CSA suddenly contacting me 15 years later!

justontime

Just my thoughts, but solicitors cost a lot of money and most are not CSA specialists. You could spend a fortune and achieve very little by using a solicitor. If your MP takes up the case CSA have to treat the matter as a priority, they have department that deal with MP cases and you will at least get someone to take a close look at the case and explain what has happened and why. It sounds as if something went seriously wrong with your case so once you know what has happened you will be able to challenge the assessment.

rogers37

Been to see a solicitor today, no help at all, information i received was completely the opposite of what i have read on here. They were more interested to see if i could get 'public support' (legal aid?) told me a DNA costs £750 and i have to go through the courts to do this and there is a fee of £250. Asked them if it was worth asking for a copy of my records from the CSA and was told they won't show anything other than my name, address and work details???!!! Before going any further with this i would like to know what information the CSA has on me. I would like to know this so i know where i stand before this well organised that is the CSA get well and truly involved!
Do you know how i can get a copy of my records (DPA) from the CSA and where do i write to?
I know a DNA test will ultimately give me piece of mind and it is something i know i will have to do.but my only concern with that is as i have not seen or heard from this girl is 15 years, how would the child react or does she know who her father is? this could cause a lot of upsets for all concerned. The mother may have told her someone else is the dad for all i know.

DUTR

rogers37 wrote: »

Been to see a solicitor today, no help at all, information i received was completely the opposite of what i have read on here. They were more interested to see if i could get 'public support' (legal aid?) told me a DNA costs £750 and i have to go through the courts to do this and there is a fee of £250. Asked them if it was worth asking for a copy of my records from the CSA and was told they won't show anything other than my name, address and work details???!!! Before going any further with this i would like to know what information the CSA has on me. I would like to know this so i know where i stand before this well organised that is the CSA get well and truly involved!
Do you know how i can get a copy of my records (DPA) from the CSA and where do i write to?
I know a DNA test will ultimately give me piece of mind and it is something i know i will have to do.but my only concern with that is as i have not seen or heard from this girl is 15 years, how would the child react or does she know who her father is? this could cause a lot of upsets for all concerned. The mother may have told her someone else is the dad for all i know.

The solicitor has been of help just that they have not told you what you want to hear.
You may have to apply for a court order for the paternity test to take place.
How the child would react? The test does not involve you all being in the same room, they take swabs from our mouth, the results are quite interesting, basically I think it is 16 points that are tested and the ones that don't exist in the mother and child exist in the father and child, if they don't then it's no match if they do....merry xmas

mania112

Presumably you're also wondering if you're a father too right?! Surely that's your concern rather than maintenance payments?!

Either way, sounds like they ARE backdating the payments because I thought it was only £5 a week if you're on JSA.

Sensemaya

rogers37 wrote: »

Been to see a solicitor today, no help at all, information i received was completely the opposite of what i have read on here.I hope it was the free 30 mins consultation They were more interested to see if i could get 'public support' (legal aid?)Naturally lawyers are interested in their fee told me a DNA costs £750 and i have to go through the courts to do this and there is a fee of £250.Contact the CSA directly for the DNA to be done Asked them if it was worth asking for a copy of my records from the CSA and was told they won't show anything other than my name, address and work details???!!!Incorrect!!! Before going any further with this i would like to know what information the CSA has on me. I would like to know this so i know where i stand before this well organised that is the CSA get well and truly involved!
Do you know how i can get a copy of my records (DPA) from the CSA and where do i write to? Read the sticky although the address might be out of date. Another poster asked this question recently so do a search on here
I know a DNA test will ultimately give me piece of mind and it is something i know i will have to do.but my only concern with that is as i have not seen or heard from this girl is 15 years, how would the child react or does she know who her father is? this could cause a lot of upsets for all concerned. The mother may have told her someone else is the dad for all i know.

Why didn't you take the advice you were given and contact your MP instead of wasting your time seeing a solicitor?

The CSA are not going to go away...

Sensemaya

justontime wrote: »

Contact your local MP and ask for help with this situation. Just over a year ago my husband had a letter from CSA demanding a huge amount of alleged arrears (for a time when he was still living with his ex and his children). We had months of worry, but the worker at the MP's loca office was very helpful in getting information and answers from CSA.

You also need to make a DPA request for copies of all the information that CSA hold re your case. The main thing is not to give up if you are sure that they are wrong. We found it was almost impossible to go back over 15 years to find evidence to prove that my husband was telling the truth, but persistance paid off and in the end not only were the so called arrears completely quashed, they actually owed him money!

When dealing with CSA keep records and copies of everything.
Good Luck!

This is great advice so take it!

Cally_Smart

I second the above.
We got our file from CSA for £10(mostly in abbreviations but it can with its own 'heplful' booklet to help decipher it ! ) and at least it helps you work out their reasoning and you can set about trying to prove/disprove what they are saying? MP helps speed things up a bit,we even got the children that lived with us taken off the 'arrears' something the CSA said couldn't be done!(We had to fight for it at a tribunal !)