please someone help

rach28

ive been trying to claim maintenance for my child since dec 2005. The csa lost my first two claim forms since then ive just had a total nightmare with them to cut a long story short in the last two years they have never phoned me back after i have requested a call back to find out what was happening and only having received my first letter from them in about may this year to tell me the number i need to call to contact them had changed. I eventualy got a letter from them on 5th oct 2007 to tell me they have made an assesment and total arrears due to me is 3,556.00 and that i am entitled to 88 a fortnight maintenance plus arrears 195.26 a fortnight. I thought fantastic at last. But nothing can be that simple my ex is only sending in random payments of 29. I spoke to an advisor about 3 weeks ago who said she was going to send my case to back office for a doe as they have all his employment details she was going to request it was done urgently as he was not going to comply. I have now just got off the phone from csa as ive heard nothing and have just been told that because of procedures a date of the 4th march 2008 has been given for doe to start. I complained that this was not good enougth as i work im entitled to the full amount and all they would say is if im not happy write a letter of complaint. Please help is there anything i can do to get them to sort this out

rach28

oh also my case was clerical so everytime i called they could not find my case. I was told by complaints department that i was going to get compansation for the mess with them loosing claim forms. but when i ask about it no one can seem to tell me when im going to get it

Mr_Green_Genes

The way to complain is to write to the Client Services Director with your complaint. When you don't get a reply, write to the Chief Executive. When you don't get a reply from him either, contact your MP.

Do you have details from the CSA of when they are starting your case? They can only start it (and therefore backdate the maintenance) to the point when they contact your ex. If they had your claim and didn't do anything about it, they can't claim from your ex. If that's the case. the CSA have to pay you themselves as it would be their incompetence and maladministration which caused the delay. There's a link to a useful publication about how to claim from them in the sticky at the top of the board.

Good luck.

enemes

Hi rach28

I had a similar problem, but I didn't have to wait as long as you seem to have.

My case is finally about to be resolved , though I haven't actually seen any money yet, though I am confident that it is in the pipeline.

FIRST

Go to here http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/case/complaints.asp and email a complaint to your office. I've been told that emails get attended to before phone calls and letters. Put every detail of dates, times, who said what etc.

They have ten working days to respond. (I wrote my complaint on Word, then pasted it into the form, so I had a copy).

SECOND

Go to your MP. Take the copy of the email with you, because the ten days have lapsed, and nobody has got back in touch with you by now. My MP told me that all MPs have a direct number to the CSA, so use that.

THIRD

Wait a couple of days until someone calls you from the CSA. (Make sure you have included home/work/mobile numbers in the complaint email) ... They will - I couldn't believe it when someone called me the day I went to visit my MP.

Anyway, thats been my experiences, and I hope it helps you

Good Luck

rach28

I dont know what office is dealing with my claim anymore it was sent to plymouth then onto dudley then i got a letter from cumnock and now i have not got a clue where it is. All i have is phone number 08450508487 and they seem to be able to access my file. does anyone have any ideas where my claim is??????????????????

howmuchcaniget

rach28 wrote: »

ive been trying to claim maintenance for my child since dec 2005. The csa lost my first two claim forms since then ive just had a total nightmare with them to cut a long story short in the last two years they have never phoned me back after i have requested a call back to find out what was happening and only having received my first letter from them in about may this year to tell me the number i need to call to contact them had changed. I eventualy got a letter from them on 5th oct 2007 to tell me they have made an assesment and total arrears due to me is 3,556.00 and that i am entitled to 88 a fortnight maintenance plus arrears 195.26 a fortnight. I thought fantastic at last. But nothing can be that simple my ex is only sending in random payments of 29. I spoke to an advisor about 3 weeks ago who said she was going to send my case to back office for a doe as they have all his employment details she was going to request it was done urgently as he was not going to comply. I have now just got off the phone from csa as ive heard nothing and have just been told that because of procedures a date of the 4th march 2008 has been given for doe to start. I complained that this was not good enougth as i work im entitled to the full amount and all they would say is if im not happy write a letter of complaint. Please help is there anything i can do to get them to sort this out

I too had loads of problems with the CSA and I agreed to write off £14000!!! I kept on fighting though and I now get monthly payments but it did take well over 2 years. I have to call the CSA every month and ask for my payments to be moved from one system onto another (I have a clerical case too) then I call 3/4 days later and ask for my payment to be released - every month. I complained through the address quoted on an earlier reply and was given £250. Can I say though that most of the people I have spoken to have been pleasant and helpful - not easy when you consider most people ring up to shout at them. Don't whatever you do give up - you are entitled to the money.

I hope it all works out for you in the end.

enemes

Go to the link I mentioned earlier to submit the complaint ( http://www.csa.gov.uk/en/case/complaints.asp ) and paste your complaint to all the offices on that page .... just persist, keep bothering them. If you don't, they will argue that you didn't try to resolve the issue yourself. Get yourself armed with as much evidence as you can that you have tried to do something about it.

If you are worried about what to write to them, just post back here and someone will help you with the wording.

DO NOT GIVE UP ... ITS FOR YOUR CHILD'S BENEFIT THAT YOU DON'T!