Help with CSA threats

Snailtac

Is there anyone here who are in a relationship with partners with children from exes?
I need some urgent tips on how to avoid or face the problems with CSA constantly threatening my partner for debts he doesn't owe. He has his money taken out of his wages every month and they are now asking for £25,000 arrears. Where did that calculation come from and he already pays more than his half monthly wage.
The CSA is now threatening with court order and bailiffs could be forcing their entry into our house!!

How can we solve this problem please?

Any advice is grately appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

clearingout

are you party to his bank details, wage slips etc? it's an impertinent question but my immediate thought is that he's lying to you - the maximum the CSA can take from wages, for example, is 40% so he shouldn't be paying more than half his monthly wage in maintenance.

Of course, having said that, I am long enough in the tooth to know what shouldn't happen, can and does happen where the CSA are concerned. Arrears could have come about as a result of years of head in the sand, forgetting to notify the CSA of a change of circumstances, the CSA being slow in calculating a change in circumstances, the CSA making a mistake....how long is a piece of string?!

You will probably need to get hold of a copy of his file from the CSA - there is a 'sticky' at the top of this forum page telling you how to do that. It would also help if your partner makes a phone call and asks what has happened - he will need to keep calm and I would suggest making notes and taking the name of the person spoken to. He can authorise you to deal with the issue himself if he is upset about it and doesn't think he can keep his cool.

Court orders and bailiffs are a distinct possibility so you will need to get on top of this as quickly as you can. I am sure others will be along to give you information on how to do this. Please be assured that bailiffs cannot force their way into your home - and you are a way off this yet so don't worry about it just now.

It may also be prudent to make an appointment to see your MP at one of his /her surgeries locally- but probably best you have your file before you do that with some understanding of what has happened and why.

kevin137

You might also want to at least start a complaint about the amount of arrears they claim is owed, and do it in writing and send everything recorded delivery...

For them to take court action, they will have to apply for a liability order, then they can proceed with attachment of bank accounts, driving license suspension, bailiffs etc.

No matter what they the CSA say to you, you MUST attend any court hearing, and you MUST provide proof that the arrears are in dispute, the court has very limited power regarding this, and will grant the LO if you are not there, and will grant if you do not have cause to object to it being granted, and pretty much the only reason is the amount that is owed...

So complain, make a SAR's request, get copies of everything through the data request then sit down and go through absolutely everything, it should include all payments made and all previous assessments, it will take time for you to get it on order and work everything out, but once you have, you will or should have an accurate figure for what is owed if anything...

But key to avoiding the LO is making a complaint 1st, then the SAR's...

If they apply for an LO in the meantime, then make it known to the court you have already raised a complaint, providing copies of the letter you sent, and proof of postage and receipt. This will get you an adjournment for them to comply with the SAR's which takes upto 40 days, and a little bit more...

Once that is done you have a good chance of avoiding further legal action, but make sure you do get on top of it, and if it is owed, make sensible offers of payment, again, in writing, and again recorded delivery...

Records are key...!!!

Cally_Smart

Good advice from clearing out.Pay the £10 for your Data file and you will have an idea of all the details the CSA hold on you even the CD's of all the phone calls thet have been made by the nrp to the CSA!We have been at the mercy of the CSA for the last year.We have paid CM but the pwc wont admit it we have been left in a very difficult place,being compliant ,cut absolutely all out goings ,shop carefully,use advice on here etc because we know what powers the CSA have. They act before they know all the facts by believing the pwc in our case. Pwc has alienated all the 4 children (all but one are now adults).So upsetting we used to have them every weekend for years ....our 6 year old doesn't understand why they have all shunned him for the past year....

Cally_Smart

....and kevin137

CSAworkerx

25k Arrears to me means ure partner has been non compliant for a good while, mistakes can and do happen, but ive never heard/seen anywhere close to that figure mistakely on a case, There is some good advice in this thread, yet noone mentioned what to me seems the obvious thing to do.

Get ure partner to ring us and simply ask how we got this figure, we will tell you exactly how and why its that much, for exmaple,

"we assesed you back in 2000, you didnt make any payments until 2006, those 6 years are the arrears figure"

Not saying this is what happend, but youll get an answer either way, if the person on the phone cant help, ask for there manager, then ask for everything in writeing, pretty simple.

kevin137

@CSAworkerX

Clearly you do not deal with the kind of cases that make there way here.

