should i go through csa or not??

joehawk

hi there, i'm new to this forum so hope i make sense
me and my daughters dad have been split for 10 yrs now, she is 13 and since we split we had a private agreement about maintenence, which was just verbal and not on a contract or anything, which worked fine for alot of the time.. he payed £100 per month which i was happy with.
for about two yrs now i have to chase him up every month for my payment as it can be up to 3 wks late alot of the time, ( i dont think i'd get any if i didn't) also i have given him my bank details so he could set up a direct debit so i wouldn't have to keep asking him. he always says he will sort it but hasn't. over the last 6 months he has started giving me like £30 one month then £60 another, he says this is all he can afford which i do respect! its not really about that, i'm just wondering if i did it through the csa would i be better off as i need my money whatever the amount on time, as we are all struggling these days.
i am not on benefits, i'm married and am out of work, and my husband pays everything at the moment. thanks any advise would be welcome.
rant over

karenx

If you look on the CSA website there is a calculator which if you put in your ex's wage details it will tell you what he will be expected to pay each month through the CSA

onetomany

yes i would i get that a week for my 13 year old

joehawk

thanks for replying, i'm just thinking is it gonna be more of a hassle getting my money through the csa, i don't know his salary, but he tells me he is working for himself now and he only gets money now and again, if thats the case i don't know how he can keep his house with a mortgage to pay.
also where do you apply for a form to claim, and will i beable to do it through csa even if he is giving me a payment now and again? thanks again.

DUTR

joehawk wrote: »

thanks for replying, i'm just thinking is it gonna be more of a hassle getting my money through the csa, i don't know his salary, but he tells me he is working for himself now and he only gets money now and again, if thats the case i don't know how he can keep his house with a mortgage to pay.
also where do you apply for a form to claim, and will i beable to do it through csa even if he is giving me a payment now and again? thanks again.

What he has contributed before a case is active is irrelevant, what is due is from the calculation based on previous history of salary
to open a case see here http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/setup/applying.asp
as for keeping a house everyone needs a roof over their head and for all you know he maybe behind on payments for the mortgage.
Good luck.

kingfisherblue

I had to go through the CSA when my ex decided not to pay me, as he had run up debts after leaving me. In my case, it is a DOE as there were arrears and he wouldn't pay even the regular amount of CM, never mind the arrears. Once it was set up, though, it has been fairly smooth going. There have been a couple of blips, but nothing major.

joehawk

thats good to know, thanks, i'm gonna go through csa i think, as i need a solid date every month for my maintenence whatever the amount, i can't cope on hit and misses. thanks again to your replys

shell_542

Don't get your hopes up too much for regular payments through the CSA automatically. You just have to browse through this site to see the problems that some encounter. If he's self employed (assuming as you said he works for himself) they cannot attach a DOE (detatchment of earnings). He can also mess them around a lot more than a PAYE employee can.

Could you approach him, either in person or writing and ask him to look at the CSA calculator on their website himself, get him to come up with a more reasonable offer monthly ... and say the first month he messes around you'll have no other option but to contact the CSA. It might give him the kick up the bum he needs.

Good luck with getting it sorted.

karenx

joehawk wrote: »

thats good to know, thanks, i'm gonna go through csa i think, as i need a solid date every month for my maintenence whatever the amount, i can't cope on hit and misses. thanks again to your replys

But depending on how much his accounts say he is earning you could get as little as £5 per week which is alot less than you are getting now. And if you personally asked him for extra he could say no as he is paying you through the CSA. CSA will take the money out his account and pass it onto you. So you need to try make a decision on what you think is best. Would you settle for £5 per week or can you hold out for £30 or even more each time by doing it without the help from CSA?

timfydempoe

Also if he really is struggling to pay his mortgage and bills, if he loses that will he lose his buisiness as well ? so if he makes nothing he could never help ya out, but thats only an if

pinkykat

I bet he finds money for other things. I would go through the csa I did when my husband was hit a miss with payments and he always seemed to find money for smoking,going out for a few drinks and new clothes while I was struggling with two children. They would work out how much he is earning through his tax and national insurance if he is not paying these then he is on the fiddle. Remember that these payments will be until you children leave full time education or until they are 18yrs and thats a long time to be messed about when you are struggling.