CSA - Non payment of DOE Order

Crazytart

Firstly please excuse me if I'm posting this in the wrong place, I couldn't really find a more appropriate place - please feel free to move if it is wrong!.

Can anyone help me? My ex-partner has messed about with maintenance payments so much so that the CSA issued a DOE on his earnings to take the money straight from his salary. This was issued in December 06.

The due date for the first payment was 5 February 2007 (apparently it takes a month to go through) but that date came and went with nothing, I contacted the CSA who advised that as this was DOE the company had until the 24th of each calendar month to get it into the CSA, well you guessed it, the 24th came and went and still nothing.

I've contacted the CSA who have said that the company haven't sent it in (they are now 10 days overdue of their overdue date). After the CSA chased them they said that they didn't know where to send it, despite having almost 2 months to find out and the fact that I got that information from the CSA website within 10 mins of looking for it.

The CSA advised me that all they can do is ask the company for the funds, they can fine the company, but the lady I spoke to said that they "don't really tend to do this to companies", infact she had worked there 4 years and couldn't tell me on one instance where the CSA had issued a company fine.

My query is this, my ex is paid via PAYE, the company he works for is very small - the MD is one of his best mates - are they with holding the payments to in effect get one over on me as they know that the CSA won't, by their own admission, fine them? What can I do? I've also recently found out that one of my ex-s cousins work for the CSA so was wondering if he was getting any "inside" information?

Zara33

Contact your MP today. The CSA have issued a DOE there really shouldn't be an issue about this now.

thesaint

If the company repeatedly did not make payments then they would be fined, but as it is the first payment, I agree that it would be harsh to punish the company.

welshcakes

Hi crazytart

Snap! I've had a DOE for my ex since Oct 2005. Come October 2006, not payments into my account. Rang CSA who inform me they have to re issue/update on the annual anniversary of a DOE. I wait and wait, til Jan I find company payroll has changed, CSA promise to get new details ... blah blah.

Now, because the CSA failed to issue the new assessment to correct payroll address til beginning of Feb, the employer has til the end of March to send in a payment.

Depending on which CSA staff member I speak to, the deadline for receiving the first payment has been 31st Jan, 24th Feb, 24th March and now the latest is 31st March. The last one I spoke to said "I don't know where they (fellow staff) got the 24th from, it's always the end of the month".

So there you have it,

1. take every date given to you with a pinch of salt;
2. always make a note of who you spoke to and what the gist of the convo was;
3. ask them to ring you by such and such date (why run up your phone bill!);
4. be prepared to not get that phone call back...sigh;
5. Realise that it is of little comfort when the CSA tell you that all the arrears will get paid off, eventually.

As it currently stands, my ex will be paying arrears til Spring 2009. By the end of this month, unless a payment is sent, that will have been extended to Summer 2009.

Arrears should in my opinion, attract an interest rate for the claimant of no lower than the Bank of England base rate. The way I see it, no matter whose fault/delay it is, the absent parent is able to receive interest on the PWC's money until the day it leaves their account. Why should he utilise my money to earn bank account interest?

space_rider

The CSA cancelled my ex`s arrears of over 9,000. I have given up with them as it was causing me too much stress and I was wasting money on phone calls.

thesaint

Arrears should in my opinion, attract an interest rate for the claimant of no lower than the Bank of England base rate. The way I see it, no matter whose fault/delay it is, the absent parent is able to receive interest on the PWC's money until the day it leaves their account. Why should he utilise my money to earn bank account interest?

Who would do the administration for this, the CSA?
The system is already a farce, please do not give them idea's.

welshcakes

thesaint wrote:

Who would do the administration for this, the CSA?
The system is already a farce, please do not give them idea's.

Not an IT systems expert however I'm sure it can't be that difficult to include a simple comp programme that delivers automated calculation and attachment of interest to the system that already identifies the level of arrears down to the penny. There's no reason why there need be any manual intervention by CSA staff. The whole CSA system is going to be altered anyway so it's one of those things that I think would be a positive improvement.

Maybe I'm being idealistic in hoping that a government run system should be as effective as possible

thesaint

welshcakes wrote:

Not an IT systems expert however I'm sure it can't be that difficult to include a simple comp programme that delivers automated calculation and attachment of interest to the system that already identifies the level of arrears down to the penny. There's no reason why there need be any manual intervention by CSA staff. The whole CSA system is going to be altered anyway so it's one of those things that I think would be a positive improvement.

Maybe I'm being idealistic in hoping that a government run system should be as effective as possible

As far as I know, the CSA have no money, they simply distribute money around.
Let's say the NRP receives 0.10% interest in their current account on the delayed payment, and the B.O.E base rate is 5.25%, If the CSA had to pay interest to parents, the missing 5.15% would come out of the general public's pocket.

I pay enough out already, I do not need Mr Brown asking me for anymore.

If the government could run their systems at say 90% efficiency most of us would be happy.

welshcakes

Saint, I'm not suggesting for one minute that the CSA pay the interest value, that would be ludicrous. Sorry, I didn't originally state that I would like to see it added to the NRP's arrears ie the absent parent is liable.

michelefauk

Hi
I had a similar situation, the CSA ordered a Deduction of earnings on my ex's employer in the February, they recd the first and only payment in the July. This was despite me contsantly chasing the CSA whose argument was they had to give the employer time to pay, then reminders, then the employer made out they hadnt recd the paperwork, didnt know what to do with etc etc. The director of the company was my ex's best mate! theres a surprise! Evebtually they recd one payment, then myex left the company but there was still a months money owing from August. We are now in March and I have yet to see this payment. The company in the meantime have now gone bust, so again I have little hope of ever seeing this money. Probably doesnt give you much hope, but wanted you to know you are not alone!

exil

Call me a cynic, but there are a great many men in powerful positions who have a vested interest in the CSA NOT working. Much better from their point of view to make the mother pay for 100% of child care when the marriage breaks down, and if not, then the taxpayer can pick up the bill for one's offspring even though you yourself are well off.