Advice please!!

Mr_Green_Genes

stripe wrote: »

Sorry to disapoint you but the guidelines that going to come out are that the arrears plus reg ma have to be 40% of wage after stoppages or have to clear in 2 years.

I've been involved in a pilot debt negociation trining thingy and its going to get tougher.

People at the csa are getting arrears agreements thrown back at them if they are deemed to be too soft.

And btw outside debt agencies have been tough on debtor for years and they are brilliant with CSA debt.

Before they send baliffs in they have to get liabilty order blah blah blah plus anyone who goes to court and action against you goes on the website and they are showing three months worth of court cases now

Guidelines are one thing - the law is another.

Btw, you sound so pleased about things getting tougher. Are you also going to be pleased when the suicide rate goes up again?

laurz

i completely agree with the advice you've been given(with the exception of 'stripe'). I am however viewing proceedings from the other side and this is the advice i've also been given.

Please don't get stressed out about it. when i lived with someone who payed maintenence to his ex the CSA also expected vast amounts of money. we simply phoned them and said that there was no way we could afford that kind of money, we'd have nothing to survive on!! we also said how stessed out we were and that it's understandable how people caught up in similar situations take their own lives. The CSA simply asked how much we COULD afford and we agreed on a schedule of payments.

Don't worry about it. the whole system is in such awry that they don't know they're !!!! from their elbow. But you must remember that it is not the person on the other end of the phone that is soley responsible for the sham, it's the way the system's run.

aussiesbird

Please don't get stressed out about it. when i lived with someone who payed maintenence to his ex the CSA also expected vast amounts of money. we simply phoned them and said that there was no way we could afford that kind of money, we'd have nothing to survive on!! we also said how stessed out we were and that it's understandable how people caught up in similar situations take their own lives. The CSA simply asked how much we COULD afford and we agreed on a schedule of payments.

You were lucky! My O/H has just had what amounts to a 57% maint increase and this is now being backdated to June 2005 (as CSA say they overlooked a request for a review from the PWC) They are requesting an extra £175pm now which includes arrears. We are appealing this but in the meantime we spoke to the CSA who said that they were not prepared to negotiate the arrears as they felt that £45pm on arrears was fair! Maybe so, but on top of the 57% increase (due to overtime being taken into account by the way) they are wanting almost £500 pm now. We definately cannot afford this and have told them so but it is like water off a ducks back. I think it really depends on who you speak to at the time. There doesn't seem to be any consistency from case to case!
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this could also happen to you so beware!

System

£500 pm That is awful :eek: Did you complain too? We are waiting on the outcome but like someone on here posted they rarely seem to put anything in writing. They just keep phoning dh up with threats which doesn't really help. The worst thing is we are trying to play fair and will pay, when we can but the particular woman he has to deal with doesn't want to listen. He phoned up one day and got someone else. This man said he understood our situation and she was known for being harsh. He said basically go to court cause then off your income they couldn't make you pay more than you are now!!! Luck of the draw who you get.

kelloggs36

Stripe - you know full well that this isn't LAW - that is the point we are making. We know that they WISH for payments to be made within the 2 years, but unless it is law, they can't force it to happen. I am advising everybody to make formal complaints via their MPs - the more pressure from MPs the better the outcome surely? Whilst I do agree that arrears should be repaid, it must be negotiated with evidence from the NRP what they can afford - certain debts can be rejuggled to ensure CSA is more of a priority I agree with this, but at the same time, a family must be left with enough to live on. If they can prove that 40% will leave them in hardship there is certainly a case for a reduction. Each case should be looked at on its merits, and if the delays were caused by the CSA then they should be more sympathetic than perhaps those who have refused point blank to co-operate.

System

well despite two letter to the complaints section, they have not replied. Instead we had another threatening letter - bailiffs, prison etc and 24 hours to respond. So dh called up and luckily got hold of someone else as his regular case worker won't listen but just threatens. Anyway this other woman was surprised he was remarried (2002!) had another daughter (2003) and another one on the way. Apparently this has not been added to the records. She said that in view of this one child would mean 20% reduction in arrears and 2 would be 35%?! Not heard of this before but if true would make payments almost bearable. Living in hope................

kelloggs36

I take it that they are going to do a new assessment now based on the up to date circumstances? If he can prove that he notified the CSA of the change in circumstances (regarding baby) then the assessment should be backdated which may reduce the arrears anyway.

stripe_2

Well if you'd like to go and ask my Area Director for Debt Enforcement why csa people arent allowed to accept arrangements over 2 years. I've known people who have had sympathetic arrangements thrown back in their faces because it wasnt good enough

TheWaltons_3

Mr_Green_Genes wrote: »

Are you also going to be pleased when the suicide rate goes up again?

This is what is so worrying about the CSA.

Man gets kicked out of marital home, has 3 children. Has to start new life, find new accommodation, furnish it... misses his kids... sees no end to the misery... isn't getting access... can't afford payments... has lots of debt incurred when still with spouse... easiest thing to do is hang himself.

Sad but true.

kelloggs36

What a good idea Stripe - who is the Area Director then? Perhaps we can all write to him/her and ask that very question? Which area is it?

Sensemaya

kelloggs36 wrote: »

What a good idea Stripe - who is the Area Director then? Perhaps we can all write to him/her and ask that very question? Which area is it?

Fab question, K :T:beer: