Questions about old rules and housing costs

Ijezvahted

Hello everyone, I'm not the average money saving junkie but any good comments appreciated, my girlfriend is more concerned about this and we hear lots of CSA horror stories.

I have three children living mainly in England and I live in Amsterdam with my girlfriend, I pay non-REMO maintenance voluntarily via the CSA which is loosely based on my income as it stood in 2001 with a deduction on the number of nights I have the children.

I am looking at taking up a job and buying a house in England with my girlfriend. There is a favorable Euro-£ exchange rate and property prices and I intended to buy the house for cash. I spoke to an accountant and an IFA who both suggested buying a house with a mortgage because the CSA calls it housing costs.

MY g/f works as crew on KLM and her payroll will remain in Holland but I'm told I have no legal obligation to disclose my gfs income, but also told the CSA can still determine my gfs income from elsewhere. If PWC asks CSA can they still obtain and use my gfs income details from elsewhere…

Q1: Can the CSA still use it to increase child maintenance?

I understand the CSA cannot disclose to PWC my personal details and that is my wish. If PWC illegally obtained my girlfriends income details…..

Q2: Can the CSA still use it to increase maintenance?

The Information Commission says illegally obtained data can be used in evidence at criminal trials but we are not sure if the CSA is criminal or civil, a solicitor says civil but there is lots of talk on this forum about "criminal compliance", arrests, police and prison etc.

Q3: Is this civil or criminal?

We read somewhere that working parents in England who are CSA-payers are excluded from claiming tax credits for those children.

Q4: Is this true?

The house occupied by PWC her bf and my children is owned by my girlfriend, I sold it to allow me to buy our current house in Amsterdam because getting a mortgage is difficult and expensive and take advantage of Dutch tax benefits. There is a tenancy agreement but PWC has never paid any rent. Lots of arrears and we have letters from the Benefits Agency in 2001/2 accepting the tenancy agreement saying they are paying the rent but none has ever reached us.

Q5: Does the CSA count a free house towards child maintenance?

The house is structurally sound but needs substantial work, new boiler, both bathrooms and kitchen could do with replacement etc.

Q6: If I pay for these, Will the CSA count this toward child maintenance?

Caz3121

I will answer where I can to the best of my knowledge
1) If this is a new CSA case it will be assessed as CSA2 - 25% of your net income less any reductions for shared care. Girlfriends salary irrelevant
2) not on CSA2
3)?
4) I believe only 1 person can claim the tax credits for a child and it would normally be the PWC. If you pay CSA you are not classed as the resident parent
5) Your girlfriend would need to follow the correct process as a landlord to gather the arrears. It cannot count as maintenance as it is not due to you (if it was your property your ex would not be able to claim rent
6) no - not your house