tax credits compliance - so scared, please help :(

Squidge2009

Horseunderwater wrote: »

Just ignore D70 and anyone else who have a go at you - it's not worth it.
I am sure that once they see all bills except the Virgin one being paid by you that they will accept that you are a single Parent of 2 kiddies and continue paying you what they should. Your Ex is getting away lightly re maintenance as in theory he should be paying I think 20% of his wages over to you under CSA rules and if you get him to pay what he should then that income is not taken into account at all.

thank you for your kind post. i know, although the maintenance is the last of my worries to be honest. i did go through CMO about a year ago but have not heard anything since.

i don't want to be in this situation, i wish i was in a couple with him, and i wish he was around still, and so do the kids, but he isn't

RAS

Squidge

take it easy.

What is happening is that Experian are checking all single claimants against the electoral roll and credit records. If ANY accounts come up at that address that do not belong to the single person, they query it.

Sometimes that person is an ex-partner. But equally it could be a previous tenant or houseowner who has not bothered to get their accounts transferred to a new address, or wants avoid their creditors by not giving a new address.

They get paid for everyone they chase and for every case that they prove. So there is an incentive to find a lot of people to chase.

It sounds like this is even harder because in your heart you hope he will come back but because of the bureaucrats you have to chase him to sever links?

Squidge2009

RAS wrote: »

Squidge

take it easy.

What is happening is that Experian are checking all single claimants against the electoral roll and credit records. If ANY accounts come up at that address that do not belong to the single person, they query it.

Sometimes that person is an ex-partner. But equally it could be a previous tenant or houseowner who has not bothered to get their accounts transferred to a new address, or wants avoid their creditors by not giving a new address.

They get paid for everyone they chase and for every case that they prove. So there is an incentive to find a lot of people to chase.

It sounds like this is even harder because in your heart you hope he will come back but because of the bureaucrats you have to chase him to sever links?

hi ras. thank you for your reply. wow is that really true about them getting paid for each case they chase?? thats quite shocking really. so a lot of people in the same situation as me or similar, will be going through this hell. i am sure loads of relationships break up and one moves out and there is still mail going there, there must be millions and millions of cases.

Squidge2009

just bumping in case anyone has any more advice / info x

asdf1982

is it civil now with your ex? i would say the most obvious proof would be his name on another tenancy and council tax bill with this other woman. its in his interest to help you prove as its his children that will be affected.

harveymail

Hello

I do not post much anymore due to various reasons but do read, and having read your OP, I wanted to reassure you.

My son and his wife split up a few years ago due to her mental health but I am still very much involved in her and my grandchildren's lives. A couple of years ago, she too received a compliance letter as the mortgage and council tax were both in joint names, the mortgage because my son pays it and she could not afford to buy him out (also this is seen somewhat as maintenance) and the council tax because they had a lot of arrears that my DIL could not afford to pay herself.

She spoke at length to the person who sent the compliance letter and went into great detail, she also provided bank statements and bills that were in her own name only.

The person she spoke to was very understanding, even when my DIL could not give them my sons new address as we just didn't know where he had gone. The case was then closed in her favour.

Then last year, she received another compliance letter, she called them, told them she had already been through this and they said, yes, that's fine,we can see that and we will close the case straight away.

She only had to send them bank statements that showed just her income and billls such as elecricity and gas, the council tax problem had already been covered, as I said

Please do not worry too much, relationships break down and things become complicated, not everything is as cut and dried as HMRC would like it.

Also, I would imagine, that your ex took a contract with Sky, as such he is obliged to have it and pay for it or risk fianancial penalties.

HMRC seem to have certain boxes and if someone, like yourself, does not fit into one at a certain time, then the thought is you are doing something wrong when in fact your life has been utterly disrupted.

Be honest (as I am sure you will be) and send the documents you have, I see no need to send a Sky bill myself, and you will be fine, and please, take no notice of the sceptics on this board.

I hope I have helped in some way and good luck.

loracan1

dseventy wrote: »

When most people split up they sever all financial ties and live somewhere else. They make arrangements for access to children (if involved) and pay maintenance. They register at a new proprrty and pay the leecy, bills etc.

What they don't do is continue to pay for Sky. If you can't pay it then you go without until you can.

It just sounds all.......well..... wierd.

Am I alone in this?

D70

Are you alone in this?
Possibly.

The water utility bill at my house is still in the ex's name. I did phone to change it to mine but they said HE needed to write to them...never got round to it. That was over eight years ago.

And as for Sky, the OP couldn't cancel that if she wanted to - they will only accept contact from the named subscriber.

Methusela

Squidge2009 wrote: »

split up with ex jan 2012, he left me. but would not tell me where he was living and his mail etc kept coming to the house.

he has now admitted to living with someone just after xmas, and says he has changed his address for everything now. and his mail has stopped coming as much. the only thing he has carried on paying for is the Sky, as i tried to change it into just my name but

well this morning i have had a letter from tax credits compliance saying they have done a credit check which shows that ex is still living here. and they are asking for evidence such as bank statements, rent agreements, council tax bills, utility bills and "any other info to explain why i have claimed as a single person". i have most of what they are asking for, but what i am worried about is that the one thing we agreed on is that he would still continue paying my internet and phone line as virgin would not allow me to take it over in my own name (credit score failure) . so that is still in his name.

i am so scared. i have about 2 weeks to provide that evidence or my tcs get stopped or they will charge me a penalty and the letter even talks about criminal prosecution

i am so, so scared. has anyone else ever had this? what happened? please help

It seems to me that you don't have to worry too much about your ex paying for the Virgin services. As you already said, Virgin won't allow you to change or cancel the deal because it isn't in your name. So you couldn't have got rid of it if you'd wanted to. If your ex continued to pay the bill that's his look-out not yours.

As long as you are up-front and honest with HMRC you don't have to worry about prosecution or fines. It sounds as though you've done everything right so far. Just carry on and don't worry

getzls

Agree with the poster about Sky,probably on a contract so can't cancel it yet.

He may not be known as his new address to tax credits etc as his new 'friend' may be claiming as a single person for benefits.

Squidge2009

thanks everyone, your replies have been very helpful and reassuring