Urgent help - very worried

kelloggs36

I can't really add anything more except to say that if the child has left the UK, then the CSA no longer have jurisdiction to deal with it so the case should be closed. Definately get your MP to write and investigate the situation - they are much more likely to get a better response. Also, only deal in writing as there is a record of everything they are telling you and keep copies in case anything goes astray (send all post by recorded delivery). Amelia's Mummy has given the best advice - do get a Face to Face interview ASAP and don't let them fob you off that they can't do them. They can definately do them and you will probably need to insist.

I just wondered if the transcash slips get sent somewhere for storage? Have you asked if they can be retrieved?

Becles

Thanks - sorry I was a bit off last night. It's the stress of it getting to us, especially when things are difficult with the new baby, me on reduced income due to being on maternity leave etc.

I've also had a problem with Tax Credits which happened last month. They made a mistake closing my single parent claim when hubby moved in, and paid me more than I should have got. They showed me where the error was, I accepted it and they said I can pay it back at £50 a month which I can afford. It's just such a contrast how easy to deal with they have been, compared to our experiences with the CSA.

Becles

Another update:

The supervisor has rang back this morning and refused our offer of £10 a week. We do not have the funds to meet her demands, and she is refusing to budge at all.

What will happen now? If it gets passed to a collection agency, will they come and take our stuff? Techically the house and the majority of the contents belong to me only, as hubby was living with a relative when we married, so he didn't have his own household stuff. Can they take my belongings or put a charge on my house to cover his debt?

I'm really scared and worried now

kelloggs36

No, they can only put a charge on his beneficial interest, so if the house is only in your name, they can't touch it. They need to get a liability order first before they will take any real tough action so don't worry too much. Get that face to face and ask what happens to the trans cash slips when they are dealt with. perhaps the Post Office will know?

aMeLia'S~MuMMY

Could you offer £16.83?, this would clear the arrears in 2 years ( as per debt managers PAG forms ) then at least you would be paying something off whilst you sort the situation out.

Did the supervisor give you any indication as to what would be acceptable ?

It might be an idea that when you have your face to face that it gets recorded the offers that you have made to the CSA, then should it go to court you can show that you have been making reasonable attempts to pay the money back but they have been refused , and also do as kelloggs says re: transcash slips.

It is still a bit strange though, that they did not contact you for all that time they claim not to have received any payments.

:A

Becles

£10 a week is really the absolute max we can afford. We'll have more money coming in when I go back to work in January (currently on mat leave and just getting MA) but they are not willing to wait a few months.

They are pressuring us so much to pay all the arrears back immediately and are refusing to accept the installments we offered. There is no compromise option with them - basically we do as they say or it gets passed to a debt collection agency.

We've talked and we're going to borrow the money to pay them off so at least the horrible phone calls will stop. I'll still go to the CAB for my appointment on Tuesday, and try and get a face to face interview with the CSA as well.

kelloggs36

I know that the slips cashed at the post office from Order books (for benefits) go to storage linked to the post office where the DSS can recover them; they can check to see if they have been cashed or not and specific ones requested to prove that they had been signed for and paid out on. They can get these slips months after they were cashed but I can't remember how long they are kept. There must be something similar for transcash slips.

aMeLia'S~MuMMY

Let us know how you get on Becles.

:A

Becles

Saw CAB yesterday who were not much help.

He said he couldn't make sense of all the figures and he was just as confused as I was. He gave me a copy of the CSA complaints procedure and told us to follow that, and see the local MP.

He spent more time explaining to me how to send a letter by Recorded or Special Delivery, even though I'd said I'm well aware of how to post a letter by such methods :rolleyes:

kelloggs36

CAB are only volunteers who don't have as much experience with such matters. How about joining NACSA. See www.nacsa.org.uk

They are EXCELLENT at getting things sorted out.