from the csa. We have had to pay the mortage on our credit card. This letter said we needed to pay almost £15,000 now and "we could pay be credit card or debit card" ha!!! not many people can just say "oh right, where is my card". I was shocked, I burst into tears (not like me)imagining my house being taken off us and everything, us and the kids just sitting in the street, so of course my husband got straight on the phone to them. He spoke to someone called Christine, she was really nasty, he was on the phone for ages and got no where, basically if we cant pay the full amount we have to pay £98 a week, how the heck are we supposed to come up with that A WEEK? a month would be hard, but a week! no way. We said we couldnt pay that but she fobbed us off saying tahts that. So I phoned back and asked to speak to someone higher, so we got put through to someone else and he said the same thing, if we dont pay this £98 a week then they will force us to pay it by taking it straight out of our wages. I honestly dont know how we are going to pay it. noone told us we only had 2 years to pay it. I thought we would be paying £20 a week forever, which I could just about cope with, so I have spent all weekend worrying. making lists of things we can go without, christmas included. I love Jess the little girl but feel angry, like why is she here, she has caused all this but of course she hasnt and have to reason with myself. Its so hard. my poor kids have never asked for this either. But want I want to know is, what do we do? do we ask for it all in writing? they are going to phone on Monday, tomorrow to see if we are paying willingly or whether we need to be forced to pay. Do we say we can afford a certain amount like £30 a week? we want to pay it back, just not so much that we cant afford to live. Please help ........
We had a letter on Friday waiting for us, we thought it was all sorted, we paid £20 a week and had done for a couple of years after having our son as backpay, it was enough for us after paying £80 a week before it was ahuge relief, I work part time now and my husband works many hours to pay the mortgage and all the bills. We have got into debt many times cos of the huge demand from the csa. We have had to pay the mortage on our credit card. This letter said we needed to pay almost £15,000 now and "we could pay be credit card or debit card" ha!!! not many people can just say "oh right, where is my card". I was shocked, I burst into tears (not like me)imagining my house being taken off us and everything, us and the kids just sitting in the street, so of course my husband got straight on the phone to them. He spoke to someone called Christine, she was really nasty, he was on the phone for ages and got no where, basically if we cant pay the full amount we have to pay £98 a week, how the heck are we supposed to come up with that A WEEK? a month would be hard, but a week! no way. We said we couldnt pay that but she fobbed us off saying tahts that. So I phoned back and asked to speak to someone higher, so we got put through to someone else and he said the same thing, if we dont pay this £98 a week then they will force us to pay it by taking it straight out of our wages. I honestly dont know how we are going to pay it. noone told us we only had 2 years to pay it. I thought we would be paying £20 a week forever, which I could just about cope with, so I have spent all weekend worrying. making lists of things we can go without, christmas included. I love Jess the little girl but feel angry, like why is she here, she has caused all this but of course she hasnt and have to reason with myself. Its so hard. my poor kids have never asked for this either. But want I want to know is, what do we do? do we ask for it all in writing? they are going to phone on Monday, tomorrow to see if we are paying willingly or whether we need to be forced to pay. Do we say we can afford a certain amount like £30 a week? we want to pay it back, just not so much that we cant afford to live. Please help ........
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Comments
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Check your PMs0
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it does seem that the csa are very unreasonable when it comes to paying so called arrears, as i have found out. when i posted my problem on here a few people suggested going to my mp, which i will be doing. failing that, i was also under the impression that the csa no longer exist, and are now the 'child enforcment agency' or something like that, and they want to encourage peternal parents to make private financial arrangements rather than go through them. maybe this could be an option for you too0
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Hi the csa do not seem to have one policy, my ex pays £10 a week for her arrears to 2006 and they said there is nothing they can do about the current until she has finnished paying this off ! beacause they instructed a debt collection agency. They should have one policy and stick to it0
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£15k of CSA arrears?? And they want it in one lump sum?
Can I ask how the arrears got so high???
It's important to keep paying something, so continue with the £20 a week, and write to them (recorded delivery) stating your income, outgoings, and why you can only afford £20.Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)0 -
as already suggested, get your MP on board, immediately.
Ensure that you demand a breakdown of these arrears in writing - and keep a record of every telephone conversation, taking details of names, times, dates etc.
How can they seriously expect people to use their credit cards to pay off arrears? It's absolute madness yet they get away with it time and time again.0 -
frugallass wrote: »as already suggested, get your MP on board, immediately.
Ensure that you demand a breakdown of these arrears in writing - and keep a record of every telephone conversation, taking details of names, times, dates etc.
How can they seriously expect people to use their credit cards to pay off arrears? It's absolute madness yet they get away with it time and time again.
Have a look at this thread regarding may arrears
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=583644
My advice would be to forget having telephone conversations with them and put everything in writing and send the letter by recorded delivery. Keep copies of everything including the recorded delivery slips and as above get your mp on board0 -
I agree about doing it all in writing - but sometimes the CSA call you (I've told them to only communicate by letter when dealing with my complaint)0
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frugallass wrote: »I agree about doing it all in writing - but sometimes the CSA call you (I've told them to only communicate by letter when dealing with my complaint)
Agreed...just answer and dont speak, sit in silence, put radio on so they can hear it...its easy
Alternatively...hang up0 -
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frugallass wrote: »nice one !
or ask them a load of security questions.......;)
No, whatever you do, do not start a conversation0
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