Such cool advice, ring us, and we will tell you...

Really...??? Most of the case workers don't know there a**e from there elbow, and most cases on here are cases that people are clearly having problems with and as such come here for sensible constructive advice... Not give us a ring and we will tell you.

There are others on here that have and do work for the CSA and DWP and they have never come across with the attitude you seem to have...

I would suggest, you actually learn about what you are doing, and don't follow the same !!!!!!!! script you are given at work, oh, and while you are at it LEARN TO SPELL...!!! It is bloody annoying trying to read "text speak" which only makes me believe you are not who you say you are, and don't actually have anything constructive to add... Professionalism is clearly not your strong point i am guessing, because if it was, this BASIC part of writing, would be easy for you...!!! As is PUNCTUATION and WRITING and SPELLING...

CSAworkerx

So much anger and i have no idea why, my spelling is terrible i do admit, but considering at work we use accronyms for litreally 90% of the words we use, and all the letters sent are pre-populated and simply copy/pasted, i dont need to be able to spell that well.

Ofcourse on a forum like this where people ask for advice/help, everyone is going to be having a problem with there case, the other hundred's of thousands pwc's/nrp's need not come here.

My attitude is that of someone who will give the best advice possible, not sympthise with everyones personal circumstances, i speak for the process, If reading my posts annoy you, feel free not to, dont think im forceing you to, and i didnt come here to act professional, i do that at work, im here to give advice is possible, As for my actual advice given, If someone phones up and section and asks why they have arrears, anyone should be able to answer you, its not that difficult.

or you could do what most here seem to think is the golden answer, ask ure MP, im sure he will know why you have arrears.

Marisco

CSAworkerx wrote: »

So much anger and i have no idea why, my spelling is terrible i do admit, but considering at work we use accronyms for litreally 90% of the words we use, and all the letters sent are pre-populated and simply copy/pasted, i dont need to be able to spell that well.

Ofcourse on a forum like this where people ask for advice/help, everyone is going to be having a problem with there case, the other hundred's of thousands pwc's/nrp's need not come here.

My attitude is that of someone who will give the best advice possible, not sympthise with everyones personal circumstances, i speak for the process, If reading my posts annoy you, feel free not to, dont think im forceing you to, and i didnt come here to act professional, i do that at work, im here to give advice is possible, As for my actual advice given, If someone phones up and section and asks why they have arrears, anyone should be able to answer you, its not that difficult.

or you could do what most here seem to think is the golden answer, ask ure MP, im sure he will know why you have arrears.

Literally is not an acronym

Agreed, it's not difficult, you have access to the database and should be able to call up someones' case, quick read through, see what's happening and supply the answer. So why does the CSA have such a problem with it?

Cally_Smart

CSAcaseworkerx I would like to know why the CSA are ignoring the evidence that we have paid by listening to the pwc.Obviously she would have said something to you in all those years since a case was open if she wasn't receiving any money? Why didn't we get at least annual statements that we were under you as he pwc told us she closed the case?We live in the same house no change of addresses to confuse things. Why have you lost the recordings that we asked for from a particular day ?Why do people who work there not understand the very rules they are trying to impose on us ?Why did it take you another 14 months to say the pwc has raised a concern ..that made us carry on paying here in the normal way for another 14 months which wont count !((I suppose you think the consolatory payment of £50 makes up for that !!)All these 'arrears' they consider we have are not real & our young son is not getting the quality of life he could have ....ie swimming lessons we are going without to make sure he doesn't but OUR bills have to be paid! I could go on ...and on ...and on ! I am getting very suspicious something is going on here by the CSA.......

kevin137

CSAworkerx wrote: »

So much anger and i have no idea why, my spelling is terrible i do admit, but considering at work we use accronyms for litreally 90% of the words we use, and all the letters sent are pre-populated and simply copy/pasted, i dont need to be able to spell that well.

But you would be expected to have a minimum level of education, an surely that involves at least MATHS and ENGLISH...???

Which is clear something the CSA seem to have trouble with, i mean if there staff can't spell, and all the letters are just selected and [insert here] for info, then how could you ever expect to get a response from them about individual cases, and then the maths, well lets not go there... Haha